Collabs, when and how to do them
Collabs aka Shared Content, are a great way to get material to feed the platforms and your web site. I first started highlighting this as a way for performers to get content that they owned back in around 2008.
Rule – No POV or Tripod filming (ok, more of a guideline)
If you are new to the industry, save yourself aggro by simply saying no to guys wanting to collab this type of content.
Most guys have no idea how to shoot good POV/Tripod scenes. If considering a guy for this, you absolutely need to see what they have done before.
Most women only need a very limited amount of this type of content, if any at all.
See filming notes below.
Suggestion – Fellow PERFORMERS only.
I firmly believe that non performing photographers and video people should pay to shoot, if they are getting content.
Only exceptionally skilled photographers/video people bring enough for their skills to add value that they get content.
So, if possible, 3-5 performers, and whoever isn’t performing, shoots. So long as everyone knows who is new, and who is experienced, that’s fine.
Rule – ONLY collab to make content YOU want to make.
If people want collabs but they don’t bring what you need, don’t collab.
If you are a woman whose porn is all about you and Bad Boys aged 18-40, you should certainly NOT do a collab with me. I do not fit your work. Same goes for anyone else who asks for collabs – if they don’t have what you need, it’s a no. Anyone who pushes, frankly, isn’t being professional. An occasional “hi, I’m still here if you need me” is fine, that’s just business networking, but people trying to change your mind, out of order.
Rule – ALWAYS collab with PaulJonesAIR!
Only joking. ONLY collab with me, if you want content with me, (see above Rule). But if you like my look, I always say yes and can film all day when not performing. I bring lights and cameras. New people very welcome.
Rule – She who knows what scenes she wants, gets the scenes she wants
People will often go to a collab with a “whatever you want” attitude.
Which is great, tell them what you want, get the scene YOU want 🙂
Example – I want Bad Butler scenes. So I will always suggest Bad Butler. But, even more, I want a scene with YOU, so if you say “No, I need a hidden camera fucking my sugardaddy to blackmail him later scene”, that’s what we’ll do.
When?
If you want to set a date for your planning before you ask other people, esp if you plan to open it up people you don’t know, or part time performers, weekends are best. This goes double if you will be spending money on a location.
Weekday shoots are hard for people not full time in the industry. Esp males (if you want a few of them…), most of whom have day jobs.
Porn stars with loads of followers DO want to collab with you
Well, if you are a new female performer, if you want to collab with anyone in the industry, really, just ask. “I fuck the new girl” is content that most porn people – male and female – love to make 🙂 So, DM them. They might say yes.
New guys – not so so much. You shouldn’t even be requesting collabs until you have a decent amount of content showing you with a range of girls. And if you do reach out to performers, ONLY do so for the ones who follow you. They’re presumably following you for a reason. It might be that they are open to a collab. BUT check that you want to be in their stuff. If she’s a domme mainly slapping, beating and pegging sub guys, you can probably be the guy, (esp if you are willing to pay to be a film sub). But don’t expect the “you shag her” scene to be on the cards.
Rule – 3-5 people is fun and efficient, more, is often too many
A collab day is a work day, so everyone wants to get the most out of it. A good day can give everyone several weeks content.
I find that an hour per scene is a good figure, and it can take longer. 30 mins filming, but makeup, prep and general fannying around means it’s very hard to shoot faster. Examples
2 girls and a guy : Each girl gets a BG scene and they do say 2 GG ones. That’s a non rushed afternoon that gives each girl THREE scenes.
2 girls A&B and 3 guys C&D&E : So, AC, AD, AE, BC, BD, BE AB scene 1, AB scene 2. That’s a FULL day. And each girl gets FIVE scenes.
So, once you get lots of people – 6+, unless the aim is to shoot a lot of threesomes/group sex, or multiple scenes can be filmed at the same time, too many people will be sitting around doing nothing.
Rule – Make your own rules, and WRITE THEM DOWN!
This comes to how content is used.
My default is “people get what they are IN, but NOT what they film”, and once people have it, they can do what they like with it.
But say it’s agreed that you a two month head start on the guy, fine, but put it on the release.
If you don’t want it on Tubes, put that in the release.
Rule – Do the Paperwork
Even with friends and partners. Because you might need to prove permission (esp on platforms). And sometimes people stop being friends, or partners.
Rule – GET THE FOOTAGE ON THE DAY
“I did content with these people but haven’t got my content yet” is a far too common complaint.
If you get the footage on the day, you have the footage and if edits don’t arrive, you have the footage and edit yourself.
Take portable hard drives to grab the footage with.
Have a stamped self addressed padded envelope so if time is short at the end of the day they can at least send it to you pretty fast afterwards. (Seriously, 4-5 people each needing over 100GB each of files can take bloody HOURS to send to hard drives, and there are trains to catch…).
Filming Notes
I like Proper Filming – where some people fuck while someone else films it, moving around to get the best shot.
IMO it’s very hard to shoot good tripod based porn unless multiple cameras and excellent camera awareness by the male, and most POV is rubbish because of camera movement.
If I was a woman and guys wanted Tripod or POV based collabs, I’d probably say no. Unless YOU really want them, and you know why. For example they can play well for escorts AW content – “Me and a client” video.
Anyway, IMO, if guys want to collab, and you want them, get them in when someone else is also there to shoot properly.
Can I ask why you don’t think independent camera operators are worth remunerating properly?
My camera, lights and editing software plus dedicated computer cost an eye-watering amount to which you must add the cost of my training. Additionally, shooting a scene takes up my time and costs me money to get to the venue.
I usually edit the material too, which can cost me another day or so, depending on the complexity.
We’ve all seen amateur-shot material where the camera operator misses the shot (as they failed to anticipate or were too engrossed in the free show) or their battery runs flat as they forgot to charge it. With a dedicated cameraman, these risks are, in my submission, lessened.
It seems to me that you get what you pay for in the porn industry as you do anywhere else. So, over to you Bad Butler; why are you so adamant that camera operators shouldn’t be remunerated for their time, expenses, and professionalism?
Richard.
This is in the context of performers doing collabs.
Performers can, and do, learn how shoot very effectively.
And in doing so, they can keep all the content for themselves.
Collabs are a forgiving environment for this.
In the context of an article about performers doing collabs, that’s why.
Also these days many performers have a camera friend who is competant and willing to donate time.
Now, if you are a performer wanting a complex candle lit BDSM dungeon scene filmed properly first take, you will already know that you need to hire someone who knows how to shoot it. But that isn’t what the article was about.