From the Trenches 6/12

For many years, my monthly column has been titled “From the Trenches”; but, because of the devastation resulting from rampant piracy and the impact of the weak economy, I’m now having difficulty finding the “trenches” so I can write about them. Where did the trenches go? What Trenches?

I understand that many actresses and actors (called “talent”) are also searching for the “trenches”; in their situation the “trenches” are the porn shoots, the numbers of which appear to be tanking. Why should the remaining studios incur the expense of making new porn when the piracy/uploading/downloading thieves make it extremely difficult to even cover the shooting expenses! Down-loaders who “take,” instead of “paying for” their porn via DVD purchases or Video-on Demand, seem to be stealing copyrighted Porn Industry materials off of the Internet, thus pounding more nails into the Adult Industry coffins. Isn’t stealing still an actual crime! What Trenches?

Surviving thievery isn’t easy. Downsizing decreases office and warehouse size and number of employees, as well as the number of trenches. Budget cuts reduce the number and content of shoots; some porn productions no longer have the number of scenes that they previously had, or the number of participants; crew sizes, and in some cases the quality/quantity and experience of the crews, has sometimes been downgraded to save on salaries. Like me, I imagine that Ron Jeremy has also had to alter some on-set eating habits and cuisine consumption standards now that a number of studios have shaved their on-set catering costs. What Trenches?

The ranks of distributors seem to be thinning. I imagine that Ups revenues from porn companies are down since the shipments of DVD sales have sunk like stepping into quicksand. Likewise, agents appear to be feeling the piracy, too. Video-on-demand companies look like they are challenged to reap the business they enjoyed pre-piracy. Judging by the decreasing number of pages and advertisers, I’ve noticed that the Adult Industry publications seem under some duress; same for the number Adult Industry online forum threads and postings. It looks like new girls are still seeking to become porn talent, but that there appears to be too many of them for the reduced number of available bookings, thus some have a relatively shorter career now days. What Trenches?

I suspect that the actors/actresses, including me, are having a more difficult time making ends meet. I sense that, like me, a lot of the talent folks are ordering from the $1 menu items at McDonald’s. I think many Adult Industry people and entities are cutting some corners as a means of hanging-on. What Trenches?

“Trenches” supply happenings that readers want to hear about, in a gossip way as well as a news-reporting way. Yes, the economy and other outside influences impact the porn Industry, sometimes significantly. But, in my opinion, the main “trenches abductors” are primarily the piracy criminals, and herewith (FWIW, if anything) I am calling out the up-loaders, the illegal sites that allow copyright infringement, and the actual down-loaders. What trenches?

May the fleas of a thousand camels and millions of cats and dogs infest the pubic and nose hairs of anyone and everyone who has contributed to the red ink heaped upon the Adult Industry, and the wandering off of many of the Trenches!

Dave Cummings