Porn Perspectives

Playgirl Editor Harassed on Fox News

While I'm no huge fan of Playgirl magazine, I found the recent Fox News interview with its former editor Nicole Caldwell endearing. I never found Nicole's writing or vision impressive, but she handled herself with grace while the meat heads of Fox News' "Red Eye" show uncomfortably and aggressively bantered about sex and porn. Their sophomoric reaction to "hey look! a chick who will talk about porn!" is common, and in my opinion stems from discomfort about sex. While these jock-types act like she's a dream come true, they really are just freaked out that this woman might have access to their secret sexual lives.

See what you think:

(via Jezebel)

Top Ten Female Porn Directors

XCritic.com recently posted a list of their Top 10 female porn directors. Click here for the full list, plus links to each director's work.

My postergirl Tristan Taormino tops the list, and with good reason. Who else other than Tristan could convince behemoth Vivid to produce an educational series?

(A visual illustration is clearly required here)

The list is a bit controversial, as it includes Mason, who is known for very extreme content. I personally find her work deeply offensive, but she apparently goes out of her way to ensure the women in her movies are willing (and kinky) participants, so I can't condemn it.

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In other news, my hometown of Albuquerque, NM, is hosting a porn film series called Pornotopia. This is the first I've heard of the series, now in its second year. Go liberal enclave hometown!

9to5 Movie Review

I attended the European premiere of the independent documentary 9to5: Days in Porn, screened as part of London's Raindance Film Festival.

 

I know many of us have been eagerly awaiting the chance to watch this documentary, as it is rare a piece of film comes along which appears to provide an accurate reflection of the mainstream porn industry. And indeed, that is exactly what this film does, for better or for worse.

 

The film provokes fascination, revulsion, laugher, vague arousal, and shock—which is exactly the mixture of reactions I experience when watching mainstream porn. Revulsion most of all.

 

The German director, Jens Hoffmann, spent a year among his subjects building trust before ever rolling a camera, and it shows in their clear comfort around the documentary crew. True, these are professional performers, but they offer a completely relaxed, intimate view into their personal as well as professional lives.

 

I attended the film festival with someone who has worked in the industry for 15 years, running her own fetish business. Her view of the film was that it was a negative portrayal of the industry. She was particularly disturbed by the repeated overhead shots of the freeway, which were spliced throughout the film—the implication, in her eyes, being that porn is “a road to nowhere.”

 

I meanwhile, came away from the film filled with hope and excitement. Maybe it’s because I spend my time researching trends and women’s activity in the industry, but the decline in product quality and overall disrepair of the industry screams opportunity to me. The film did not depict niches or fringe movements, but as readers of this blog are well aware, many women are taking advantage of this opportunity and setting up their own shop, taking control of their image, and slowly changing the industry as we know it.

 

Sasha Grey—a central character in the film—is the best example of this, at least on screen. No one doubts her commitment and passion for what she does. Sure, it’s extreme sex, and she relishes acts which make many of our stomachs turn, but it’s clear that this is her thing.

 

My favorite moment is when a bigtime porn director is interviewed about Sasha. To paraphrase his clearly pre-rehearsed soundbite:

 

“I’ve never worked with Sasha, but she is a huge talent. It is clear she is going to go far in this industry and become very successful.” Long pause, and then, as though he couldn’t hold it in: “…she’s fucking crazy!”

 

Love it.

 

I hope the film gets picked up by some larger distributors. It was completely self-funded, since no one with money seems to want to touch anything with "porn" in the title. Nonetheless, it terms of production values and music, it’s very well done. And as the most accurate depiction of the porn industry I’ve ever seen on film, I’m curious to see what other reactions to it are.

Magazine Review: Scarlet

A reader had alerted me to the existence of the British magazine Scarlet some time ago, but because it is not sold in the US, I didn’t feel I had enough information to form an opinion on it (content available online is limited). The concept behind “The Magazine That Turns Women On” is a sex-positive, pro-woman magazine tame enough to be sold in the drugstore, but naughty enough to transcend Cosmo’s “50 secrets to driving your man wild”.

 

I recently spent a few days in London, and my first purchase upon arrival was Scarlet. I paged through it at a coffeeshop, and I’m pleased to say we’ve got ourselves a winner. My initial skepticism that the magazine would be condescending, self-congratulatory, tasteless, or narrow-minded was unfounded.

 

Increasing people’s comfort with sex—particular female sexuality—is key in producing an open, accepting society. Magazines like Scarlet which discuss graphic sexual details the same way one might describe a trip to the grocery store is a huge step towards increasing comfort levels.

 

In addition to a delightful section entitled “Cliterature” (oh, how I never get enough of sexual puns!), the magazine includes several short features about the sexual adventures of its staff writers. Most features are accompanied by photos of these women, and it’s both surprising and heartening to see how average they look. They are exactly the average, pasty, size 12, thirtysomething women with stringy hair you would imagine actually write for a women’s magazine (Hollywood movie casting notwithstanding).

