How to Become a porn director | Page 9

dark and light backgrounds.
If you film someone against a bright
background the camcorder often adjusts and leaves
the subject too dark. Automatic exposure also is
constantly changing instead of leaving an even
lighting throughout. If you can focus on the subjects
with the automatic setting and then flip to manual to
keep it there.
Automatic focus is also another feature that
can sometimes cause problems. Because what the
automated feature is focusing on maybe different
than what you want to focus on you will again need
to test it out before you start a shoot. Low lighting
and foreground inference can throw off the auto
focus.
The time code feature is a present day marvel
for the amateur filmmaker. The time code feature
assigns a number to every frame of the picture and
sound. This makes editing and dubbing a much easier
process. Read the directions on this feature twice.
Always make sure that you have fully charged
battery in the camcorder along with several extra

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charged batteries. Use fresh tapes and set the time
code. It’s usually a good idea not to record on the
first and last minute of a tape due to manufacturing
processes that spooled the tape on the cassette. If you
have been recording a lot make sure to clean the
heads.
Let the camcorder accumate to it environment
before starting to tape. Differences in temperature
and humidity can cause tape malfunctions if the
camera is not left to sit a few minutes before filming.
Be familiar with all the settings on your
camcorder. Is there a standby or pause button? If
there is how seamless is the transition on tape
between when it was paused and when the recording
resumed.
Make sure you lock and label tapes after you
are done shooting or in between switching to new
tapes.

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How to Become a Porn Director: Making Amateur Adult Films
50
Act Seven:
The Set and Setting
As far a porn set goes there are four key
necessities: privacy, lighting, bathroom, heating/air
conditioning. Everything else is just a luxury. As simple
as this sounds, all four are indispensable for a successful
shoot. Remember time is money, you may have the time
but bottom dollar says you don’t have the money.
Privacy is the first and most important part of any
porn set. The actors cannot be distracted by gawkers,
loud noises or even the police.
You may think that all it takes is to have two
people strip down naked and get it on. For the most part
that is true, but the setting will make the difference
between something almost cinematic and the lame shots
recorded by someone who’s greatest ambition is to show
up on America’s Funniest Home Video’s.
What is a good setting? Got an apartment where
the walls don’t let the fighting couple in the hall
interfere? Have a forest preserve nearby where no one
goes during the week? Are mom and dad gone for the
weekend? Any of these places will do as long as it is
private, relatively clean and your not going to attract the
attention of the local law enforcement establishment.

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Props can be chairs, sofas, beds, kitchen tables,
fields, barns, etc. You would like something that looks
better than squalid pigsty. Dirt, junk and clutter are
distractions to the eye and should be avoided.
Lighting is a most important element. Your
camcorder may or may not have a light on it. That means
you are going to have to rely on other sources of light.
Diffused sunlight is a good source of natural
lighting. If you have a room where the sun shines
brightly, put up a thin layer of cotton mesh or other shear
material that allows the light in but gives it a softer glow.
Fluorescent and incandescent lighting throws
harsh shadows that are not pleasing to the eye. Any
lighting is better than not enough lighting. No one wants
to squint to see the action going on. Check out a book on
photography for some studio lighting techniques.
Bathrooms are a necessity for more than just the
obvious. For scenes where anal penetration is going to
occur, an enema before hand will prevent a messy
situation. Clean up before and after scenes is another
good reason. You want your actors to look and feel fresh
for each and every set.
Air conditioning will prevent excessive sweating
and body order. Heating will make it easier for a male to
obtain an erection and both performers skin color will
look better. The whole idea is to make it as comfortable
as possible so the actors can concentrate on sex and not
their surroundings.

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Act Eight:
Writing the Perfect Porn Script
You might think that with all the porn videos on
the shelf that there is a huge market for porn script
writing. Guess again. You’ll find more change on the
ground then you will ever make writing and trying to sell
a porn script. Most porn directors operate without more
then a page of script, with the basic outline of the sex
scenes to take place.
Remember that dialogue in a porn video mainly
consists of grunting and groaning sounds. Sex is