Is It Worth It To Be A Pornstar In 2011?

[Barefootsies]

This has been mentioned a number of times in 2010, along with many similar threads about leaving the industry or planning to. I found this one a bit more interesting since it dealt with the performer side versus business owner, or affiliate.

Is It Worth It To Be A Pornstar In 2011?

DVD sales at an all time low! Pressure from the government to wear condoms? Pressure on A.I.M to clean up its act! L.A politics at award shows, (nominating talent who shouldnt even be working in the biz)'! (not to mention, giving awards to talent that should NEVER be considered for performer of the year)!

Shooting budgets and rates being cut, for production. So is it really worth it to be a Pornstar going forward in 2011? No hating, just asking, this question was asked from one of my old porn star friends who just en-listed in the Army! (thats another blog post)!

Is it really worth it?

Credit: seven

[IllTestYourGirls]

Same thing could be said about every other industry in the world right now.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by IllTestYourGirls

Same thing could be said about every other industry in the world right now.

True dat.

However, in this industry the companies/producers/photographers are being forced out. So there is less people out there to finance the performers. Their pay scale is coming down, but that is still not keeping the puppet masters in business.

[GatorB]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

True dat.

However, in this industry the companies/producers/photographers are being forced out. So there is less people out there to finance the performers. Their pay scale is coming down, but that is still not keeping the puppet masters in business.

Well eventually there won't be any more porn and all the fucking freeloaders can jack off to shity tube clips of 10 year old porn. Ironically they will be dumb enough to ask how come no one is making any new porn.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by GatorB

Well eventually there won't be any more porn and all the fucking freeloaders can jack off to shity tube clips of 10 year old porn. Ironically they will be dumb enough to ask how come no one is making any new porn.

Time will tell. With the way things are going, that will happen in the next 12-18 months.

I doubt anyone at this point could finance it, but the next step would be to have user submit porn videos. People sending in their home videos for $500.00 a pop or some shit. Getting the necessary docs and what not, and then over time developing the market.

[VHNet]

In bad times only smart, and lean companies make it. Others get bought out or close up shop. Best time to be in business is right after a economic downturn recovery. Less competition.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by VHNet

In bad times only smart, and lean companies make it. Others get bought out or close up shop. Best time to be in business is right after a economic downturn recovery. Less competition.

Agreed.

I think many adult companies were over leveraged when this economy took a shit. Add in the changes in the credit card market, plus the tube explosion, and you have as Robbie had put it, 'a perfect storm', that wiped out a lot of companies.

I remember a few years ago at the Miami show one of the merchant processor guys telling me how most of the programs in the adult industry would topple if something changed like cross sales, or credit climate. The point being, they were barely staying afloat as it was bouncing their sales off their various MID's with upsell/cross sales. Which was not a good position to be in. Then it hit.

On the bright side, it's wiping out most of the low lying fruit and those who never learned to sell in the first place. So should be a better industry once things turn around.

[czarina]

is it worth it to be ANYTHING in 2011, other than a millionaire? and even then...

[marcop]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

I doubt anyone at this point could finance it, but the next step would be to have user submit porn videos. People sending in their home videos for $500.00 a pop or some shit. Getting the necessary docs and what not, and then over time developing the market.

Lovely--more shitty porn made by people with even less talent and know-how than the average Industry gonzo shooter.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by marcop

Lovely--more shitty porn made by people with even less talent and know-how than the average Industry gonzo shooter.

Well, if that high end stuff sold like hot cakes, there would not be a market, or demand, for the rest. A prime example would be what we have seen for the past 12-18 months with the EX-GF content niche sites. Before that, the explosion of clip stores and the amateur producer.

Capitalism at it's finest.

[clicker]

Only if they self produce and market themselves from A to Z. It would pay off in the long term.
This model doesnt work well as most do not have the skills, patience, or understanding of how the business works.

[L-Pink]

Originally Posted by VHNet

In bad times only smart, and lean companies make it. Others get bought out or close up shop. Best time to be in business is right after a economic downturn recovery. Less competition.

lol, unless the business you are trying to market has a price point of ZERO for their product.


.

[L-Pink]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

People sending in their home videos for $500.00 a pop or some shit. Getting the necessary docs and what not, and then over time developing the market.

Less than 10% of the "paperwork" would be good.



.

[Paul Markham]

The industry will not have an upturn after the financial decline is over unless it changes a lot. I know that sounds defeatist but the downturn started long before the banks crashed. The crash made it worse by a small degree, most people who had jobs kept them. This is not like the depression of the 30s.

