I Seek Video Opportunies - I'm Serious

Hi,

I am a polite, very submissive 35-year young male who seeks to serve as a slave in femdom videos in the NYC area. I have very few limits and no face masks required (this is a huge plus to sell your videos). I can also be filmed with other male slaves but not female subs (they can hang around, just not be dominated in my presence).

Dommes, FYI: For dommes who do not use videos, I would humbly sugguest that it would boost your clientele when potential subs see you in action! Not only do videos sell and make you money, but they attract more online and real-time sessions.

I make a great candidate for video because of my politeness, submissiveness, open-mindedness, flexibility (no masks required unless the domme wants me in a mask; other male subs allowed, multiple women and men allowed to watch, very few limits).

Any questions? Feel free to ask here publicly or PM, your choice.

(This would be so much easier if I was living in the Los Angeles area as there are at least 3 film opportunities there that I know of, and one in Las Vegas. Any opps in the great city of New York or nearby???)

I don't get it. Whenever I post something like this, I get no response or negative responses for some reason. And on Twitter, all my tweets are retweeted by dedicated retweeters but my recent tweet regarding this was not.

Is asking for video opps taboo? Is it something I'm not supposed to do? Someone, please enlighten me? Thanks.

If you lived in Atlanta I would certainly interview you. Not sure why you are having difficulty in NYC.

Thank you so much for the response. To even get a response regarding this topic seems like a blessing. Yes, it's strange because NYC has a lot of dommes.

Los Angeles would be the best place for video opps. There are two web sites openly looking for video slaves. Men Are Slaves and American Mean Girls. And in Las Vegas, Femdom Empire (run by Goddess Lexi Sindel). ClubDom used to look for slaves but not sure what's up.

I asked Mistress Jade Indica. Good news is she gave me a positive response. I just need to book one session so she can see if I'd make a good video slave. Fair enough. Besides, she's HOT! She's on my to-serve list anyway.

I'll also ask another domme because we had a great time together 2 years ago and I sessioned with her twice anyway. She doesn't do video but if I can convince her that it's a great idea for business -- because it truly is -- then she might also consider.

I also have a contact on Twitter who says he'll try to set something up in NYC in August. He travels around the USA.

I am seeing that contacting people directly is working better than advertising on forums or simply tweeting and such.

Once again, thank you, Mistress, for your kind response. I appreciate your willingness to interview me if I was in Atlanta area.

Well there is not a lot of call to action as to why someone would choose you. There are no pictures or videos of you, so I would know what I am putting on film. Your interests are kind of vague so I cannot imagine what I would do with you in particular. I recently shot with a slave who did nothing at all in the whole video, just sat there. It was insanely boring to shoot, I had to scrap the whole day, but he got a free session. Sigh.

Also, it would seem that most everyone who is doing video is doing well over half as POV, which is much cheaper and more convenient to produce.

I was asked to be in a video once with a domina who was also a female bodybuilder - she specialized in scissors and role play. She knew me and sessioned several times before she asked me. She videoed me, I did the same to her and she had a remote to do both of us together. She is very tech savvy.

I paid for an hour session but it was longer than that, three hours. I was advised by another domina I knew to sign a release, etc. I wore a mask. The video had limited distribution online and then she pulled all of her videos online because she retired.

I would only do this again with her or a domina I knew.

I posted an ad that may be vague. But I certainly don't mind sharing pictures of me of any kind (face, whole body clothed, whole body nude, etc.) I cannot post all these things publicly because I keep my Femdom life separate from my regular life and so I cannot even share my Facebook profile publicly. However, if asked to do so privately, I definitely would provide pictures of any kind. Also, videos are also doable, perhaps even a Skype interview if desired.

As far as my interests go, it's easier to list what I am NOT into, than to list what I am into. I really am into, and do desire, almost everything out there. I do have a few hard limits and of course everything must be safe. Still, if asked to, I can list interests via a private message.

As far as I know, you are located in Europe, Domina M. But if you ever come to NYC and you want to shoot a video, please feel free to contact me via private message and I'll be more than happy to provide anything you need (pics, interests, etc.) I can promise with certainty that a video shoot with me would not be boring. I am willing to sit there doing nothing but only if the Mistress wanted me to, out of obedience. But why would she? That makes a boring video.

Regarding calls to action, I should have said that pics and interests are available upon request. Videos are a bit harder for me shoot myself but still can be done. I have privacy issues at my home. Any video interview can be done, as long as it's done outside of my home. As long as it's just an interview, I can do it sitting in a car where no one can hear what I am saying. If a domme requires me to put a humiliating act or something, I must rent a motel room to do it (with the exception of a public humiliation assignment). No privacy at home and no friend willing to entertain such requests.

I was just saying why people aren't responding. If I wrote an ad for my sessions and just wrote what I wasn't into and told people to ask for pictures, most would move on to the next ad.

Well, I thank you for pointing this out. This didn't occur to me. This insight is useful. Now my only problem is, how do I safeguard my privacy from the vanilla world?

I'm all fine with having no masks in the video because the audience is mostly male subs and they don't know me personally nor care who I really am -- they just want to see action. But how do I, say, post an ad on Backpage or anywhere with my photo without being exposed to the vanilla world?

You are absolutely right, of course, though. I would pass on to the next ad too. In fact, on Backpage, many dommes (assuming they're real) do post body pics but no face pics and I always move on. That's all valid. But it's hard for me.

Most of you dommes are brave enough to show your entire selves in photos, on your web sites. I suppose if I want to be a video slave, I must have the same courage, or else it's just not for me. The only other alternative is to privately contact dommes I like, especially ones who already do video, and ask them and send the pictures along with the message too! lol

I wonder what kind of pics would do on an ad, or even via private e-mail. Is face and clothed body sufficient or should I be almost nude (must keep my panties on or else the site will take down my ad).

