Yesterday, many performers, directors, studio owners, lawyers, agents, activists (for both sides) and one publicist (that would be me) attended the CalOSHA meeting in Downtown Los Angeles at the Department of Transportation. The turnout was amazing, because it’s become very serious what The Pink Cross and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) are trying to do to our industry–and that would be trying to systematically take us down.

Many topics were covered in the meeting including condom using, hazardous waste (that includes clothing and other surfaces covered in bodily fluids), testing after oral sex and who would be paying for all these changes. It was suggested that we form a union, and tried to tell us that we’re not independent contractors. The ladies running the meeting seemed to be such so stuck in terminology, until we questioned it. There was a 17-page syllabus that was supposed to be covered in 5 hours and that was definitely not happening.

Our voice was loud and clear, no matter how many times they tried to shut us down. Alia Janine, John Magnum, Danny Wylde, Nina Hartley, Christian Mann, Tommy Gunn, Ella Darling spoke up and defended our rights. Shy Love spoke out about doing thousands of scenes and never getting an STD, to which Shelley Lubbin tried to counteract with how she has Herpes in her throat. Someone needs to tell her that 90% of the population has it in their mouths and it’s not an STD. It was also priceless when Shy Love informed Miss Lubben that she should stop playing a porn star at Porn Star Karaoke, if she really doesn’t want to be one or be in our industry. Derek Hay of L.A. Direct also raised some good points and had provocative questions. Other people in attendance included Brooke Haven, Jessica Drake, Brad Armstrong, Christian XXX, Mo from Madness Pictures, Lily Cade, Eli Cross, Paul Cambria, Michael Fattorosi, Marcus London, Devon Lee, Charlie Ninja, Steviee, Dan and Moose from Girlfriends Films, Bill Marigold, Nicki Hunter, Mark Kernes of AVN, Mark Speigler, Mean Bitches Glenn, Ernest Greene, Diane Dukes, Joanne Cachapero and many more.

The outcome is more deliberation, meetings and back-and-forthing will be taking place. The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has our backs and I think the future meetings will be well attended by the industry. What can you do in the meantime? Join FSC: http://freespeechcoalition.com/joinmembership.html, and more importantly write to CalOSHA and let your voice be heard. Ask them questions and take a stand. Email the Subcommittee Director at dgold@dir.ca.gov. Questions about FSC can be directed to Joanne at joanne@freespeechcoalition.com. If you care about your job, this industry and the people in it, don’t be silent–let CalOSHA and even Pink Cross and AIDS Healthcare Foundation know what they’re doing is wrong. As an industry, we’ve done a great job with the system we’ve had for 15 years and only have one case of HIV every 5 years (on average). That’s pretty astounding considering that there were 20,000 performers in the AIM Database at one point and countless scenes are filmed each day, week and month. STDs come from outside the industry, not from within. Know the facts and fight the good fight, people. If these measures pass there will be less overall testing and porn companies will move out of state or go underground, which is unsafe for everyone.

There are some photos from the meeting on FSC’s blog:  http://fscblogger.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/photos-from-calosha-subcommittee-meeting-june-7/

This week, I learned the importance of talent having an agent. Agents make publicists lives easier, because they agent (or do agenting). I can do more PR, social media, marketing, etc. for clients who have agents. Agents also get work for the talent, so they can actually pay you. Some people say you need four people for a successful career—an agent, a manager and publicist, and eventually a lawyer if you make it big enough. First thing you need on that list is an agent—getting work on your own can be hard. Agents have connections and established relationships with studios and directors. Managers and publicists have other responsibilities, and if they are looking for work for you, it’s taking time away from keeping you on track or making you famous. Agents also help deflect a lot of drama that goes along with work/projects. As a publicist, I prefer for my clients to have an agent (or agency) and have helped some of my talent find one.

What Do Agents Do

Agents wear many hats, but here are a few things they do:

• Oversee that everything is OK on the set—if there’s a problem, you call them and they take care of it (whether you leave the set or everything gets resolved).
• Make sure you’re physically safe and don’t send you to directors or studios they are unsure of—they make sure it’s not a “private”, but a real gig.
• Guarantee that you get paid—you leave with a check in hand unless it’s decided you get a payroll check. You don’t have to deal with shady directors just choosing not to pay you. And if you don’t get that payroll check, they go after whoever owes you.
• Call you ahead of time (usually the day before) and let you know what’s in store—who you’ll be working with, what to wear/bring and other pertinent details.
• Agencies make sure your tests are up to date—many will remind you if you’re coming up on your tests being expired and this will guarantee you won’t lose a job due to an outdated test.
• Take your side when you need them, but let you know when you’ve screwed up (mainly so it won’t happen again). You might even find one that will do damage control and make sure your reputation stays intact when things go wrong.

