This is one of many articles I’ll post for those of you interested in producing your own content. My focus will be more on working with the models and equipment, than dealing with the legal (2257) stuff.

I’ve mentioned model drama a few times in previous posts, but never really explained what it is. I suppose I should remind everyone that my experience is with eighteen to twenty something guys, so maybe its different with the mature models. Or maybe it’s a little less of an issue with the older guys. I don’t know. I can tell you every producer I’ve talked to knows exactly what it is. Someone just entering this end of the business may know what it is, but probably has no idea how much impact its going to have on his or her sanity and productivity.

What is model drama? It’s all the baggage and personal problems a model brings with him, and he typically has a lot of it. More over, he wants to dump as much of it as he can square on your shoulders. The longer you work with a model, the worse it gets.

Legal, physical health, mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, love life, family problems, relationship issues, financial crises, and transportation problems drive most of the model drama you will encounter. A typical model will have problems in most of these areas. Perhaps not all at the same time, but don’t bet on it.

You may be thinking this is ridiculous. There is no reason to put up with a model that has so many problems. Just dump him and move on, right? Well, I’m here to tell you its not that simple. Good-looking guys that are willing to shoot porn don’t fall out of trees. Of those you can find, few will be without some sort of drama. And the more you work with a guy, the more that drama comes out.

Obviously you can avoid a lot of the drama by just working with a model one time. This is how a lot of the larger, more established, producers deal with it. For them, model supply isn’t an issue. They are well known and have a steady flow of new guys wanting work. As a small producer, you will not have this luxury. You will find yourself working with the same model for as long as you can hold onto him.

There will be times when you have several models working with you, and times when you have none. Most models don’t stick around for very long, so it’s best to grab as much as you can, when you can. Expect the drama, and deal with it to the best of your ability. If it gets to be too much, then don’t work with him any more. Deciding how long to work with a guy will most likely be driven by how hot he is. Still, you need to know when to let go, or risk sacrificing your own mental health.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Don’t get caught up in the model’s personal life. It will only cause you grief, and probably cost you money.

A friend of mine recently started producing his own content. Before starting, he didn’t take my warnings about model drama seriously. A few weeks into it, he called complaining about all the problems the models were causing. He was frustrated with how much of his time gets eaten up dealing with all the issues. He could not understand how anyone can go through life with so many problems, as these models have. I just laughed.