The reason the industry will not recover is most customers lost to Tube sites are not coming back. Tube sites fit their needs better than paying for a site that does not live up to it's promise, risking getting their card getting scammed and bothering with canceling memberships. Or paying $30 for 30 minutes.

We need to think about how to win back customers and not wait for the economic upturn or the demise of Tubes, they are suffering from the same economic downturn as we are.

As I said I'm sorry I sounds defeatist but am I right?

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by Paul Markham

The industry will not have an upturn after the financial decline is over unless it changes a lot.

Wait..... but we have Markham the superman.

[Paul Markham]

Originally Posted by L-Pink

Less than 10% of the "paperwork" would be good.

True.

Big magazine publishers were not paying us $300 for a pictures non exclusive because they trusted the paperwork on the images sent in. They did so because they could not trust the people sending in stuff or rely on them for content.

The alternative is to get trusted content providers or shoot it yourself, to get couples to perform in front of a camera.

[Paul Markham]

As for the question about is it worth it for a girl to be a porn actress today?

The answer is no. A lot of girls are finding this out and turning to other forms of adult entertainment. The benefits are, their family does not find out, they get treated better and the pay is often better.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by Paul Markham

As for the question about is it worth it for a girl to be a porn actress today?

The answer is no. A lot of girls are finding this out and turning to other forms of adult entertainment. The benefits are, their family does not find out, they get treated better and the pay is often better.

If you've ever talked to any stripper, many of them will quote you their best night ever as what they make every night. Much like the rest of the online adult industry.

[ruff]

Most of the porn girls last about a year or so. They make some flash cash and move on. You also have to factor in the ego. For a lot of girls, it is not just the money, but the attention. You put some makeup on some chick from the mid-west and buy her a set of tits and bob's your uncle. Those chicks have been getting off the bus in Hollywood since forever and they will still be getting off the bus every year into the future.

I forgot, have you ever met a chick that got a boob job that would NOT show you her tits?

[kane]

I'm not expert, but I had heard in the past that many pornstar girls make most of their money feature dancing at strip clubs. From what I understand only a few of them make a lot of money shooting movies, most make some decent coin, but it is nothing compared to what they can make on the strip club circuit between shoots.

I would guess if you can get your name out there and get some good exposure for yourself that road money is still there.

[OMG Jim]

Originally Posted by ruff

Most of the porn girls last about a year or so. They make some flash cash and move on. You also have to factor in the ego. For a lot of girls, it is not just the money, but the attention. You put some makeup on some chick from the mid-west and buy her a set of tits and bob's your uncle. Those chicks have been getting off the bus in Hollywood since forever and they will still be getting off the bus every year into the future.
I forgot, have you ever met a chick that got a boob job that would NOT show you her tits?

I totally agree that this has been the lifeblood of our industry for the past 30 years and is something that will continue as long as there is Hollywood and Porn Valley.

But then there is always the 80/20 rule... for the Top 20% there will be opportunities with the established studios as contract performers and for reliable girls there should be steady work in this area of the industry.

Now for the Other 80%... most will be the "Here today, gone tomorrow girls" leaving behind little more than a few scenes and photo sets. Moving forward that leaves the models that will somehow figure out a way to make a living via marketing themselves on the internet. Then they can either find a program to promote them or they can in rare cases go at it alone.

I think that ONLY the girls with the rare combination of looks, personality and brains will have the best chance at marketing their "Brand" using as many avenues as possible. They will need their own membership site combined with some type of webcam setup that generates them additional income and also a platform where they can interact with their customer/fan base via email, IM or social media.

[Paul Markham]

Pornstars who have established a name do make great money stripping. Those who don't get that far don't do so well. They still make a lot more than the girl on the check out at your local super market.

The good thing about stripping for a girl who chooses it as a career instead of porn is. The money is good, she can work every night, her career is a lot longer, only those who visit the bar know what she's doing, she's not being fucked by a stranger in front of a camera crew, and not in danger of catching an STD.

Plus she gets all the attention she wants.

[Kiwigirl]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

Time will tell. With the way things are going, that will happen in the next 12-18 months.

I doubt anyone at this point could finance it, but the next step would be to have user submit porn videos. People sending in their home videos for $500.00 a pop or some shit. Getting the necessary docs and what not, and then over time developing the market.