What It’s Going to Cost You

Agents don’t work for free and require a fee of 10-15%, depending on the agency. They get you gigs you might not get for yourself, so you’ll be bringing in more cash and potentially working with people you would not have on your own. Their job is to pay your work and they’re motivated, because the more you work, the more they get paid.

Things to Ask An Agent Before Signing with Them

You should look at an agent or agency’s roster before signing with them—see who they currently have and look into how much work their girls are getting. Do your homework before you meet with them, because they have done theirs on you. Before signing, you’ll need to find out a few things:

• The most important one would be can they get you work. There’s no point in being part of agency just to be on a site. Ask if they don’t get you work in a specified amount of time (like two to three months) if you can void your contract.
• Is there a contract and how long is it for—this is also important to know if you’re exclusive or can work with other agents, directors or studios on your own. Most agencies are exclusive and those ones tend to offer you the best deal.
• What is the percentage they take? Do they charge for driver service?

A Few More Things Before You Sign

Ask yourself things like do I click with my agent or agency and can I work well with them. Check out their style and see if you can work with that in long run. Know how they work and even ask around. Do you want a laid back agent who waits for the phone to ring or an aggressive agent? Can you deal with someone who is honest and will let you know when you mess up? Is your agent reputable and how is he or she seen in the industry? Is most of their talent happy? Remember, all agencies aren’t ideal, so make sure to do your homework.

You Decide to Go It Alone

Some girls (and guys) decide to do it one their own. They have email accounts set up for bookings and hit up studios and directors on their own. Others set up their own sites specifically for booking with photos, measurements and contact info. Some talent has found success this way, but others don’t. Agenting for yourself will take up a lot of your time and energy. If you have a great sales pitch, it could work. You might also have a manager or publicist that can help you, but they won’t be doing what they do best—managing or making you famous. Sometimes, all you need to do is find another agent or agency, if you’re not happy. But before you decide to leave your agency or not sign with an agent, really think it through. Hopping from agency to agency will get you a reputation, and not a good one. Perception is everything in this business.

Many people don’t understand the importance of a publicist or what exactly they do. As a performer, you ultimately should have an agent, manager, publicist and lawyer. Each has a different role–and, if you can’t have them all, I would choose the agent and publicist. Then, you can focus on working and having professionals create a career for you.

What You Need to Get Started

To be able to afford a publicist, you will need to be working. Sure you can procure work on you own, but an agent has connections that you might not. If you are new to the industry, get the agent first and start bringing in some income. Agents usually take 10 to 15% and will charge for photos and other incidentals. Each agent has a different way of doing business, so you will need to meet face to face with him or her to figure out if they’re the right agent for you and what you’re trying to accomplish.

Next, to get started with a publicist, you should have short-term and long-term goals. Tell them what you’re trying to achieve and they should map out a plan, along with the image you want to portray. Good publicists understand the importance of branding and imaging.

What a Publicist Does

It is a publicist’s job to get your name out there and ultimately make you famous—they should be doing more than just writing press releases. They should be getting you interviews, magazine placement (layouts), have you presenting awards, setting up and/or running your social media and much more. A publicist should be working for you, not the other way around. And if the publicist is doing a good job, you will ultimately get more work, along with lots of press.

Sometimes a client will have a bad rep or a scandal attached to them—it’s a publicist’s job to reinvent them or put some creative spin on the situation. PR should always have the client come out on top.

What a Publicist Doesn’t Do

Publicists aren’t personal assistants—some are more full service than others and offer a lot of services. One of my former clients actually asked me to pick up tickets to an awards show for them, run all the way across town and deliver the tickets. Had I been in the area and not in a meeting, I probably would have accommodated the request. That’s just one example of something an assistant will do. You can even hire an intern, if you can’t afford an assistant.

How To Pick a Good Publicist

Ask around and get references—find out how the potential publicist is perceived in the industry, because perception is everything. Most of my business comes from referrals from current and previous clients—this is a good sign, because it means happy clients. You will also want to ask the publicist what they have accomplished for their clients and ask them to send you a proposal to make sure everyone is on the same page. Most importantly go with your gut feeling about the person and make sure you feel you mesh with the publicist and think can work well with them.

How Much Does a Publicist Cost

Fees vary and can go as high as $2000 a month. You don’t always get what you pay for. Sometimes you do and a more seasoned professional will cost more. Figure out what you can afford. It would suck to only be able to afford a month or two—that won’t get you too far. Many require a deposit of a partial or whole month.

After 90 days (or maybe sooner), you will know if you have picked the right publicist. Your name will be out there, you will have scored at least a few interviews and people won’t say “who” when your name is dropped. If you’re interested in our services, go to the Contact Us page (http://therubpr.com/departments.php?dep=contact).