In general, men get paid a fixed fee per scene or are paid on a daily rate. When it comes to cash in porn, women are always on top. This is one area where women take the largest slice of the pie.Īfter all, whilst men are critical, it is the women who are the biggest draw when it comes to watching porn. Let’s get started! Do Male and Female Porn Stars Earn Different Amounts?
We’ll assess how much porn stars make from a typical movie, and whether there is a disparity between men and women. In this guide, we crunch the numbers of the adult film industry.
There are many kinky ways to make money, but porn remains the cornerstone of the sex industry.īy the time that producers and distributors take their cut, how much do porn stars actually earn? There is a whole lot of truth in the age-old adage that ‘Sex Sells’ and the adult industry is thought to be worth an estimated $100 billion globally. But a select few have chosen to make this a true career - and as in the mainstream world, those are the ones who tend to pocket the most.Ever wondered how profitable the porn business is? Some stick around for a few years, but then disappear. Many quit after just one scene or after a few months.
“Porn is an industry that regularly chews up and spits out performers. There is, however, another factor to consider: their longevity. The report reads, “Ultimately, assuming they have a decent agent, a performer’s salary comes down to three things-two of which are in their control: Their work ethic and frequency, their entrepreneurial spirit and their popularity.” Those who don’t feel like hanging around all day can charge between $100 and $150 per person.
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Makeup artists do fairly well, earning around $500 for working a full day on set. Tentpole porn films can take just four to eight hours.Ĭamerapeople generally make around $500-$700 (those with their own cameras are more likely to fall on the higher end of that scale), Sound technicians earn $300-$400 while production assistants can expect to take home $100 to $250 per day. Their paycheck falls in the ballpark of $250-$400 per day, and most shoots only last a day or two. In the event they are “required to do dramatically more than direct,” that rate can jump as high as $3,000, though CBNC notes that few studios are actually willing to pay that amount. In general, a director of a porn film will earn $1,000-$1,500 per day. Out of this group, the directors come out on top. Then there’s the behind-the-scenes staff, which includes the directors, camerapeople, sound technicians, producers, writers, photographers, makeup artists and all the other people it takes to put a scene together. One actress/dancer told CNBC that she regularly earns $7,000 to $10,000 per appearance, which can last two days. For those with a large enough fan base, feature dancing might be the way to go. According to the report, the “most extreme” stunts can go for $1,800 to $2,500 (double anal, anyone?). Those looking for higher wages are often encouraged to participate in more trying scenes. Newcomers with a “bad reputation,” however, might earn as little as $300. Big-name actresses can reel in around $1,500, sometimes $2,000. “Initially they make more money, then it depends on how popular they become,” he added.Īccording to the report, the average actress gets paid somewhere between $800 and $1,000 for “traditional” sex scenes (aka between a man and woman). Steven Hirsh, owner of the hugely profitable Vivid Studios, told CNBC, “When the girls first get into the business and they’re new, I think they can command additional money for different sex acts." It's one of the few industries where women generally start out at a higher rate.
Popular performers can make upward of $5,000 for a shoot, which might help explain the “ gay-for-pay” phenomenon. "Superstars” can expect wages around $1,500. More established stars get around $700-$900. Increasingly, stars are starting to rely on alternative streams of revenue like product endorsement deals, snapchat requests, camming platforms and escorting to get by.Īccording to a recent report by CNBC, the average male porn actor earns around $500-$600 per scene. In fact, performer pay rates are now at an all-time low. Sure, most of us can point to a few big names who have made it mainstream, but working in the industry isn't quite as lucrative as movies like Boogie Nights would have you think. This article originally appeared on AlterNet.īeing a porn star isn’t as easy as it sounds.