It would be so easy if I was in Los Angeles. They have TWO sites looking for video slaves, and there is one in Las Vegas too. I wonder why there is almost no video production in NYC?

When writing an ad you have to consider your audience. Sure your service is "free," in the sense of you getting paid money yourself. But the domme will have to pay for location, camera person, hair and makeup. If you're a dud then all that time and money is flushed down the drain. You have to make your audience *want* to play with you.

Yeah, work, huh. Can't say I feel for you, seeing a tiny portion of what we have to consider.

As for NYC, when I was shooting there, I pretty much used the same stable of guys because I had a good dynamic with them and we genuinely had fun. Most of the dommes are single model production companies and using personal slaves and clients is easiest. LA and Vegas have larger companies that work with many ladies and slaves doing their own production.

If you are really serious spend $10K in equipment, hire dommes, then start your own film store. You'll find a lot more dommes interested in that.

This may have already been addressed here by Domina M, but an ad probably isn't the way to go. I have a production company and I also film with Syren Productions. Neither of us look at ads to find subs to film. As has been stated here, most film slaves come from the Domme's personal stable or clientele.

I get several emails a week from subs offering to film and My stock answer is to book a session so I can gauge chemistry. Most of these email are laughable so if you are going to contact a Domme or a production company directly I suggest the following:

1. Offer to do a paid session to show you are serious and not just looking for free play. This is huge. Just the offer makes Me take the email more seriously.

2. Clearly list what you think your strong suits are and what you think your weaknesses are. Also state hard limits. The more versatile you are the more likely you are to spark interest. It's amazing how many "would be film subs" email stating that they want to do foot worship videos or some other specific type of play. I dismiss these out of hand. I can't set up a film day and just shoot foot videos or cater to a specific sub's interests.

3. Offer to send over photos and state what type of photos you are willing to send. Don't send unsolicited photos - especially cock shots. That's a turn off.

Once you break your film cherry and you have done a good job for a Mistress you will have a reference and examples of your work. That will make it much easier for you to get through the door. Hope this helps.

Yes, this helps a lot. Thank you.

Very important points. I will remember this forever -- I simply did not know how it worked. Of course, like I said, one domme did give me a positive reply but even she is requiring a paid session, so your advice is correct indeed.

In that case, I can approach two dommes who have dominated me before and absolutely loved dominating me too! One is in NYC and the other in Philly.

LOL... That's a tiny fortune, but the idea is great. A nice business since I have a passion for Femdom. And by hiring dommes, I can be their slave at the same time and get the opportunity to serve a wide variety of ladies from around the world. Cool idea.

I'm going to start with something smaller, and save up some revenue for this kind of thing.

I was thinking (can you imagine that? lol)...

As for hair and makeup, I thought girls do hair and makeup all the time anyway. As for a cameraman, a slave from her stable can do it for free. I prefer linear/natural productions anyway. I've seen those kind of videos and I enjoy them a lot better than non-linear shots put together. A linear/natural shoot is easy. Heck, even I can do it.

Now, the location cost and travel expenses are what I consider real costs and there is no getting around that. In that case, it is possible for me to pay a domme a security deposit online. Then I simply have to show up and be filmed. If I turn out to be a dud, she keeps the money. If I turn out good, then she can return the money. American Mean Girls, based in Los Angeles, asks for a $100 security deposit for this reason. I think that's fair. They only ask for this deposit for first-time video slaves.

The fear is all about, what if I turn out to be a dud? But what if I turn out be great?

I also understand that many subs seek video opportunities because they simply do not have the funds to pay for a session. A video shoot would be a way to get a free session. That may be frowned upon by those whose bank accounts are filled -- but to be fair, if you look at so many men who have intense desires, and utmost sincerity, but unable to play because they simply cannot pay,... then video opportunities make perfect sense because after all, submitting in a film, especially with masks off (which many buyers want to see), and especially with a great amount of flexibility, is a valuable service the sub is offering the domme. I know the domme has no shortage of subs willing to be on film. But the more variety their video sites offer, the better. Dominating another slave, a completely new sub who does well, is always welcome by video clip buyers and membership subscribers.

If American Mean Girls can do it, with a reasonable demand of a $100 security deposit, then what is the problem with that? I see no problem with that. Dommes should consider this. Also, today's "free" film slave might be tomorrow's paid client or stable slave because one's financial situation can always change. People make the huge mistake of judging people with less money and tossing them aside; these are short-sighted people who don't realize that that same individual might some day be very rewarding for all involved. In truth, subs are not really a dime a dozen. Dommes who have sessioned enough know this (if they're willing to admit it). Polite, obedient subs who respect the domme and women in general are there but there are also many idiot men out there too. Who's better? A respectful sub who does a "free" video shoot with a domme or an idiot client (potentially even dangerous) who pays boatloads of cash but still has your energy drained by the end of the day?

Hmm... I DO think a lot! Is that why I'm starting to lose my hair? (Just kidding! Hair is fine. I'm handsome

My years at film school in NYC, 20 years of being a fetish model, scores of "guys-with-camera"s that I have refined into photographers by touting the hair and makeup professional would say otherwise, but yeah, sure, you are probably right.



