Sometimes when you are just getting started, you are bombarded with requests and you aren’t always sure which offers you should consider.
The portfolio scam
A photographer claims he’ll take photos of you to help you build your portfolio. Because you know, for some reason you need that. The catch? He takes photos of you for free, of which he now legally owns. You get a couple pics to put on your twitter page but in the end, you can’t even really do that. He could at any time DMCA them and get them taken down. HE owns those pics, not you. There is nothing you can legally do with those pics. You can’t even use them on your membership website. In doing so, he could file a copyright claim in court and you could be fined $150,000 per offense.
The portfolio scam is more common in mainstream with all those girls on Instagram trying to be insta-models but it does still happen in porn.
Think of it another way. Would you let your agent book you a scene (even just for glamour or nude solo shots) for free? Of course not! Who would agree to work for free?
Then yeah, tell any photographer who wants to take photos of you FOR ANY REASON, they can pay your standard rates. Even if they claim it’s to benefit you for any random reason they give.
You are in the business of adult entertainment. You are here to make money. So if someone wants to work with you, they can pay for your time like everyone else.
The Fake Producer
This is really picking up lately. It has always been around but no with sites like Clips4Sale and ManyVids, it seems to have gotten worse. The long and short of it is, a man will contact a performer to try and book her for a scene. They never want to pay the real rates and they always have some excuse why they can’t pay legit rates like I’m new and just getting started or I just had to buy some new lights or whatever.
The point is, they want to pay VERY little. But you know what they always seem to offer in exchange? The chance for real fame and fortune. Because they always seem to know someone who knows someone. For example, one douche is going around saying he also sells his work to Hustler, and Penthouse. So if you book the scene with him at significantly lower rates than normal, you’ll get featured in Penthouse or Hustler magazines. I contacted Penthouse and Hustler. They had never heard of the guy. LOL
That’s the thing though, to many girls don’t bother to actually check. It’s important to never believe any producer or photographer who tells you anything. Seriously. Never trust anyone. Do your research and find out for yourself.
One guy wants you to fly out to his location for 3 weeks. He will pay $3,000 plus your flight and you will stay with him during the three weeks. The problem is, he only pays $3,000 for the ENTIRE 3 weeks. During that time you are shooting 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for three freaking weeks. Who would work that much for only 3 weeks? That’s crazy. 1 week for $3k, sure but 3 weeks? That’s retarded.
ALWAYS DO THE MATH.
If the average boy/girl shoot is $800 but someone suddenly offers you $600, don’t turn it down just yet. Find out the details.
If the $600 shoot is only 1 hour, then it might be worth it. I mean you could be on the set for 8, or 10 hours for $800 or 1 hour for $600? Now which offer sounds more attractive?
On the surface $3,000 sounds like a lot of money but when you really do the math, it’s not. 3 weeks on location meaning you can’t do anything else, it’s not worth it.
Also remember to always verify any story. If a guy says he works for Hustler magazine or Penthouse or Met-art or X-art or Reality Kings, PROVE IT. Call the companies directly, or tweet or email them and find out. 99.99999999999% of the time, you’ll find out it’s a lie.
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