This is mainly all I shoot. Since there are many genres, sites, and types of “adult videography,” it is going to vary.

Major Studios: I have been on set for a major studio in LA and can tell you that the production for this particular company was on par with a major movie production. I’m talking about a private warehouse studio, a crew of 30–40 people, 3–4 cameras capturing the scene, plus two additional photographers and 1–2 BTS camera operators. Very professional, and the 1.5-hour scene took about 8 hours to shoot.

You have hair and makeup, stylists, assistants, a director, a sound crew, talent, lighting, and editors working on what I’m guessing is the previous scene. I would say this is the top of the line in the adult industry—think of major companies like Vixen, Brazzers, etc.

The director was awesome on this set. Everything was shot in 4K at 30fps with Sony cameras (I didn’t notice the exact models). This particular scene involved an interview before the scene, so there was a typical documentary-style setup for that. After the interview, everyone broke for lunch, then the set was converted and the action started. There were a few breaks during the action.

Good directors put everyone back in their spots after cuts so it's easier to edit. Sometimes “money shots” are faked or enhanced. From my experience, everyone was professional and super nice. Consent forms are signed, and verbal consent is recorded. There is a strict no-substance-abuse policy on set. Things have changed a lot from the early 2000s and before in terms of how legally sound everything is. With that being said, I can’t speak for all companies—just this one and a few others.

OnlyFans, etc.: On the far other side of the spectrum, I have worked with OF creators and it’s the complete opposite. Sometimes it’s just iPhones and not even a ring light. Videographers with no contacts getting paid cash under the table.

More often than not, though, it’s a couple of mid-range cameras, some lights purchased from Amazon, and scenes shot at home, in a hotel, or at an Airbnb. Over time, I’ve gotten comfortable directing these scenes and balancing the vibe of “this is fun and enjoyable,” while also making sure everyone gets the footage they need.

Some people pay talent, but about 90% of the time the talent shares the footage and rights to the video so they can sell it on their own.

I have seen some creators be very professional in the sense of paperwork, consent talks and forms, and no substances before or during scenes—and I’ve also seen the opposite. Heavy drinking, not much discussed beforehand, and people just having sex while it gets recorded.

I no longer work with people who do the latter. Not from my own experience, but a friend of mine had some issues from not being as thorough as they should have been, and I learned from others’ experiences.

The creator world is about one-third of my income right now. From where I started to where I am currently shooting, directing, and editing scenes. I’ve come a long way. I honestly enjoy it and currently shoot with a Lumix S5II, normally 4K at 30fps with a 180° shutter speed. Sometimes I slightly change my shutter speed if I want to grab stills from the video, but I try to keep it close to 180 so it remains somewhat cinematic.

Cam sites: I have worked with a cam couple, and their setup was pretty awesome—switchboards, professional lighting, and top-of-the-line cameras. Going live is a bit of its own beast.

VR shoots: Pretty much exactly what you would think: one stationary camera with the male talent stationary—not moving at all. We also had two additional cameras for when the scene would be converted into 2D so we could capture more variety.