Now as for this. Seriously, I have a bone to pick with you about this:



PWB, every time you want to write "have a slave do it for free," or "just have a slave buy it for you," I want you to punch yourself right in the face. Right in the kisser. Real hard. Do this every time until you stop it. I know it's your fantasy that we all have a slave that gives us whatever our whims are, and a lot of dommes' social media feed that fantasy. But it is just a fantasy. "Free labor" doesn't exist, there are always expectations and the end result is always half-ass. AND just because this is YOUR fantasy that we get lots of free stuff and services that WE owe you something really needs to stop.

So punch yourself in the face. "Uh no, I'm not going to do that because some mistress says to." Exactly.



No. No you can't. I don't know you, but yeah, I am sure you can't. You haven't even mentioned how to set up lighting. So no, no you can't.

Yes I am harsh, but every time this mentality comes out in your posts I hate you a little more. I tried to help but every time you do this I want punch your nose into the back of your throat. Don't tell me how to run my business on your perceived fantasies.

A full shoot general costs $500-$800. This is why so many cam girls are just doing POV stuff.

Domina M is spot on in Her reply to this latest post. Slave labor in filming/editing (or most any other professional service) just doesn't cut it. The camera alone that I shoot with costs almost $3000. The user manual is as thick as your arm. With that camera we use a stabilizer, different lenses and a variety of lighting options. My clips still don't look as good as Kink.com's but they are not shaky or grainey either. What you propose: a sub using a cheap camera (because those are the only ones he can possibly figure out how to use without formal training), poor or no lighting and we haven't even talked about sound yet - would turn out a product so poor that I wouldn't want to put My name on it.

It's amazing to Me how people think so little goes into filming a halfway quality clip.

Thank you for saying this Domina M. The idea that subs provide all the services we could possibly need is ridiculous. We have all had the offers and at some point tried to capitalize on them, but as you say, the results are usually less than stellar - and the expectations of the subs are usually unrealistic. It's easier to pay a true professional the going rate and get the job done correctly without the "strings" attached.

As you so accurately state, this is only a fantasy.

Oh, if only you can. But that is YOUR fantasy! Haha.



Feel free to hate me to the maximum. Your venom does not affect me at all. You will only waste your own energy. But judging from your words, you are already low-vibe. How much lower can you go? You can try, but you'll only feel worse.

And I am not telling you how to run your business. I gave an excellent example of a highly successful business, American Mean Girls, based in Los Angeles -- I think their terms are fair. You still have not addressed my question as to why more dommes cannot do it this way! Why are you avoiding the subject? The way AMG does it, protects them against all the risks you so fear, risks you use as excuses to simply not do it.

And I remember responding to your own male model call years ago from Luxuria Productions. Back then, you actually PAID subs from $75-150 per hour, depending on the scene, as long as they did not insist on putting on masks. See? Having no masks does matter -- your own incentive proved it. And why were you paying when subs would do it for free anyway? YOUR attitude that we subs are worth nothing and you are superior just because you are now super-rich is what ticks me off, every time -- especially knowing that you are more greedy than other dommes anyway. You have ALWAYS charged more than the average domme when you were in New York.

You even showed interest in having me in a film shoot as long as I complied with the law by providing two forms of ID and such. Because of time constraints, I simply had to cancel plans. So what is wrong now? Yes, you are in Europe but you are speaking on behalf of all dommes.



Oh! Really? So POV videos are a lot cheaper. Exactly how? POV videos do not require a professional camera man? The only thing missing in a POV video is the actual male sub, and they are available for free! ALL the other expenses you cited are still there. Afraid the male sub might be a dud? Well, American Mean Girls has the answer to that. They know how to run their business! You think you're smarter than them? Well, I don't think so.

Some people fantasize. Some people actualize their fantasies. Actually, many women DO get every thing paid and serviced for but that itself is an art. Maybe you pro-dommes don't have the interest and attitude to approach subs in the right way, or don't know where to find subs who have a more service-oriented mind set rather than a client oriented mind set.

I KNOW of dommes who have everything PAID for! Ok, so maybe he cannot work the camera. But a stable of slaves, or horny Twitter followers, can have any bloody film shoot paid for if you send out your message to the right male sub and in the right matter that makes their dick twitch! It works, if you work it.

Given my new awareness of your hatred towards me, and given the fact that I and another sub gently criticized the domme business, gives me the sense that you perhaps have a hand in having us both banned from MaxFisch at the same time. Hmm...

Oh, but this is just a conspiracy theory. Never mind.

Totally keep everything the same. You obviously know much more than any of us in how prodomination and videos work.

I regret taking time to try to explain things.

It's great to hear from a relatively new-to-the-field BDSM video producer who cares about technical quality. I went through my video phase when Leda/Nu-West was the standard to beat for content, but the quality of the video, audio, and editing was dreadful. But in those days, $3,000 bought a couple of tape-based camcorders and a table lamp. And their earlier productions were shot on 8mm film and transferred to video with a camera pointed to a screen rather than a real film chain.

I suspect that there's still a market for the 5 minute one-take videos shot with a phone and put up on Clips4$ale for five bucks. Hopefully, there's also a market for a well shot and produced video as well. If I was still buying videos, that's what I'd go for.

Got any good OTK F/M spankings in your catalog yet?

That is actually the going rate for a well produced 5 minute clip on C4S. There is a market for just about anything on C4S, but how big a market is the question. Because I do live sessions, it's important to Me that My clips reflect the quality of My sessions. If I were just selling clips as a part time income, I might not care as much about quality.

The bar for what is expected in BDSM porn has been raised. My equipment and expenses are nothing compared to those of FemDom Empire or Club Dom, as an example. Thankfully the cost of good equipment is lower than it was in the era you mention and editing digital is a much simpler process.



