What are Pros/Cons For Working In Porn?

I would like to comment on this. When you are coming right out of high school $40k a year sounds like a lot of money. It is not, especially if you have to live in LA. I wouldn't even get out of bed for $40k a year.

Go to college and get a degree. You'll start out making more than that, and you'll have a career with long term prospects.

 

Didn't see this mentioned, so I'll add it to the mix.

You don't get to choose who your co-stars are. Or what you're doing with them. In the fantasy, you get to star with the hot guy in your dreams, and you make hot passionate love as the cameras roll. In reality, they might say you're going to be sandwiched between two guys you think are pretty gross, they're going to take turns penetrating you, you have to moan "thank you, Fred and Ned!" over and over again, and - oh yeah - you're gonna have to wear the penguin costume. And guess what? You're gonna have to do that. That is, if you want the paycheck, and/or want to ever get another gig.

Lex

 

In a couple of years? Sorry if you're 19, then by 21 you would be consider a little old for porn(not too old). Male porn stars can last through their 30s, if they look good, but they strive on youth...

An 18 year old compare to a 21 year old is a lot because a 21 year old looks mature by 24 (especially in porn) but an 18 year old can look young for a long while.

 

Also I think this is a side job for you, for big pay for little work. A $1000 a scene could pay the months rent. Porn can be a second career if you take it serious. I have no morals so I understand a bit, but my real career would be destroy by porn. Otherwise, I might do it when I turn 18.

Also porn can be rewarding, since you left a mark on the world and you will know people might be looking at your works 20-50-100 years from now somewhere.... Porn should be something you can proudly say you did.

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Also who cares if they are ugly? A $1000 for a few hours makes anyone hot. It's not like yours going to marry them. And a ugly guy will make you hotter than two hot guys.
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Leaving college with no debt, and some money left over is a pretty good deal if that's what you're planning. This is your future.

 

Even if you are in school and you work in the porn industry you can still get into trouble. I saw on ESPN that 2 guys on the Nebraska wrestling team were kicked off the team and scholarships revoked for posing on a gay porn site. They received a few thousand dollars and flown to LA to masturbate in front of a camera. They never even preformed sex acts with other guys.

 

But wasn't it a Christian college? Plus, they were on the wrestling team, so that was another reason why the got into trouble.

Off-topic: It's funny Jekko that you took down your pics after you started this thread.

 

>>>Also porn can be rewarding, since you left a mark on the world and you will know people might be looking at your works 20-50-100 years from now somewhere.... Porn should be something you can proudly say you did.

Oh, no doubt. My friends and I jerk off to old stereo opticons and kinetoscopes all the time.

>>>Also who cares if they are ugly? A $1000 for a few hours makes anyone hot. It's not like yours going to marry them.

If you really think this way - and you feel the same way about $200 rather than $1000, since that's a bit more in line with the way things are - then you shouldn't bother with porn. You should become an escort.

Lex

 

Escorting is illegal, unless you live in Vegas, and even then I think there's regulations.

It's just a higher class prostitute.

 

Do you know how many good professions make 40k? And some of them require college. That's insulting, get off your high horse, you can make a decent living with 40k.

 

That was what I was thinking too. I'm not sure which part of LA he thinks everyone wants to live in, but a person can cleary have a stable living making 40k a year. Not everyone aspires to live in an expensive condo.

 

My friend was making $30K in the entertainment industry back in the early/mid 90s, and he lived in LA. Or tried to. He tried having his own small (and not all that nice) apartment far from work, but they raised the rent on him enough that he had to move. He ended up in a really small room in a house with some rather unpleasant roommates. I'm not saying that's a given, but I'm guessing that $40K is pretty close to the "squeaking by" level.

Lex

 

Squeaking by level in L.A is rougly 16k a year. If you get a room mate, stay home, eat cheap food, and gas stays low.

I think 30- 40 k is plenty

600-1200 for a place a month
200-400 for gas a month
100-300 for food a month
50-200 for electricity a month

At the most expensive on those it would be 25k to live comfortably. Add 500 more for junk and you got 30k. On today standards.

Your friend case is different because he probably had to afford his entertaining career- guessing acting- add classes headshots and whatever he needs to manage that career. Add about 10-15k the first couple years.

 

I don't think working in porn is such a bad thing I don't think I would be able to do it but if your brave enough it could be a good job.