One feature describes the writer’s vacation to a Swinger’s colony:

 

“Meanwhile, I sucked Greg off so hard that I thought my vocal chords might rip. Eventually I turned around and let him fuck me from behind while a row of guys lined up in front of me, all waiting to be sucked off.”

 

What an icebreaker—don’t you just wish all soccer moms were exposed to this type of writing regularly? We might not be having this Sarah Palin problem if they did…

 

Other things I like about Scarlet:

 

• The erotic stories in the Cliterature section all make an effort to eroticize condom usage, so points for that.
• The magazine is sprinkled with ads and reviews for sex toys, which is convenient for women (who, by the by, comprise the vase majority of the sex toy market)
• The advertisements are amazing. Gorgeous lingerie and corsets abound; it’s highly motivating, and let me say that it’s never a bad thing for a woman to invest in gorgeous lingerie.
• Readers are not treated as one-dimensional sex fiends, as indicated by features on non-sex-related topics like interesting historical figures, music, and well-designed office supplies (ok, so maybe that’s a bit sexual).

 

In sum, I highly recommend this magazine to readers on their next layover in London. You can get it at the airport (!).

The Economy's Impact on Prostitution

Slate posted an interesting article exploring the economics of the informal economy of high-end prostitution.

I’ve often wondered exactly how prostitution is impacted by economic downturn. Logically, one would think that consumers would cut back on all forms of disposable income. But prostitution (especially high-end prostitution) fills an emotional need for many consumers, most of whom work in the corporate world, and this need is heightened during tense times of uncertainty.

According to the Slate article, prostitutes actually experience an increase in activity for about 6-8 months after the beginning of an economic downturn. Then the money runs out, and prostitutes either find ways of being more affordable to their clients (they sometimes lower prices or allow delayed payment for regular customers), or they ride out the slump with the rest of Wall Street.

Interestingly, some diversify their “portfolio” of clients (bankers, lawyers, tech guys, etc) so they aren’t so beholden to the cycles of a single industry. Others have started revolving-credit associations, involving a pool of cash that participants pay into, and from which members can withdraw during tough times. The article mentions one woman who started insuring call girls against risk, charging a premium of 5% of monthly income, and paying out up to $1,000/month for up to five months out of a year.

Pimps, strip club owners, and the like have been offering such services for quite some time, but with this assistance comes obligation, leaving many women feeling trapped. Developing informal networks of their own helps women maintain their independence.

Ultimately, the women often just have to wait it out, along with their clients. As one prostitute notes, these are Wall St guys—they will always find a way to make money, and will always come back as long as a woman makes them happy.

Is Porn in Peril?

 

When discussing the economics of the porn industry, a common question I am asked is how the Internet has impacted the ‘traditional’ industry. To the casual consumer or observer, it appears that one of the largest segments of the industry, the movie/DVD segment, is on the serious decline.

While it is certainly true that the Internet poses a significant threat to production studios and distributors, the threat is not fatal. It simply requires adjustment and reaction.

And the industry is doing it all wrong.

 

As a recent Financial Times article points out, the adult film industry has been responding to the Internet’s proffering of free, low-quality content by lowering production values and prices to compete directly. This, in turn, lowers profit margins. Another tactic is to prosecute known pirating channels like YouPorn and PornoTube. As we have seen in the film and music industry, this can have some impact, but at a great cost and questionable staying-power.

 

An alternate, more effective approach for movie producers is to differentiate the product from the junk freely available online.

 

A nugget of sheer brilliance:

 

"For years the industry has created very mediocre product and it has sold well because the consumer had no choice - it was all that was available. Now, the consumer has a choice and can get the mediocre content for free or for a very low price. We have to give consumers something they are willing to pay for."

 

This bit of wisdom comes from Ali Joone, founder of Digital Playground. Digital Playground is the company behind “Pirates,” the best-selling adult DVD of all time (released in 2006—right smack in the middle of the Internet Age). The movie was filmed in high-definition and included intricate costumes, special effects, and plot.

 

I would add to this the idea that brand differentiation can go a long way towards incentivising a viewer to pay for content. The more attached a consumer is to a specific woman, the less likely he is to be satisfied with grainy, amateur online porn.

 

This differentiation benefits female performers greatly. While actresses must contend with fervent competition and the brief lifespan of most careers, they also stand to make quite a bit of money—and if they play their cards correctly, extend their careers indefinitely.

Steven Hirsch, Vivid's chief executive, confirms my point. He says top stars can earn anything from $150,000 to $500,000 a year. Real entrepreneurs like Jenna Jameson have been able to earn more by producing their own movies.

Even actresses who are uninterested in running their own business can do quite well, if they are able to develop a distinct image. They command higher payments for movies, but earn several times this amount touring strip clubs as feature performers.

