Over the past year, I have met quite a few adult performers, and I have talked to them about how and why they got into the industry. I’ve asked about their dos and don’ts, and about the type of scenes they perform. But in all the conversations about the industry, I never really had a full grasp on what the job of an adult actor or actress entailed.

I knew enough to know that it’s not your typical 9-to-5 job. Hours are sporadic, jobs are probably sporadic. And on the female performers’ end, I would think there is a lot of preparation that goes into their job. But that is just a glimpse of the job. That leaves out the whole ‘fucking on film’ part, and all those other details that comprise the actual job of an adult entertainer.

I think that even though everyone knows there is an adult industry, most people assume that it’s not really a profession. It’s just there to get people off. It’s not like the film or theater industries, where viewers discuss the sound, the lighting, the cinematography, the producer, director, etc. Porn is just porn. And honestly, that’s some of the beauty of it – the fact that you’re not thinking, but simply gaining so much pleasure out of it, is a big part of the appeal of porn. But I wanted to see what it was like behind-the-scenes. I wanted to see what the job was really like when one is an adult performer, director, etc.

When I was making these plans, some of my friends had questioned: “Don’t you think this is going to ruin porn for you?” And to be honest, I knew this was a legitimate question. It was a question that was lurking in the back of my mind. I’ll admit that there was a time in my life – not too long ago – that I thought the adult industry was chock-full of perverts. Everyone on set, regardless of their role on or off-camera, was getting sexually pleasured. I figured it was all just a big fuck-fest, but only half of it was caught on camera and paid for. I didn’t think it was legitimate.

But as I continued to meet, see and cover more and more people in this industry, I knew this theory just couldn’t hold up. I had met too many people in the adult industry that took their careers just as seriously, if not more seriously, as I take my own career.

So I figured, the only way I could know for sure what this aspect of the industry was like, was to go on set and experience and see it for myself.

With the help of one of my adult actor friends, I was put in contact with a member of the production crew over at Brazzers. After a few conversations with the producer, Vic Lagina – quite possibly one of the best male stage names in the business – I was finally allowed on set – the first writer/reporter ever to go behind-the-scenes at the Brazzers Las Vegas Film Production Studio.

I was invited behind-the-scenes of a scene where Sunny Lane would be playing Dr. Lane, who was “aiding” the recovery of her patient, played by Johnny Sins. I arrived at the production studio at 11am, and I was absolutely stunned. The establishment was a real motion picture production studio. The Brazzers facility is 15,000 square feet and is divided by offices, different set rooms, prop rooms, makeup and wardrobe, and a lounge. But the production studio wasn’t the only impressive part, the people and their qualifications were also completely impressive and legitimate. The studio is headed by Vic Lagina, the main director/producer, and his seven-member crew, including other directors, production assistants and wardrobe and makeup artists. Vic isn’t just some guy who knows how to work a camera and has a large appetite for erotica. He has a background in film. He has both a Bachelors and Masters in film production and knew he would be behind a camera for his career. However, he didn’t know, nor did he ever aspire to be, behind the camera of adult films.

“Getting into the adult industry wasn’t a personal decision,” Vic said. “It was a financial one. And I figure I’m going to ride the porn wave for as long as it takes me. If I run it like a business and have a crew where everyone has a job, I can produce the best possible product, and that’s been my number one goal.” Vic works exclusively with Brazzers and has been with the company for six years (longer than any other director in the company).

Seeing how I was spending a full day on set, I was able to meet most of the crew. One person who particularly piqued my interest was the most recent addition and youngest member of the production team. He was the new director, and he was 23 years old. I couldn’t imagine working day after day on a porn set at 23 years old. And I would think this is either the best job a 23 year-old guy could have or the absolute worst – after working all day on adult material, do you want to go home and watch it? Unfortunately, I didn’t ask him – and looking back, I’m really kicking myself for not.

After my tour of the facility, I was introduced to Sunny Lane. She had just finished her Pretty Girl photo shoot – where the photographer shoots her individually, looking all sexy for marketing, and promoting the scene on the website and the box cover. She was heading back to her dressing room for a quick freshen up. Sunny had been there since 8:30am (a time I did not expect most adult performers had heard of). But, as she explained, she had a full day of work.

First, she met with the wardrobe and makeup artists. She was playing a doctor, so she was wearing a dress shirt that showed her cleavage, a short skirt, thigh-highs and stilettos. A pair of sexy librarian glasses, a white doctor’s coat, and a stethoscope, completed the look.

After Sunny’s Pretty Girl shots, she and Johnny Sins got on set together to do the soft and hard-core shots, which are also used for promotional material. From the moment Johnny and Sunny got on set together, there was instant chemistry. The two of them were having fun, appeared very ‘into’ each other, and looked like they were having fun fucking.

“These positions aren’t necessarily how you would want to fuck at home,” Vic said. “They have to open up for lighting. So it’s not necessarily what feels good, it’s what looks good on camera.”

Sunny, Johnny and the extra also had a chance to go through their lines. “Generally, the performers don’t get the script until that morning,” Vic explained. “Even if I sent it to them prior, they probably wouldn’t look at it until the day of, so it’s just easier if everyone has the same expectations.”

After the soft and hard-core shots, Sunny was a bit flushed. So before the shooting started, she went back for her final makeup and wardrobe touchups. I followed her to her dressing room and had a bit of one-on-one girl time.

