From the sofa...Working with Photographers and Filmmakers

I wanted to talk to you about a trend in the porn world here in SL that I've seen all too often.  A guy tells you he will take pictures or film of you.  Maybe you are a bit new to the scene and are anxious to get work so you agree.  He takes you back to his house, makes you strip, asks you to fuck him...and then you wait....and wait....and wait.  No pictures, no film...nothing.

You have the right to be choosy about who you work with, and you should be choosy!  It's not a question of ability; it's a question of being taken advantage of.  Here are some rules of thumb you should adhere to when asked to model:

1)  Anyone legitimately working in the industry will be proud of their work and will have a link to their blog, Flickr account, or films on their profile.  If they don't, ASK THEM for one.  If they don't immediately provide you with a link, run away!

2)  Ask around.  Ask people you know that are established in the industry.  It's just like checking references when you hire someone to do a job!

3)  Almost no one will ask you to pay to model.  It may be appropriate to tip a photographer who is taking a large set of pictures of you, but generally speaking legitimate photographers and film makers will not ask you for money.

4)  Never exchange sex for pics or film.  You're better than that.

5)  Beware of promises to 'make you famous' or 'make you a star'...first of all, wanting fame is the wrong reason to be getting into this business, and secondly, it just doesn't work that way.  In a future post I'll revisit some ways new people can become more well known. 

There are people active in many of the porn groups that are intentionally deceiving people.  There are also people who may be doing it unintentionally...but the result is the same.  You will 'give it up'...and never see the fruits of your efforts.

I hope this is helpful to someone.  I welcome comments and feedback.  💋