All said and done, the Internet certainly provides a challenge for the industry. But savvy producers and performers recognize this as an opportunity to innovate and rise above the fray with quality content. In the end, both the producer and consumer win.

Justine Joli

I'm glad to see Reverse Cowgirl giving my girl Justine a much-deserved plug. While y'all know I have respect for Sasha Grey, I am a bit curious as to why Justine Joli hasn't gotten quite the same play.

The woman is absolutely stunning--and intelligent to boot. Having seen her in person as well as onscreen, I have total confidence she is capable of becoming a big star.

 

From the Outside Looking In

As some readers may know, your dedicated porn bloggeur, your your Porn Baby (as known to some) recently relocated to an undisclosed location in Eastern Europe. It has now been one month into what is likely to be a year-long relocation.

During the week, I work in this Eastern Europe location, and on weekends I try to get around to see the various European cities within easy reach.

While I realize I have only been here a short time, I have begun new insights based on this geographical shift. It may be a cliche to say this--and granted, I have always been aware of the differing levels of permissiveness in Europe vs America--but for the first time I am really feeling the difference between America and Europe in their respective positions on sex/porn.

For example, I am writing this from a cafe in Copenhagen. Just down the street is a sex shop:

This is the view from the street. In Denmark, sex shops do not have to cover their windows, as they do in the US (and other parts of Europe). You'll just be walking down the street, looking for a cappuccino, and BAM!--dildos and whips are in your face.

By contrast, I'm taking advantage of being in a predominately English-speaking country to take in a little (ok, a lot) of American television. The shows' provincial plot lines, while vaguely disturbing when I was living in the US, are now shockingly conservative.

Last night, I flipped the channel to Desperate Housewives in time to catch this gem:

Lynette: Brie, the reason I came to you for help is because you always had such strong faith
Brie: I'm sorry I got upset. I should have remembered that questioning faith only makes it stronger.

And then on Judging Amy (for the record, I watch neither this show nor DW except when pathetically jonesing for American TV), a key plotline followed an artist foster mom who took black and white photos of her kids for an art book. The kids were only partially clothed in some photos, and a social worker (a character we're supposed to sympathize with) threatened to take her kids away, calling it sexual exploitation. Triumph of the system!

I look at this from my dildo-and-S&M-infused perch and remark to myself how small this all seems. Yesterday I walked past a large ad showing a topless woman on the street near the main train station.
How can Americans be freaked out about kids stumbling upon pornography on the Internet, when this woman's nipples are the size of my head? It just seems a hell of a lot easier to loosen up about this stuff. Denmark does not seem to be experiencing ill effects from being so permissive--there is no epidemic of Danish teen pregnancy, underage sex parties, or broken marriages. I don't really know what we can do in the US to help people losen up (more dildos?), but it would really be great to be able to focus on something else besides freaking out over sex.

9to5

A new documentary from Jens Hoffmann explores life in the porn industry (watch the trailer here). It looks to present a lively, unwavering view of what it's like to work in the industry. The main emphasis in the trailer are the female performers (including big names such as Belladonna, Sasha Grey, and Sharon Mitchell), which is of course how it should be.

I'm very excited to be able to attend the London premiere of the film as part of London's Raindance Film Festival in early October. I'll be sure to let y'all know how it is!

The Fall of the Behemoths

The Financial Times ran an article last week eulogizing the "porn barons"--the handful of huge porn magnates whose empires are crumbling.

Men like Hugh Hefner (Playboy), Larry Flynt (Hustler), Bob Guccione (Penthouse), and Paul Raymond (prominent British porn merchant) have seen steady and precipitous declines in revenues over the past few decades.

While there will always be a place in my heart for gentlemen's magazines, I'm really not sad at all. The products these men created were important in the history of the industry and in cultural sexual development, but in creating large companies around traditional media (namely, magazines), they also limited their ability (or is it willingness?) to innovate.

The porn industry is one of the most innovative, rapidly-changing industries out there, and if you get attached to the old ways, you are at a serious risk of getting left behind. Half-hearted attempts to enter new segments with pay-per-view channels and an online presence aren't enough when you must contend low-cost and highly-agile start-ups in a fiercly competitive marketplace.

What does it mean for the indusry when the giants fall? This could be an excellent opportunity for the next giant to rise. Think about it--the industry is highly fragmented, with small, fast-moving players taking advantage of new opportunities as they arise. Consumers don't have particular brand loyalty, as these companies bleep in and out of business overnight, and leave in their wake a slew of schizophrenic advertisement-heavy sites where users have no idea what they're getting when they click. This can't go on forever--eventually someone will start buying up the successful companies and will start building a larger brand which can provide enough flexibility in its products to compete with the start-ups. Customers will gravitate towards the brand, since it will be associated with quality and easy-to-locate content. And, contrary to popular belief, people do pay for porn, if it means getting exactly what they want.

The industry is going through a major transition, and the smartest players are going to get very rich.