Hmmmm or how about uploading your clips to Clips4Sale.com?
Clips4Sale.com has not suffered a down turn in the current market which is odd but they are discovering that more and more consumers are exploring their fantasies/fascination.

Just throwing my 2 cents out there.

[cambaby]

Originally Posted by marcop

Lovely--more shitty porn made by people with even less talent and know-how than the average Industry gonzo shooter.

Did you just use the word "talent" and "porn" in the same sentence?

[fl_prn_str]

stripping, hooking off of CL or if they are smart the brothels in NV....but it is not the big payday they used to see or hear of.

[MaDalton]

it was never worth it - only to 5 girls out of 5000 maybe. and even those 5 usually ruined their health, their psyche or both.

[ilnjscb]

Originally Posted by Paul Markham

The industry will not have an upturn after the financial decline is over unless it changes a lot. I know that sounds defeatist but the downturn started long before the banks crashed. The crash made it worse by a small degree, most people who had jobs kept them. This is not like the depression of the 30s.

The reason the industry will not recover is most customers lost to Tube sites are not coming back. Tube sites fit their needs better than paying for a site that does not live up to it's promise, risking getting their card getting scammed and bothering with canceling memberships. Or paying $30 for 30 minutes.

We need to think about how to win back customers and not wait for the economic upturn or the demise of Tubes, they are suffering from the same economic downturn as we are.

As I said I'm sorry I sounds defeatist but am I right?

The tubes are free and have more variety. MFC makes money with a version of that market, selling higher end attending services to a free pool of services. Even XHamster doesn't have everything, or the best stuff. Wife, GF, and amateur niches also satify the maker's desire to show themselves so they'll be around.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by ruff

Most of the porn girls last about a year or so. They make some flash cash and move on.

On that, "Pornucopia, Life in the Valley" HBO series on the porn industry it said most last like 9-18 months. Which I found to be a really short time for professionals. The amateurs, sure. There are some that last 1 or 2 times.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by kane

I'm not expert, but I had heard in the past that many pornstar girls make most of their money feature dancing at strip clubs. From what I understand only a few of them make a lot of money shooting movies, most make some decent coin, but it is nothing compared to what they can make on the strip club circuit between shoots.

I would guess if you can get your name out there and get some good exposure for yourself that road money is still there.

In that MSNBC Porn Special, in that last 10-15 minutes with Jesse Jane she talks about that.

[BigRod]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

Agreed.
On the bright side, it's wiping out most of the low lying fruit and those who never learned to sell in the first place. So should be a better industry once things turn around.

I expect the entire industry to fall apart over the next couple years, then like every other industry rebuild out of the ashes. Most of us on here have made ridiculous money over the last ten years and if anyone thinks you can do that without having a few lean years their snorting to much fairy dust!

[kane]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

On that, "Pornucopia, Life in the Valley" HBO series on the porn industry it said most last like 9-18 months. Which I found to be a really short time for professionals. The amateurs, sure. There are some that last 1 or 2 times.

I saw a show on HBO a few years ago where they filmed at a strip club for a few months and followed the people's lives that worked there. The guy that owns the place said that the average life of a stripper's career was 2 shifts. She would come in and do the first shift, then come back for one more and be done. He said most of the girls just need a quick infusion of cash and if they are hot they can make a quick grand in a couple of shifts and move on.

I would guess the same goes for porn chicks.

[davecummings]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

On that, "Pornucopia, Life in the Valley" HBO series on the porn industry it said most last like 9-18 months. Which I found to be a really short time for professionals. The amateurs, sure. There are some that last 1 or 2 times.

And, that series was filmed at least five years ago---I'm too old to recall, but they spent a day with me in San Deigo as I was filming and performing in a sex scene that's in their Vol 4 of the series---my point is that the 9-18 months might be even less under today's circumstances. I understand that a lot of the girls have left the business or have other jobs to supplement their present porn-making incomes.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by kane

He said most of the girls just need a quick infusion of cash and if they are hot they can make a quick grand in a couple of shifts and move on.

I would guess the same goes for porn chicks.

Yep. Plenty will suck and fuck you for a few bucks on the DL if given an option.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by davecummings

And, that series was filmed at least five years ago---I'm too old to recall, but they spent a day with me in San Deigo as I was filming and performing in a sex scene that's in their Vol 4 of the series---my point is that the 9-18 months might be even less under today's circumstances. I understand that a lot of the girls have left the business or have other jobs to supplement their present porn-making incomes.

Yep. I remember seeing you on it buddy.