Nurturing the Newbie: Veterans on Helping Green Performers Grow

This article by Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals is part of a package of stories in the July 2015 issue of AVN magazine. Tibbals is the author of a book of essays titled Exposure: A Sociologist Explores Sex, Society, and Adult Entertainment. Dr. Chauntelle will read from the book at a release party from 7-8 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, at Hustler Hollywood, 8920 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. First day of school, first day at a new job. The first day of anything can be confusing and overwhelming. Or, it can be amazing—the perfect way to begin a new adventure. The early days of working as a performer are no different. I asked some industry leaders in production and talent management what they do to help ensure new performers learn the ropes in a way that is both effective and comfortable. Mark Schechter, owner of Adult Talent Managers LA (ATMLA), emphasized the importance of spending time with new performers and outlining industry protocol. “I personally will spend one to two hours with every new performer upon our initial meeting and acceptance for representation, discussing everything from the risks of STDs in the industry and how the testing system works to expectations on set and proper financial record keeping,” he said. Most significantly, Schechter said, he tries to make new performers aware of the industry community resources available, including APAC (Adult Performer Advocacy Committee). “I give performers information about APAC and encourage them to join the organization so they can establish a peer group and get involved in the industry in a proactive manner,” he said. Awareness of resources and the opportunity to build skills is key to supporting new talent. New Sensations director Eddie Powell frequently shoots newer performers, as his portfolio can attest. From Schoolgirl Cuties to the Innocence of Youth series, you can almost guarantee relatively green performers will be on his set. I asked Powell what he did specifically to help new talent feel comfortable and effective. Essentially, what he does is direct. “I shoot quite a few newer performers, performers that don’t know about posing or about opening up to camera, etc. I take a lot of time providing as much direction to them as I can,” he said. “I spend a longer time on ‘pretty girls’ so they can understand how to get their best angles and how to pose. It’s important to help provide them with the skills they’ll need to succeed in this business.” Establishing a comfort level for new performers through this type of guidance in turn benefits everyone on set. “When you take the time to make someone comfortable, you’ll get a better performance out of them,” Powell explained. “When newer performers come to set, you want them to succeed. As a director, that’s part of my job—to help [performers] be as successful within the scene as possible. So, I take the time to instruct and teach and try and pair them with more seasoned male performers that know how to take the lead so that they don’t feel as much pressure to carry the scene.” I found this insight quite telling, as it speaks to the rationale behind older/younger pairings consumers seem to love—and critics outside the industry seem to hate. Aside from fulfilling content needs, on-the-job performance mentoring is happening in real time between performers of variable experience levels. But everything isn’t always so overtly strategic on Powell’s sets. He added, “I’ve also been known to tell the newer performers quite a few bad jokes—nothing relaxes a girl more than a really cheesy, bad joke. If you can get them to laugh, it helps them ease into the scene and the day more quickly.” New Sensations director Jacky St. James, who can almost always be found assisting on Powell’s sets, also mentioned her efforts to put performers at ease. “I try and make a connection with [the newer performers] immediately. I might have been on countless shoots, but if they haven’t it’s important to be cognizant of that,” St. James said. “We want people to only do what is within their comfort zone, and we want to create an environment where people feel safe enough to communicate when they’re uncomfortable. I always make sure they know that they can communicate issues or concerns with me at any time.” Kelly Madison Productions’ Ryan Madison, who’s directed a litany of relevant content, including the Teen Fidelity series, also emphasized performer comfort and establishing rapport. “The number one thing we do to make a new performer feel safe and comfortable on set is to be a safe and comfortable company to begin with,” Madison told me. “Being a female-owned company, right off the bat, makes the girls feel safe. And we go out of the way to discuss exactly what’s planned as far as sex goes, and most importantly, empowering them by letting them know they can say ‘cut’ at any time during filming if they need to.” Madison added, “Even the most basic stuff, from greeting them kindly to offering food and beverages, if done gently and kindly and with respect empowers the talent—especially when we always tell them we want them to ‘be themselves.’ Yes, it’s performing, but what we like best is to showcase the girls and really make them shine.” Some sets are far more complex, however, as content shot for Kink.com can attest. With performances that are exceptionally physically demanding and a fan base that expects a very precise aesthetic and tone, the producers of lines like Electrosluts and Hogtied must go to great lengths to assess performers’ comfort levels and adjust for experience. I spoke to Bobbie Sanchez, Kink’s assistant talent manager, about what goes into preparing for their shoots. “Communication with our models is highly important when on set,” Sanchez informed me. “We interview models prior to them coming in to shoot so we can gauge what their experience is with BDSM, and we make sure that all the BDSM activities they will be partaking in are adjusted to their comfort level. We also make it a point to check in with our models constantly while they are shooting.” Clear communication was consistently cited as key, and one of the most frequently cited “best communicators” on set is Girlfriends Films’ Dan O’Connell. O’Connell shoots nearly all the company’s girl/girl titles, including their Mother-Daughter Exchange Club series and other older/younger-themed titles. In O’Connell’s view, a healthy positive relationship with performers is essential to a good experience. “Being the best director you can be requires having a good relationship with those you are directing,” he said. “I have a lot of genuine respect for [performers], knowing that they’ve come through the door ready to do what few people have the courage to do.” Newer performers generally come to a Girlfriends Films set per a request from veteran talent who shoot with the company on a regular basis. As such, they’ve already been vetted by members of the community. O’Connell echoed Powell’s rationale regarding pairing newer performers with more seasoned women. “When we do bring in somebody who is new to the business, I always pair them with a leader,” O’Connell explained, “somebody who has shot for us a number of times and can pace the scene so it goes down not too fast or not too slow. The experienced girl can also rescue the scene if the new girl turns out to be a poor performer.” In the end, it seems like the overall set environment is essential to making new performers feel comfortable. O’Connell says he does it, in part, by keeping his sets small. “Truly, the most important part of making talent feel comfortable and welcome is the crew,” O’Connell explained. “I limit the crew to the number of cameras that we operate, which is three. So, my crew consists of just myself and my two camera people, Sabrina and Miguel.” Though every aspect of production is work, making that work enjoyable is what makes working in porn gratifying overall. O’Connell summed it up nicely, explaining that he and his crew “share the various other jobs on set, and all three of us have cheery attitudes, positive outlooks, like to laugh, and treat everyone with respect and admiration. If it wasn’t for that, all the rest of what we do would be wasted.” Questions and comments can be directed to chauntelle.anne.tibbals@gmail.com or  via Twitter at @drchauntelle.