Very few. I produce what sells and what I get the most requests and custom sales for - that's strapon primarily. But here are a few tagged as OTK:

http://clips4sale.com/74153/mistress-ayn...ch/OTK+SPANKING

I think Domina M meant that it was a sub fantasy that we have everything paid for. It certainly isn't Mine. I will leave that to the FinDommes that make a living doing that.

To put it in perspective, I have shot video clips for many Dommes as a service to them in exactly this kind of set up with a very basic lighting package, $400 digital video camera, low-cost/free location (rented dungeon, hotel room, outdoors or using backdrops in a room at their house). For this we use whatever subs are willing to appear on camera. However, that is a very amateur video production which is only a small step above POV (and in some cases actually is POV). Basically, you are talking about 6-10 minute clips where "editing" consists of adding titles and possibly a watermark before rendering and posting for sale.

That is a completely different level of production than what either Domina M or Mistress Ayn are putting together, which is much more professional in nature. For those types of shoots, they don't want me, or anyone of my caliber (even if it is higher than just a sub from their stable, if I do say so myself), to play "camera bitch" for their shoot. Rather they want a real videographer who understands exactly how to light a scene based on a combination of the location, the activity and their costume (lighting and the shot itself are very different for foot worship of stockings beneath a throne vs. corporal punishment on a cross in shiny latex). They also don't want to do their own hair and makeup, which may have to change based on both their costume and the lighting as they switch between scenes and activities.

For those types of professional productions, they need to shell out real money to achieve what they want rather than having me shoot it as a service to them after they do their own makeup. They also need high quality video subs who understand the point of the shoot, how/when to play to the camera, how to act without overacting to an activity (as an example, "severe" ball busting can be done by using the bottom of the ass as the main contact point to allow the scene to go on much longer, but the sub must still react properly... not saying that this is always the case, but it is one of the tricks of shooting BDSM) and that actually look very good on camera.

For the shoots where I have been the "camera bitch", what you are proposing is absolutely enough and as long as you can understand your role in the shoot (basically a prop that is barely more valuable than a good paddle) then you will be asked back time and time again. However, to qualify for the types of professional shoots that Domina M, Mistress Ayn and others put together, they need the types of assurances that previous contacts/sessions, recommendations from Dommes with the same production values, or a portfolio of your work provides since your performance can ruin the entire day for all involved.

Just my opinion/observations having watched this thread and having had the experience of being on both professional sets and running amateur style video shoots.

Asp

I've seen the term "POV" used to describe porn videos (and also documentary videos), but what does it stand for in this context? When I see POV, recognize it as short for "point of view," as in from the perspective of the narrator or film maker. While POV productions are single-camera-ambient-light, that's not what defines POV.

Explain the meaning of your acronym, please.

[A]
[C]ontrived
[R]eduction
[O]f
[N]omenclature
[Y]ielding
[M]nemonics.

You are correct that I meant "point of view" when I said POV. The context of what I was referring to by the term POV is single shot where the Domme "breaks the 4th wall" and directly addresses the camera as if it was the person viewing the video. The "point of view" is the viewer, not the narrator or film maker. This can be done either with or without a camera person.

In the context of my post, this type of clip may involve more than one Domme but is never a scene that involves play activities (which is where you would need a film sub to participate). I have shot clips using a Go Pro camera on my head as I have been flogged/whipped as well as performing foot/leg worship. I have also shot whippings from over the shoulder/between the legs of a sub on a St. Andrews cross. These are probably the types of things that would fall into your description of POV from my impression of your comment, but it wasn't the type of filming that I was referring to in my post.

Finally, I think lighting is irrelevant to whether something is considered POV because even Dommes who set up a camera on a tripod and speak directly to it, may light the scene rather than just using the ambient light in the room (or may even have a "set" in their house which is pre-lit where they shoot these types of clips).

I hope this helps to make clear what specific types of clips I was referring to when using the term POV.

Asp

Great clarifications, Asp. Thanks!

Total off-topic aside here... but I still find it weird that I get a little giddy when a Domme I respect gives me praise for something I did, even when the praise is just a comment on the internet.

So, thank you Mistress Ayn

I think that makes you a very good boy. At least My kind of good boy.

Yes, well, that is true. Findommes on Twitter, for example, make a killing. Well, some fake it but don't really make as much as they show off. But I'm sure many of them are making a good loot.

I went to a professional/lifestyle domme in NYC in 2014. She sessioned out of her own luxurious 2-bedroom apartment in Midtown Manhattan. She bragged that her slaves paid for her lifestyle -- everything, including her rent. You know, one slave doesn't have to pay for it all. There are so many men willing. Now, I can either believe her, and also believe that many other dommes have it that way -- or maybe she was lying. I cannot tell for sure. I do know that it CAN be done, if you have the right attitude and go for the correct audience. Yes, the findommes are at it. I do understand that this may not be the style of most pro-dommes.

But still, professional domination has so many benefits that any complaining (except from newbies or those working at a house) is just whining, really. Actually, I have observed that there are whiners in EVERY business. But I'm not stupid -- I can tell they're doing great but people just like to whine. I actually have a personal friend like this, so I really do know this mentality up close.

Thank you for the detailed explanation. But I still don't understand what is the huge difference between POV and non-POV videos as far as shoot expenses are concerned, or hair and make up. The only thing missing in a POV clip is the free slave.

Doing it with a $400 digital camera might be amateur, but it's good enough for a large audience. Some findommes and humiliatrix girls shoot their own videos using a web cam and upload it to YouTube. I watch them and they look fine to me.

Ok, ok, so everyone has their own standards. I get that.

