The adult industry might carry a taboo stereotype, yet it stands as a thriving sector of the global economy, raking in $97 billion per year. And whats more, the adult entertainment and porn industry is only set to grow as we move forward.
The appeal of working in the adult industry is undeniably appealing and intriguing for many. Getting paid to have sex, or to flaunt your body? It sounds like easy money, especially for those who are sexually confident, open minded and and looking to break the conventional career moulds.
If you’ve ever considered starting a porn business, you’re not alone. More people than ever are accessing the various internet platforms available to start their own porn company or simply monetise their sexual activity.
And when you consider that around one third of all internet activity is porn related, you can see how it might appeal.
But how realistic is it for you to start a porn business? And how do you even get started creating porn and selling it?
But First: A Warning
All references to the production of adult entertainment or porn in this article refer soley to consenting adults. We DO NOT condone any form of pornographic content that employs underage participants, unwilling parties or animals.
To be clear, this means NO kids, NO rape, NO hidden cameras, NO animals.
The reasons for this should be obvious, but let’s just define why you shouldn’t even try to set up any of these forms of adult entertainment.
- They’re very illegal
- Harm to others is not just damaging to them, it is morally wrong and can result in harsh legal repurcussions
Make sure anyone you are working with in your adult business are over the age of legal consent in your country. This is usually over 18, in some countries it might be over the age of 21.
You should also draw up contracts, which we’ll be looking at shortly.
What Kind of Porn Sells?
If you’re wondering what kind of porn appeals to people, the answer is pretty much all of it. There is a niche market for pretty much anything you can think of.
From the older generations, or the overweight, to hairy, or specific body parts such as feet.
Literally, whatever you can think of will have an audience ready to enjoy your content.
With that in mind, you need to define what kind of content you are going to produce. Will it be long sex videos? Will it be short form content for sites like OnlyFans? Will it be solo videos, live streaming or orgies only?
Once you’ve decided what you’re going to produce, it’s time to follow the step by step guide.
The Step By Step Guide to Starting an Adult Entertainment Business
If you’re planning how to start your own porn or adult entertainment business, we’ve mapped out the steps here.
It’s important to remember that every business is different, so depending on your business model, you might need to add additional steps.
Step One: Understand the Legal Context
Before you dive in, arm yourself with a deep understanding of the laws governing adult content in your country, state, or region.
Research on obscenity laws, copyright laws, age verification, privacy regulations, and more.
Seek legal advice to ensure you understand the restrictions and regulations, as non-compliance can lead to serious legal repercussions.
Draw up a contract or a release form for all parties. This includes those who are going to work on set. You should define:
- What is expected of them on set
- Who has the rights to the final content
- Who can use the content – for example, can your participants use elements of your content on their own sites or portfolio?
- Renumeration – are you paying them in advance for the job, or will they take a cut of profits?
You should also have a process in place to verify age and take proof in case needed in future.
Step Two: Create a Business Plan
Every viable business starts with a plan. This should outline your niche, target audience, marketing strategies, financial predictions, operational structure, and future plans for expansion.
The adult industry is highly competitive, and differentiating your business proposition will be crucial for your success.
An example might be:
- Create X porn videos
- Market them on OnlyFans and ManyVids
- Promote them on X/Twitter, TikTok, Reddit and Tumblr
- Create a business website linking to these videos
- Once revenue threshold of $X is reached, expand or diversify as required
Step Three: Secure Funding
Bootstrapping your porn business may be an option, but don’t underestimate the costs associated with starting an adult video production company.
You will need more equipment than you think to get started.
Your video or content needs to be well produced, well lit and well edited. People might pay for low quality content, but they’re more likely to pay more. orbecome repeat subscribers when the production value is higher.
Take into consideration the costs for each video or photo shoot.
These may include location, equipment, talent agency fees, safety precautions, legal consultation fees, marketing campaigns, and website setup.
It might be tricky to secure funding from traditional sources such as bank loans or angel investors, so it might be best to either start small and expand, or approach people in the porn or adult industry to invest in your product.
Step Four: Hire the Necessary Personnel
If you’re creating a one man/one person porn video channel, this will be a simple step. For example, you can easily shoot webcam footage of yourself, or use POV (point of view) video for that personal experience.
But if you want well short porn, a dedicated and professional team is essential. At the very least this will include a camera operator, the performers and an editor.
But you might also need lighting technicians, make up, a director, sound engineers, set dressers and more. Yes, top quality porn production houses use all of this and more. And yes, this is expensive.
When hiring performers, ensure they are of legal age, consenting, and aware of the nature of your productions. Also, keep in mind the industry-standard STI testing protocols for the safety of all involved.
Step Five: Selecting the Location
Whether you decide to rent a studio, convert a space, or shoot on-location will largely depend on your budget and the style of productions you plan to make.
Whatever you decide, your location must adhere to all safety regulations and legal limitations.
Many porn companies either hire an Airbnb for a week and bulk shoot videos over a short period of time. Or book a hotel for specific shoots.
You probably don’t want to mention that you’re going to be shooting a gonzo porn movie in their hotel room though…
Step Six: Purchase Equipment
Quality is king in the adult industry. And while you can get by with an iPhone or high end Android phone, or even a GoPro, access to a pro standard camera will make a BIG difference.
High-grade cameras, lighting, sound equipment, and editing software are necessary investments. There are some very affordable software options such as
Doing extensive research and sourcing quality equipment will lead to a finished product that stands out from the competition.
Step Seven: Marketing
The most important part of running any business, including starting a porn business, will be marketing. In fact, marketing will be the most time consuming aspect.
Effective branding and marketing strategies are vital to standing out and attracting viewership.
The standard channels will be:
- A website
- Multiple social media platforms
- Use of the adult video platforms like OnlyFans and ManyVids
Remember that some platforms have strict policies against adult content, so do your research to avoid wasting time and resources.
Step Eight: Distribution
The key final point is knowing how to distribute your content. This usually means digital distribution, or uploading content for paid access.
Most adult content production companies or freelancers choose to build their own websites, allowing the greatest control over content and revenues. In fact, having a domain and a brand is going to be one of the best ways to have creative control, even if you’re not going to focus heavily on SEO.
Be aware that not all website domain hosting companies will be happy hosting adult material on their platforms.
At the current time one of the best platforms to deliver your video content is via ManyVids.
This allows you to upload high quality video content and set your own pricing.
As we’ve mentioned, OnlyFans is also a good option for hosting.
With these distribution channels, you then only need to worry about the marketing and promotion, rather than handling storage and distribution.
Step Nine: Compliance
A final point here is about staying legal.
Regularly ensure your business complies with all legal requirements and industry standards. Acting responsibly, ethically, and legally will protect your business and maintain a positive reputation in the industry.
This means having clear and legal contracts for performers, and acting professionally as part of your production.
In Conclusion
Embarking on an adult video production company venture is definitely not a decision to be made lightly. It requires business wits, a heavy understanding of the laws, sincere respect for the rights of all involved, and an ability to navigate the paradox of a simultaneously niche yet saturated market.
With the right approach and a gutsy determination, this unconventional and risqué endeavor might just be the career path you’re eager to explore. After all, every industry needs pioneers and visionaries – and the adult industry is no exception. Test the waters, act responsibly, and who knows? You might end up making waves in a world some dare only to glimpse.
