Avoiding Scams In the Adult Industry – Tips For The Next Generation Of Adult Male Models

We’ve all seen the headlines on craigslist and countless other online classified boards: “MODELS WANTED FOR ADULT SITE – UP TO $1,500.00!!”  If you’re an aspiring adult male model, here are a couple things to keep in mind to make sure you stay safe and avoid scams. Some of this is common sense, but some of these tips are things that a new comer to the industry will probably not know.

IF IT SEEMS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE …
You can probably finish that sentence, but the old adage your grandpa told you is true, especially in the adult male modeling industry. Sure, many of the top adult studios do pay large sums of money, but those are probably not the ones posting on free online classifieds. Most of the big players in the industry get models through word of mouth and don’t need to spam forums and message boards. Now, I’m not saying that all these ads are scams. All companies start out small and god knows we placed a few ads in our day and may again in the future. The point here is that as a studio grows, so does it’s reputation (good or bad) and it’s connections in the male model community. If a studio treats their male models professionally and keeps their promises, the need to beg for models starts to subside. Hands down, our biggest source of new male model talent comes from past models that refer friends. The guys out there hitting the boards are most likely head hunters of sorts who simply get a finders fee for delivering you to one of the major studios. So be aware and try to identify early on if you are dealing with the primary producer / studio directly or if you are dealing with a 3rd party like and agency or talent scout. Sure, the agency may be scouting for a major studio that pays $1,500 per set, but probably won’t be so fast to mention that they plan to keep 30% of YOUR earnings.

GO DIRECT TO THE SOURCE:
Virtually every adult paysite has a model recruiting or model casting section on their website. Unlike mainstream commercial modeling, aspiring adult models can easily connect with casting directors by searching for the site you think would be a good match and find the “Be A Model” type link. You really don’t need an “Agency” taking 15, 20 or even up to 30% of your pay to do something you can do on your own! If the AD states something like “We work with the biggest players in the industry” .. guess what, you can too by simply finding the adult sites that interest you and completing a few model applications.

AVOID ADULT MODEL AGENCIES THAT WANT TO CONDUCT A TEST SHOOT:
This is a classic scam that we’ve seen time and again in this industry. If you get the “come by my apartment for a test shoot” line, run in the opposite direction!  Here’s the bottom line, the talent scouts have no business taking your photos, they can just as easily pass the photos you submit on to the casting directors for a decision. The real producers in the adult industry don’t have time for test shoots, furthermore, they have enough experience working with male models that they can look at your photographs, facebook and myspace galleries and make an informed go / no go decision. I can assure you the top photographers at studios like seancody.com, cockyboys.com, collegedudes247 and boyfun.com don’t have time to ‘test shoot’ and I can also assure you they don’t need the practice.  So if you get the “let’s to a test shoot” line, be very cautious and be sure to understand exactly why the test shoot or screening necessary. There’s about a 99% chance it’s not!!

GET MODEL RELEASE FORMS, SHOOT SPECIFICATIONS &  PAYMENT AGREEMENT IN WRITING BEFORE YOU TRAVEL:
Look guys, read this 10 times if you have too – It’s important. Any real agency or true production studio will be able and willing to provide you with model release documentation in advance of any booking. You need and deserve time to read these documents before you are on location. If the agency is reluctant or can’t provide you with these documents in writing – you need to seriously consider it’s legitimacy. You should also get shoot specifications in writing that list exactly what acts you will need to perform to earn the agreed upon pay. Finally ask if there are any conditions under which you may NOT get paid – for example if you take off work for 4 days to go shoot and the other models don’t show up or the photographer gets the flu – do you get paid in full, nothing at all or some something in between?  These are real life scenarios that more experience models have faced. Any professional adult model agency or production studio will have policies they can provide you in writing and should proactively offer this information to you.

You may be asking how is ACEMALE Models different from the 3rd party companies we’re discussing here. We are not an agency and we do not accept finders fees for sending models to a studio nor do we take a percent of a models earnings. We are a production studio and are contracted by our clients to produce still and video content. We make the model casting decisions, we book the travel, we shoot the content and we are the primary producers with all the legal responsibilities that go along with it. The goal of this blog entry is in no way to bash agencies or scouting companies – there are some dynamite agencies out there that can help you. The goal here is to offer some insider advice to the new generation of  adult male models that we have learned over the years.

Finally, there are watch-dog type organizations that help protect both male and feamale models in the adult industry. BPAV was founded by a senior publisher at xbiz.com and would be a great place to start if you ever were to be a victim of a scam. We fully support the BPAV mission. You can learn more here:

So the moral of this long ass story is this … As in any industry the adult male model industry if teaming with smart, focused and successful people looking to grow legitimate businesses safely and responsibly, but, as in any industry, there are scams, fakes, posers and people who could be down right harmful to your career and even your health.  By keeping these tips in mind and doing a little homework, you can set yourself up for a great experience, meet some amazing and talented people and earn some great cash. Oh, you might even have some fun along the way too. Be Safe!   Chris / ACEBOY Models / Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

As always, comments, questions, critisims and counter arguements are welcome . . .