I'm sure you get checked for STD's so I can't see there being a big risk (if it is a professional company)

Getting paid to have sex with beautiful people which I can think of worse job's

They get paid a decent wage more than enough to pay for college and then some

However there will be some con's like you will ALWAY'S be a porn star even if you quit it will stay with you forever and there is the risk of being recognised remember movie's can last forever

Also you would have to keep yourself in top shape eat right and exercise cause nobody want's to watch a porno with unattractive people so you would have to keep yourself looking good

 

The original comment was just to point out that 40K/year isn't THAT much money. You can walk out of college and earn that much in a safe and legitimate profession. And one that has potential for a lot more income as you progress or advance. That I believe was the point.

Now this kind of makes me laugh. You're speaking from experience, are you? Until you've lived on your own, or supported a family, you really have no concept of how much it costs to live. I didn't when I lived at home. I sure do now. And I earn quite a bit more than 40K.

Perhaps his friend paid taxes. Because 30K likely translates into 20K after taxes. Perhaps he had a car to put that gas into, and that of course requires car payments or saving to buy a car with cash. Oh - and insurance. Oh - and a phone, and internet, and cable. Cloting would be nice too. At least that's my finding. :icon_wink

 

Depends on your definition of borderline of poverty (homeless) and living, and that's the point I was making.

I think the OP has more of an idea of his living situation because he lives in L.A., but 30 k can take you far if you stretch it. I know this from my friends who live in L.A.

I am assuming this on a single person living with room mates and all. A family is a whole different concern which this thread is obviously not discussing about.

$40 K isn't a lot, for luxuries, but its enough to live on decently especially for a career with no skills except sex on camera- in which a lot of people enjoy.
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But he wants this career not for his main profession for life, which I think a lot are confuse on this thread, but for part time money like a waiter in college. The OP said he's going into psychology, so the main point he's saying is that he just wants an easy "part-time" job, not a profession.

Porn is not for life, but maximum 10-20 years for guys. Even less for women, like only 10 years. If you remove the bad stigma of porn, it's really a great job for a person who has a plan in life.

 

OK, instead of going off my own personal opinions, I decided to go straight to the horse's mouth, and talk to a guy I know who works in the adult industry in Los Angeles. His opinion is, of course, still just his opinion, but at least this one is coming from within the biz. I've edited out some personal details, but left the answers otherwise intact.

Q: First off, can you live on $40K in LA?

A: I'd say that yes.. it's easily done so long as you don't live beyond your means and charge up things you can't afford on credit cards. A small one-room flat in those bungalow clusters around a common court yard, a used car and don't eat at Spago every week... you'll be able to do it just fine.

Q: I know it's tough to guess at averages, but take a standard guy who works in front of the camera - not a huge star, but someone who works steadily. How much work is he going to get? What kind of pay? Do most actors do this as their main source of income, or is it more of a supplemental thing?

A: How long is a piece of string? Hot hot is he? Is he so stunning that he can command a higher asking price? Does he bottom and lick cum and rim? Does he have amazing tattoo work? A bottoming scene for small studios can pay as little as $500 if you're not a Greek God. A guy with an amazing body, great performer, professional and with a following can make five times that much without breaking a sweat. I would love to work with (name) and (name) every day if I could. They're nice, polite, show up on time, are focused on working and do their best to move it along, get the scene shot in as little time as possible and still deliver a performance that we can edit into something hot. I won't name names but there are a few guys...that I would NEVER work with again no matter how little they were willing to work for.

He then offered this advice.

Do your research and find out who you're working for. Some of the biggest names with the biggest websites are shady at best...making models sign contracts but don't give them any work (this is their way to assure an "exclusive model" without having to pay a retainer), some treat them like prisoners and don't allow them to leave the house they're shooting in for three days and take away their cell phones. I'll tell you that models are lining up to work for (company) because he treats everyone so well. I left (previous company) to work here, let's not forget, and I would have been able to write my own contract to any studio.

Some people only make porn, many do personal training or mainstream modeling as well. Some are also strippers and yes.. some are escorts but a lot fewer than you'd think.

The long term guys are the ones...who manage to negotiate their own sites and produce content for themselves. Or guys...who start their own sites and production companies or.. to be fair.. guys like me who have many talents like directing, marketing, editing, design and promotion. I can also do lots of technical stuff when it needs to be done. This isn't a Diva business by any means. But I love it and I wouldn't change anything about my life.

I thank him for taking time out answer these questions.

Lex