So You Think You Can Fuck

        

First off, do your homework. Check out the actors at a bunch of different major studios (visit Gay Daily Hot or Queer Me Now for a good overview) and carefully choose a handful of studios that might be after your look. Be realistic; don’t apply for a bear porn site if you’re a twink! Titan, for example, was a great match for me… clean-cut, muscular, not overly tattooed… but there are plenty of different studios, and each one has a different look they’re after.

The next step is to fill out the application. Almost every studio has an online version of their application; Titan’s is at http://titanmedia.com/models, for instance. When you fill it out, be honest. Describe your sexual likes and dislikes, and don’t worry if they’re kinky; trust me, they’ve heard it all before. If you know someone in the industry, great; list them as a referral. Be sincere about the reason you want to get into porn, and what you’re looking to get out of it. Your honest answers will go a long way to help the studio determine if you’re a good fit.

Next… the pictures. Any reputable studio will require that you send several nude photographs of yourself, both hard and soft, from a few different angles. They don’t have to be professional pics; for most studios, a cellphone picture in a mirror is fine. In some cases, amateur photos are actually better, because the studio can get a better idea of the “raw material” they have to work with. In my case, I had a friend come over to take the photos, but self-portraits would have been just as good. Your first photographic impression is, of course, very important. You should be in as good shape as possible when you take the photos, and when you submit them, they should be recent. If you submit a photo from 5 years ago when you were 8% bodyfat and now you’re at 28%, they’re gonna find out soon enough. (But if you’re interested in doing bear porn, that might be an asset!) To give you some examples, at the top of this post I’ve included the 5 pictures I submitted to Titan when I first applied.

Once you’ve sent in the application, wait. Studio executives are very busy, and sometimes get dozens of applications a week. Don’t bug them. If you haven’t heard anything from them in a few weeks, a quick email might be in order (the email address will be on their website). In my experience, most studios do not send rejection letters; if you still don’t hear back from them, they’ve probably determined that you’re not a good fit. But take heart… just because you’re not a good fit with that studio, there are plenty of others, and one of them might be a better match. Apply to them too!

If a studio does contact you with an offer, take some time to consider their proposal before making your decision. There’s no rush. Weigh the potential ramifications if you choose to enter the world of porn. Will you be okay if your family finds out? What about your friends? Your employer? I’m very lucky to have wonderful friends, a fantastic job, and a family that’s very supportive (yes, they all know), but you should think about how it’ll affect you when (yes, when, not “if”) they find out.

Another thing to consider is what side of the so-called “latex line” you want to be on. The choice is, of course, ultimately yours, but remember that if you ever shoot a bareback scene with any studio, or even put an amateur barebacking video of your own on XTube, that automatically rules out your ever working with a bunch of the major studios, including Titan. Just something to keep in mind. I personally believe that always using condoms is not only safest, but sets a good example; the guys at Titan believe the same thing, so that’s another reason why we’re a great fit.

I won’t discuss how much you can expect to make per scene; that’s between you and the studio. I won’t tell you how much I make, either. I can tell you, though, that you’re paid by the scene; you’re a freelance artist, under contract for the day. The recruiter will usually tell you up front what the starting scene rate is. If not, it’s completely reasonable for you to ask. Remember that established performers make more money than the newbies, so your scene rate will probably increase as you gain experience.

Well, that’s about it. To give you some additional inspiration, I’m including the application that I originally submitted to Titan (see below). I guess I did a pretty good job filling it out, because the recruiter at Titan emailed me back within three hours.   It should give you an idea of what the studios are looking for.

Remember, the Titan model application is at http://titanmedia.com/models… tell ‘em I sent ya. Good luck!

Update: Shortly after I posted this, Dominic Ford pointed out to me that he already has a film series called “So You Think You Can Fuck” (sytycf.com). Oops! Hey Dominic, sorry about that… and thanks for letting me use the title anyway! Although I suppose I could have also called it “The Sex Factor” or “America’s Hot Talent”… or even “Eurnovirgin” for my EU friends.