But... I also highly suggest that the sub willing to expose his face without masks in a video (which IS preferred without a doubt!) carries great value. Dommes worry about losing some money if the sub turns out to be a dud? But the no-mask sub is risking being exposed indefinitely all over the internet, being exposed in family and occupation... and there is no appreciation of that? There is no consideration for the value provided there? Silence regarding this means that people are just not willing to be honest.

I do also suggest that an audition be a 1-hour tribute worth as a security deposit, instead of insisting on a session. If he's a dud, keep the money. Isn't this fair enough given the value of the no-mask sub exposed on in cyberspace for life? Fair enough, or no? Every honest, fair-minded, and thoughtful person should have an easy answer to this.

I agree with that in general but the point is that most POV clips are not some shoot they have to coordinate with multiple people, it is just the Domme and a camera. One of my Dommes actually would shoot POV clips while just going about her normal day... having a cigarette... driving down the road... using the toilet... etc... However, the more people involved, the more headaches and things that can go wrong so non-POV tends to be something that a Domme wishes to look more professional than POV just because it is more work to do that kind of shooting.



I agree with that as well and what I have shot has sold well in relation to other videos by the same Domme(s). But as you say, "everyone has their own standards" and that is exactly why this type of shooting isn't good enough for either Mistress Ayn or Domina M. The same kind of argument can be made for photos, there are plenty of "selfies" that are put out by Dommes all the time on Twitter and Instagram, but that is not the same output or production value as having a professional photographer do a shoot for you with professional hair and makeup.

Any media that is released by a Domme has an effect on their reputation and needs to be thought of as part of their overall marketing strategy. If all they care about is maximizing the profit they make from selling clips, then what I participate in (and what you are proposing) is probably better because the costs are significantly lower. However, Mistress Ayn specifically stated that the point of her videos is to reflect the quality of her sessions in order to increase her Pro Domme business, not to maximize the profit from C4S or other clip stores. Therefore, the production value is incredibly important to her. Domina M, although not specifically stating the same thing in this thread, obviously feels the same way.

The thing is that this is THEIR business and THEIR livelihood not ours, so it really shouldn't be our place as camera person or video slave to question what the production values needs to be or what they feel they need from us when we are basically begging to be involved. I don't mean that from a Female Supremacy thing or even a Domme vs. sub thing, I mean it from the perspective of who is in charge of that particular activity. As stated earlier in the thread, if you were the production company who put together the shoot and paid the Dommes to be the on-camera talent, then the production values would totally be up to you (I have been with Dommes who were paid by the hour for shooting with a production company and were required to show up at the shoot with their hair/makeup already done and ready to shoot rather than having it done on the set by a professional). However, the Domme is acting in that role in these cases and therefore it is not our place to state what the production values should be.



I agree that it is preferred, but I don't think it carries great value from a business perspective. Masked vs. Unmasked has almost no effect on clip sales. In fact, the sub is barely even more relevant than a prop in regards to turning a profit. Clips sell because of the Domme(s) and the subject, not because of the sub involved or whether they are masked/unmasked. I am sure you are going to dispute this because of the personal value you place on unmasked subs but my statement is based on seeing actual sales numbers, not personal preferences.



Nope... absolutely none. For us, it is fantasy and kink and fun to be a part of a shoot and hang out with the Domme(s). But for the production company or for the Domme, shooting clips/video is a business. Most Pro Dommes do sessions because they can make money doing something they love to do, but shooting is work pure and simple for every Domme I know. The sub screwing up the shoot costs the Domme time and money (plus drives their level of stress/frustration through the roof). The sub being a dud means the Domme doesn't get the feedback she needs to give the level of performance her fans are accustomed to, which means a dud of a clip that can effect future sales (which again, drives their level of stress/frustration through the roof... and in case you haven't ever noticed, Dommes do not exactly deal well with being frustrated by a sub).

Further, if a "no-mask sub" is risking anything by shooting without a mask because they are still "in the closet" in regards to D/s, then they are both a complete dumbass who is thinking with the wrong body part and actively making that dumbass choice for themselves. As much as I have talked about shooting and being on sets, have you noticed I have never talked about being in front of a camera (masked or not)? That is because I do have those concerns and therefore will not be a video slave (and believe me, I have missed out on some amazingly kinky opportunities because of it). So, obviously, I think the risks you mention are very real... but that is a personal choice the sub makes for themselves and is irrelevant to the point of the shoot or whether there should be some special consideration given to them in regards to the hoops they have to jump through to get to be a video slave to begin with.



...and I suggest that Dommes that I wish to book a first session with allow me to send them a short two-paragraph email of introduction instead of filling out another ridiculous half-assed webform on their contact page that doesn't work half the time and never is as efficient as my way of doing things. BUT, that isn't the way things work and we as applicants have to do it the way that the person we are applying to wishes it to be done regardless of what we think is fair or efficient.

I am not saying your suggestion is wrong or unfair. I am saying that when you apply to do anything, whether it is for a job or to be a camera slave, making alternative suggestions to the process that is put before you is never appreciated and hardly ever acceptable. You know as well as I do that there are no set rules for any of this and each Domme has their own way of doing things. If you want to serve or work with them, you have to submit to whatever rules/process they lay out regardless of what "others" do. Its just the way of the world in general, but as I am sure you know it is especially the way of our Pro/client D/s world.

It's like music. Sub-cassette quality MP3 files and YouTube music are good enough for a whole lot of people. But there are still (even "high profile" like Neil Young) boosters of "high resolution" audio. And I just saw a "Wanted" post on my local FreeCycle board the other day from someone looking for old vinyl records "because they sound so much better than YouTube that I listen to now."

Well, there are all kinds of people, and I guess there are some who get off on that enough to pay for it. I can't imagine anything more boring. But I understand the idea behind doing such a video. It's cheap, easy, and if it brings in lunch money a couple of days a month, why not?

