In porn, consent is critical. Your legal process and advertising for talent should all stress no obligation and the execution of agreements should be done in a professional way that improves your industry credibility. This will ensure more talent works with you in the future. Porn is legal to make and produce, but paying for just sex is almost always illegal in most places or is highly regulated. This creates a big gray area that is often overlooked by newbies to the industry. Don’t be that amateur that overlooks the paperwork and ends up in a lawsuit. Make sure you have the documentation you need to prove consent and legal work conditions so you protect yourself and your business.
Here are some rules to follow regarding consent:
- Do be explicit in what you expect. Don’t assume your adult actors know what you expect. Be clear and say and write exactly what is required for each role.
- Do have a method for actors to withdraw consent. If actors change their minds, give them a way to withdraw consent at any time.
- Do a post-shoot interview. This further confirms consent by giving you proof of consent.
- Do document all payments. Make payments through a business account and document all payments so you can prove payment at any time.
- Don't do things off record. This is a recipe for lawsuits, misunderstandings, and the end of your porn business.
As you can see, learning how to do adult casting involves different moving parts, and you can’t ignore any of them. If you want to launch a successful and profitable adult business, you need to follow all local and federal laws and make sure you are covered with paperwork and filmed consent. Finding talent is not always easy for porn videos, and if you are shooting just yourself or a partner, you won’t have this problem. For bigger productions or ones where you need an adult actor to work with you in the scenes, you can hire talent that you scout yourself or pay a scout or adult talent agency to connect you with performers.
Once you hire talent, make sure you observe all legal requirements and be very clear and explicit in the requirements for each position. Consent is paramount in the adult industry so cover yourself by using filmed and written consent, and allow actors to withdraw at any time during the production. If you follow these rules, you will be well on your way to creating a profitable porn business that continues to grow.