People often contact me on Facebook, Twitter, or here on this blog to ask me questions about what it’s like to be in porn. A lot of those questions revolve around the filming process itself. Recently, a blog reader named Pete B. watched the behind-the-scenes video of Trenton Ducati and Jimmy Durano from Incubus and asked me a lot of excellent questions about what it’s like on the set of a Titan film, and rather than answer him directly, I thought I’d do it in a blog post so everyone could read it. I hope you find it insightful! Here are Pete’s questions:
I’m always amazed watching a porn top thrust and hump for such extended periods in a film. Maybe it isn’t all done at once, but still, I have wondered how tired the top is when such scenes are done? And how does a bottom’s ass keep from wearing out after being pounded for so long?
I had never thought about the director needing to know which hand a guy jerks himself off with, relative to filming the cum shot, as well as which direction his cock points when stiff, all things the cameraman and the director need to be aware of. Moving your leg to what feels weird for you, but so the camera can get a better shot of the other guy’s dick going in your ass, must be awkward at the moment. With all the hydrating going on during long filming, how often do you have to stop to take a piss? (You must use up LOTS of condoms filming a scene…) And knowing that the bottom has to think about his “hygiene” – hence you’ve got to plan your eating schedule carefully – I can imagine that when you are doing a bottom scene, you probably get pretty hungry as well. In the midst of all that, you’re trying to stay horned-up and hard for long periods of time, yet with cameras, lights, lots of production guys, and directions being given, so how do you keep it looking so real?
It’s kind of surreal watching the guys standing there talking details while one of them is naked, with an erect cock that he’s nonchalantly stroking to keep hard, and then a few moments later he sticks it back in the other guy’s ass and starts humping again. Other than the incredibly hot thought that you’re actually filming porn, does it really feel as hot for you–as the person having staged sex–as it eventually comes off on-screen? I bet that there’s a real turn-on knowing others are standing nearby watching while you’re having sex with another incredibly hot guy.
Yes, there’s a lot of starting and stopping while cameras are repositioned… in fact, when you watch the final product, in a lot of cases you’re actually seeing something that the genius editors have pieced together from separate takes and multiple cameras. (Titan’s Rough line is a notable exception; those are generally filmed in real-time, which I love!) And having topped in three films now, I can tell you that I am, indeed, EXHAUSTED at the end. The Titan guys give us plenty of Gatorade (not red Gatorade, though… it makes your spit look pink), and encourage us to stay hydrated. Believe me, we need it. I feel like I sweat gallons! And when I bottom, yeah, I’m tired as well… but fortunately, all that stopping and starting gives my ass a chance to recover a bit. Plus, if we ever need a break, the production staff give us as long as we need. They’re really cool about that, and don’t seem to mind waiting one bit. That takes the pressure off tremendously.
Jimmy Durano and Trenton Ducati in "François Sagat's Incubus, Part 1"
There are a lot of instructions that the director will call out during the course of a scene; if your hand is getting in the way of their shot, for example, he (or she, in the case of Mr. Pam!) will tell you to draw your hand back. Another common command is “stay open to camera,” which means you have to tilt your body away from the cameraman to allow a clear view of the action. When you’re topping, this can mean repositioning yourself at a somewhat awkward angle (YOU try fucking your partner from the side!), and that can be uncomfortable. But you’re always free to ask the directors for a break.
I’ve found that the more scenes I film, the fewer interjections the director has been making. That must mean I’m starting to pick some of this shit up! 🙂 But when the director does speak up, I’ve learned to think of it as “a little voice in the back of my head” telling me what to do. That way I can continue focusing on my scene partner and continue essentially uninterrupted. But once in a while a pause is necessary so the production crew can reposition the lights and cameras (typically there are three cameras running at once), and every time we stop we grab a fresh condom… so it’s not uncommon to go through a half dozen condoms or more during a scene.
My scene in "Incubus, Part 2," as seen from the director's table
I usually use those breaks to pee just in case the next take last a long time, but most people don’t need to pee all that often. The intensity of the scene means that you’re actually sweating out a lot of that water. And when you’re about to shoot a watersports scene, you don’t get to pee at all! (See my blog post Water you waiting for? A Pee Q&A for more on that.) And yes, the temptation to eat is great. I usually have a small breakfast before the shoot, since photography (for the DVD cover and whatnot) is done first and I want my abs to be visible. 🙂 Then I try to nibble on something throughout the day to keep my energy level up. And when the shoot is done, I usually go right out and get a double cheeseburger and onion rings! (And a Diet Coke, because I like the taste better. Honest.)
And finally, the hotness of the scene, for me at least, really depends on the level of connection with my scene partner. It’s easier to stay horned up if I’m truly into the guy, which has been the case in most of my scenes so far. Once in a while, though… the connection simply isn’t there. (Actually, that’s unfair… I’ve connected on some level with every scene partner so far, but not necessarily a sexual connection.) In cases like that, I’ve focused on the intensity of the feeling rather than the connection with the other guy, and that has done the trick. And as for those other people watching… actually, no, that’s not really a turn-on for me. As I mentioned earlier, I try to think of the other people in the room as being in the back of my head, and turn all my attention to my scene partner or the intensity of the sex. I’ve always felt that the connection is what makes for a great scene, and I’ve been trying to carry that into the films that I’ve made. I hope it’s working!
If you have any questions about porn, please feel free to drop me a line on Facebook, Twitter, or make a comment on any of my blog posts. I try my best to respond to everybody.
Oh, one last thing: Sorry to disappoint, guys. Titan doesn’t employ fluffers. 🙁
Director François Sagat at the "Incubus" helm