Well, Domina M, at least at one point, did offer $75-150 per hour to video slaves who did NOT wear a mask, where a masked slave was given zero. So she herself saw value at one point. Furthermore, American Mean Girls say on their site that they do allow masks but prefer no masks. And if you want no pain and only humiliation, masks are not allowed.

The fact that it is preferred means there must be some value; otherwise, why have a preference? The value is not admitted because they don't want to give any consideration for no masks even though exposing yourself carries great risk for the sub. It doesn't matter if he's out of the closet -- it's still risky. A Twitter contact of mine knows I'm interested in being in videos. One of the first questions he asked me was whether I was comfortable being on camera without a mask. Preferece = value (though, for selfish reasons, often not admitted).



Yes, this is true about the whole world and is one of the reasons why the world is such a messed up place. What you just said can be described in one hyphenated word: closed-minded. When alternative suggestions are not appreciated nor accepted, even when the current process makes little to no logical sense, then that is just stubbornness and stupidity combined -- and indeed, much of the world operates this way, and much of the world suffers the consequences of this small-minded attitude.

I currently work part-time for a small business in addition to all the other stuff I do. The business owner is actually open enough to consider all my suggestions. She has already implemented some of my ideas and her business has shown noticeable improvement. That's proof enough for me that even though it is your livelihood, it is a good idea to be open and consider alternative suggestions. You don't have to accept everything, but at least listen!

I am open. When I announced that I am planning on creating an interesting Femdom site, one member from here PM'd me with two suggestions. I liked both of them and will definitely keep them in mind.

My suggestion regarding the concerns dommes have with video slaves is completely fair and any resistance to it is exactly what I talked about above: stubbornness and stupidity combined.

To clarify, the context of my "no value" statement you quoted was in response to your question/statement that the Domme should take the possible impacts to the sub being exposed on the Internet as "value". I don't agree with that, as those impacts are irrelevant from the producer's business perspective.

I do agree that an unmasked sub gives the video a better look/feel and therefore is preferable, so it does add value to the process. This is especially true since the supply of subs willing to go unmasked is lower, which you correctly state does translate into value that can be monetized by the sub IF the producer feels this is important or critical to what they wish to achieve.

As for the second comment, I don't agree in the specific context I was responding to which also goes to the producer putting value on a personal choice you are making in regards to possible future impacts on your own life (which is irrelevant to them from a business perspective). The point I was trying to make was that your "suggestion" for a producer to change the way they are comfortable doing business (based on a lot of factors they have taken into consideration) because of something that is irrelevant to them, is about negotiating something better for yourself (or others in the same position) rather than showing your value and will therefore never get you in the door (which is what the original post was about)

This is a very different context than when you are already a part of the team and working in a collaborative way (as you do at the part-time job) or when you are just throwing ideas over the wall to someone as people did in DMs. The fact that you considered and included those suggestions in your plans is a false equivalency since the actual equivalent situation would be if you met the DMd suggestions with ways that the person who provided them to you should do things differently.

Domina M and Mistress Ayn both came into this thread to help YOU with suggestions, as well as providing you knowledge of their process, and you met that with statements about how THEY should "improve". They did not say they were having problems finding subs to shoot with (which your alternative deposit suggestion would address); they did not say they wanted to lower or even eliminate the costs surrounding their shoots (which your alternative "do your own MUAH and use subs to shoot" suggestion would address); instead they were the ones providing suggestions to the problem you were asking for help with. In that context, your "suggestions" were very rude in my opinion (and obviously theirs) and I honestly think you owe each of them an apology for that.

Even though you haven't said anything, for my part I want to apologize to you if any of my statements have come across as overly harsh or personally critical of you. I admit that I was upset earlier in the thread because I felt your responses to them weren't appreciative enough of their efforts to help you after you posted here asking for that help. My upset was not because they are both incredibly hot Dommes who I would be lucky to be able to kiss the feet of someday (yes... You can totally read this last sentence as me trying to suck up to incredibly hot Dommes who I would be lucky to be able to kiss the feet of someday because, hey I'm a total slut for that), but really because they are two real people who took time out of their life to try to help. That upset certainly translated into the tone of my responses and if that in any way offended you, I wanted to say I am sorry.

*Mistress pats AspX on head*

*AspX's leg starts twitching and thumping on the ground* oh yea... Right behind the ear... That's the stuff...

AspX, you are very articulate and detail-oriented, and I very much appreciate your clarity of thought and your intelligence. But I fail to understand the above words. Can you please re-phrase?

As far my understanding goes, the people who DM'ed me are not working with me and have not ever worked with me in any kind of team or collaborative way -- and yet, I have been open to their suggestions. To put it less harshly than I did in my previous post, anyone who is not open to suggestions and is convinced that their established order is the best is, well, potentially missing out, sometimes a lot! I can stretch my imagination and list all the ways people have lost so much by NOT appreciating or supporting me -- and I am referring to my life in general. Now, some of those people look back and regret it; but, it's too late now.



No, this is only partially true. Yes, it was their intention to help. I will agree with that. But my suggestions were not directed towards them in particular. They were general suggestions for anyone who demands a tribute-paid session as an "audition" when a security deposit makes much more sense. It may be true that they perceive no need to do this because they are able to find subs willing to do things according to the established order, but that does not make it fair. If fairness is irrelevant, then I personally will have no part with such businesses and individuals. Other people can do what they want. Regardless of others' opinions, I personally DO place value on an no-mask slave (as Domina M herself apparently did years ago). I also place a huge value on fairness and ethics in any business.