“In a lot of ways the adult industry is just like any other independent contractor job,” Sunny described. “When I show up to work, I am expected to have a lot done already. Like for this job, yesterday, I went and got my nails done, and I had to shave everything. Also I packed my bags. I have to make sure to bring things that I like to the set. So I brought some sexy clothes, baby wipes, a douche, shoes, accessories and lube. Then this morning, I got up and I masturbated, but I didn’t cum. I just wanted to get myself excited, turned on, and mentally prepared for the job.”

Man, I wish I had a job where masturbating was part of my daily preparation. I think a lot of us 9-to-5 people would have much better days if that was on our daily To-Do list. But Sunny explained to me that it’s a lot more than just packing a bag and shaving. “Adult performers are really sex athletes,” said the former ice skater. “I really have to take care of my body. I want my viewers to get off again and again, so I am constantly pushing myself to the limit. For my body, I have to stay active and stretch out. And for my pussy, I have to exercise my Kegel muscles and I might even use a toy to loosen me up a bit.”

Although I knew there was a lot of preparation involved in being an adult performer, especially a female, I’ve never had someone in the industry really break it down before. I think there is this stigma that girls show up and they are a hot mess. People think they are drugged up or at least drunk. But it seems to be quite the opposite. Most of the performers show up prepared – mentally, physically and sexually.

After Sunny finished touching up her makeup, she went back on set for the actual shooting. The beginning scene had a few lines, a few of them with an extra. Like I said before, I had never been on the filming of a porno before, so I was surprised that when the first few lines were over and appeared to go smoothly, that Vic asked everyone to do it all over again. He needed to shoot it from a different angle. And he repeated the scene three times. It was just like a TV show or regular movie filming.

Then, the hard-core fucking commenced and Sunny was not exaggerating when she said “adult performers are sex athletes.” It was 35-40 minutes of solid screwing and in positions that require balance, concentration and focus. Vic didn’t re-shoot any of this part. He moved around, focusing on their faces, then moving down to get a closer look at all the action. The camera was right there, practically in bed with the performers, but they weren’t fazed. They just kept fucking.

Everyone on set was extremely professional. You’ll have to excuse my naivety, but I half expected that all men on set would have a boner going on. I mean, I was a little excited watching what was going on in front of me. But that simply wasn’t the case with the crew. The men stuck to their jobs – filming, lighting the scene, and holding the mics – and didn’t appear to be excited or distracted in the slightest.

It was refreshing however, that when, in the heat of the moment, Sunny would scream out something like, “Oh yes, you like my little starfish,” or “call me Doctor … Doctor Lane,” (her character name on set), that the crew would snicker a bit. Even though they were trying not to shake or make noise, it was hard not to laugh. I would imagine that most porn viewers expect that in watching a produced adult film there is inevitably going to be a little bit of cheesiness – silly one-liners and/or questionable sincerity. At home, I would probably scoff at that and make some sort of comment about it. But on set, it was different. Yes, it was funny. But I also found it to be endearing. Maybe I’m crazy, but I honestly felt like Sunny Lane was into the character and into the scene and was just having fun.

After over a half-an-hour of non-stop blowing, sucking and fucking, it was time for the money shot. Vic interrupted the two performers, saying it was time, but Sunny and Johnny weren’t ready. Despite the cameras not rolling and being told it was time to get the cum shot, the two kept fucking. They were definitely enjoying their job. But Vic finally got their attention and the two got into the cum shot position. Johnny was standing while Sunny was squatting in front of him. Johnny came in Sunny’s mouth and Vic got the shot. But it wasn’t over. There were a few more lines, and the extra was back. Once again, Vic shot it from multiple angles, requiring the performers to repeat the scene until he had all the needed footage.

Then it was over. Everyone clapped and complimented the performers’ work. Sunny and her douche made their way to the shower, Johnny also went to clean up, while the crew started disassembling the set. It was about 2pm – not bad for a day’s work.

As Johnny walked out, he stopped me and said how he had noticed that I got up to leave during the scene and was worried that something was wrong. I was shocked that with everything going on, he had even noticed me. I explained to him and the crew that was around and listening, that I was recovering from a cold and still had a lingering cough. I had felt a coughing attack coming on and didn’t want to cough where the mics could hear me, so I left the room for a couple minutes. The surrounding crew just laughed and said, “Oh, man. You totally should have coughed in here. It’s a hospital scene. It would have fit in perfectly, not to mention when you see this scene and hear a cough in the background, you could have been like: ‘That was me. That was my cough!’”

I was laughing pretty hysterically at this, and I was a little bummed that I hadn’t thought of that in the moment. But I was more shocked that the performers, or at least Johnny Sins, was conscious of me being there and noticed when I got up to leave. The thought was flattering and a bit of a turn-on.

I was really impressed by the whole experience. I didn’t really know what to expect, walking onto the set of a porn film shoot, but I can say, I didn’t expect for it to be so professional and/or legitimate. I ended up walking out of there with respect for the production crew, respect for the performers, a deeper appreciation for porn and a wet pussy – a win-win situation on all accounts. SLV

For more from Lilith: like strip club reviews, sexy events in Sin City, and a peek into her own sex life – visit: SinCitySexBlog.com and follow her on Twitter @LilithDiana.

Issue 57 featuring: Virginia Mae, Jordan Danielle and Valentina Vaughn