When fairness and ethics are irrelevant, then that is rooted in selfishness -- which, you cannot deny honestly speaking, is a major contributor to all of the planet's problems. The "what's in it for me" question continuously raised is a valid one, but what I contest is the fact that the vast majority of people ONLY think of their own benefit with no regards to the other side.

There are very few people on this planet who think like me. This is actually something for me to be proud of, regardless of the tiny frustrations occasionally caused by being the "black sheep". I believe that service-to-self should be balanced with service-to-others in a voluntary (non-coercive) way. Let me give you another example. Years ago, I had my own small business in a nearby town. I used to hire people sometimes even when I didn't "need" any more staff. Why? To support them because I was able to see that they were struggling to find jobs. How many people can say that honestly? Usually, businesses say, "Sorry, but we don't need additional staff at this time" but then they put up a big "Now Hiring" sign when and only when they need people. Those people who I hired, by the way, still remember me with love over a decade later.

I think this selfishness is animalistic, and unfortunately humans have not yet evolved much beyond this. I am aware of the truth that separation is an illusion. You and I are as separate as your right hand is to your left hand. But the hands have lost consciousness of their mutual connection (via the body between). That is how most of us live our lives -- in the illusion of separation. This illusion has a very useful purpose; it allows us to experience life from an individual finite-awareness point of view, and also allows us to express Infinity in our own unique way. If this illusion was not there, subs would not have any desires to be dominated, nor would dommes have any desire to whip a sub -- and this would affect our relationships as well. BUT, the awareness that separation is but an useful illusion is so uplifting. I actually have fun with it.

I no longer fight "enemies", but rather, whenever I oppose anyone about anything, I am merely playing with the rest of myself. This offers a very peaceful feeling.

I know it seems I am getting way off topic, but I just wanted to express myself. I'm actually having fun right now arguing with you -- not to annoy you, but simply to engage with you (another aspect of myself). A like-minded woman who is a student of the same spiritual school I am of, greeted me on Facebook recently by saying, "Welcome, my mirror!" She gets it!

I used to feel like pressing the gas pedal and hitting the brakes at the same time because I perceived a "conflict" between my spiritual interests and Femdom interests. I even thought about giving up Femdom back in 2013. But I'm still here. Now, I see no conflict. I see my submissive desires and submission to dommes as a valuable expression as any other.

With all this said, even selfishness is a type of expression. So I guess it's all fair in the ultimate sense. But I personally do not resonate with some ways of doing things. I have never really fit in and now, I don't even want to fit in! LOL

Also, I very much resonate with the policies of businesses such as American Mean Girls who require a $100 security deposit. There are few others as well, mostly in the western part of the United States.

It's getting late, but soon I will be posting my appreciation for three dommes in a separate thread. I believe this is a big deal, and so I'll talk about it.

HA!!! Fooled another one...


Sometimes when I try to make an analogy, it does confuse things so I apologize for that but let me try again in a more precise way. Outside of here, others messaged you and here is what occurred:

1. You made statements in the thread about starting your own video production company (with no experience)
2. People, amateur or professional, had tips and ideas on how to make what you were doing better
3. You acknowledged those ideas, integrated them into your thoughts and (I hope) thanked the people who DM'd you

In the thread, here is what happened:

1. You, as an amateur, asked for help in getting video opportunities
2. The Dommes, as seasoned professionals, replied with tips on how to make what you were trying to accomplish including their own methods for bringing in subs
3. Instead of acknowledging those ideas and integrating them into your thoughts (agreeing with some, rejecting others as you did with the DM's), you tried to discuss alternatives to the things that the Dommes said including questioning whether their tried and true methods were correct.

My statement about false equivalency was when you tried to draw an equivalency between the two situations by stating that you were open-minded and accepted the suggestions from others but the Dommes did not. Which is factually accurate but that doesn't mean the context of the open-mindedness was the same. In the DMs, your context was of someone just thinking about starting out and listening to ideas to sharpen your own. In the thread, the Dommes context was of experts who were already providing you with information and you, as an amateur questioned their methods.



Let's take this idea forward. Walk into a Morton's or a Ruth Chris Steakhouse (or any other successful high-end restaurant with a well-established menu) and suggest that instead of hiring chefs with degrees from culinary institutes they could just use a line-cook from McDonalds that night. After all its just beef and if the service doesn't work out that night, no biggie because it just cost them one night.

Or, go into an Art Gallery and suggest that instead of them showing pieces from well-established artists that they have studied and found to be of the quality they desire to let you and some buddies throw some paint on a canvas and see if it sells.

Or, instead of having auditions to play a homeless guy in a major motion picture you suggest to the producer to just grab that guy off the corner because he actually is homeless.

Would the Restauranteur, Art Gallery Owner or Movie Producer be "missing out" because they are not open to the random suggestions of someone with no experience in their industry and who doesn't understand the personal business model that has made them successful at what they do? As a t-shirt once said, "Don't be so open minded that your brain falls out your head".

Could the McDonald's fry cook make a proper steak? Sure, its possible. Could you and some buddies make "art" that actually sells in an art gallery by making random splotches of paint on a canvas, yea... it could. Could the homeless guy on the corner turn out to be the next Samuel L. Jackson (who was homeless at one point, I believe), its possible.

However, each of these businessmen (like Domina M and Mistress Ayn in this thread) have tried different ideas in the past (some of which may match your suggestions exactly) and found the right formula for them. So, when an amateur starts throwing suggestions around to someone in that position, it is insulting. That is just human nature.



This is D/s... since when did fairness for a sub become a thing?

I understand you were trying to have a conversation and make that point, but you were doing it in direct response to them so it seemed like you were questioning the way they did business. Sometimes a person's reaction is just in the way things are phrased. If instead of responding to them with the statement, you had started a different thread asking if anyone knew of Dommes that would be willing to try you out as a video slave under the circumstances you desired then I think it would have had a very different outcome.

As for businesses needing to be "fair", that is in the eye of the beholder. I will change gears to a different analogy/situation that I feel is relevant and hopefully it will not confuse the situation further. One of the Dommes that I have had a long-term relationship with had a policy that she would never see anyone without a deposit. She was adamant about that. At that time, I didn't do deposits because it really wasn't feasible without revealing personal information (this was many years ago).

She traveled to the area on tour and I saw her ad. I contacted her and the deposit thing came up. I explained my reasons for not doing that and apologized for taking up her time. As it turns out, I got amazingly lucky because someone had just cancelled on her for the time in question and she had sessions around it already so she decided "WTF" there was really no risk if I didn't show up, so she relaxed her policy. However, that was purely her decision based on her circumstance and not because I was negotiating or claiming a deposit wasn't "fair" for me.

You may take the point of this to be that because she was open-minded and decided to take a chance, she ended up with me as one of her long-term subs (debatable whether that was a good or bad thing for her, but that is another discussion ). However, my point is she had all the power and control in that situation so she could have just said no. What is "fair" to each party in that situation is irrelevant, it is whether you are willing to hold firm to your established protocols and principles or to negotiate on a certain point. For my own reasons, I wouldn't have deposited even though it was perfectly "fair" for me to do so. For her own reasons she wouldn't have accepted the booking, even though it turned out to be a good decision for her to do so, if her circumstances didn't dictate that she had nothing to lose. Therefore, the best outcome in this situation turned out to be the one that wasn't actually fair.



Now we are seriously veering off-topic and into deep philosophy, so I will dip my toe into it (I, like you, enjoy discussions like this). We come at things from very different starting points. I agree that humans are driven by selfishness but I don't separate the greed you hate in others from the selfishness you showed in your business. Both the business owner who won't hire someone when they don't need more workers to get the job done and you hiring someone who needs a job even though you don't need another worker are acting from the same sense of self-interest that motivates all of us.

The difference in my philosophy starts with motives. The "bad" business owner is motivated by profit first and foremost. Since that is their motive, it is in their self-interest to keep their costs as low as possible while charging the maximum amount of money they can get for their goods and services (this is known as capitalism). However, your motive wasn't purely profit driven. Instead, it was to help people out while making a living for yourself and your family. Therefore, your motive was to make yourself feel better by helping these other people who needed a job. It was just as selfish to do so because it was in more in your self-interest to give than receive.

The outward impact to those around you is very different but the human motivation behind it is exactly the same in my opinion. That is self-interest, and therefore selfishness, in the decisions we all make on a day-to-day basis. The problem with the world as you put it, is a base misunderstanding that having and receiving once your needs are met is actually more in your self-interest than the unfathomable gifts you actually get by taking care of others (here we go with Maslow again).




Hey, I've got no problem with that. If I was ever to appear on camera (and I have had many, many opportunities that I have turned down) then I would never have paid anything so I am totally on your side on the actual issue and the validity of what you think is fair. In fact, I never even planned on being behind a camera until the Domme I mentioned earlier decided that I should run her camera while sissified and with weights hanging from my balls that "I better not let clank together and ruin her content".

Talk about being motivated to learn how to shoot with a steady hand...

Yes, I agree that we are all selfish from that point of view. But my kind of selfishness will resonate with everyone who vibrates at a higher frequency and the other type of selfishness (minimum cost, maximum profit, who cares about the lives of others, etc.) will only resonate with those who are less aware (less conscious) at this time in their spiritual evolution. But that's okay, everyone is at where they are at. And the "outward impact to those around you..." part really matters to ME, personally. Is that selfish? Yes. But ask anyone and I think they'll tell you that it's a more likeable, respectable, noble form of selfishness even if they don't actually practice the same in their own lives (but upon hearing of it, many, many will agree with the awesomeness of it and give praises -- who praises the typical capitalist? There is nothing special about their form of selfishness).

This is my own quote so naturally I love it:

"Noble humans are like diamonds. They are rare -- the rest are just rocks."

But that's fine in the absolute sense. Creation needs diamonds and regular rocks alike. But when given choice, who do you want to be?

*looks around Domina.ms*

I want to be the one who gets his rocks off...

*AspX drops mic and walks away*


_________________________
AspX... Smartassery Redefined

Sorry I am a bit of a latecomer to this thread. It is actually cheap and easy to get into making fetish movies if you do it right:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C3VQEAE

All you need is some kind of video cam such as an iPhone, plus a friend to do some kind of fetish activity. You can be in a profitable situation in just a few days. If you don't have an iPhone, you can get a used low end video cam for under $20

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/ele/5776678754.html

If you don't have a friend, go out into the general public and find somebody to kick you in the balls or something. A cardboard sign saying "Kick Me In The Balls - $10" works pretty well. People do this on the Vegas strip all the time:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ5QSgvRdBs

For an investment of under $50 you can be making a profit from fetish videos, then improve the quality (and increase the price and volume) later. As it says in the ad, "Just Do It!"

You poor, unconscious being. It seems that you don't understand. You did not "hit" anything except something in your own ego-centric "smartassery" imagination.

Thanks, SM Dave!

Well, I do have both an iPhone and a digital camera and money to buy more stuff if needed.

I did advertise on Backpage once about wanting to clean houses for sexy girls, but got no response, lol. Maybe I advertised in the wrong section.

I'll take a look at that item on Amazon later when I get a chance.