educational

South American Shooting: 1

In business, there is one immutable law: Lower costs yield higher profits. It's a truth that has prompted countless American corporations to build factories in Third World nations. It's also the reason why many in the adult entertainment industry have chosen to produce movies in South America.

While Europe was once the primary foreign venue for production, companies are looking to South America as the new El Dorado. And like 21st century conquistadores, they're finding gold again in the land of the Andes.

"I'm saving about 40 percent by shooting in South America," Lexington Steele, owner of Mercenary Pictures, tells XBIZ. His company and its subdivisions, including Black Viking, are mining the Brazilian talent pool in both the heterosexual and transsexual genres.

"We're paying in U.S. dollars," he explains, "so in Brazil, we're able to pay the performers about 50 percent of what it would cost in the U.S. If a standard boy-girl costs $1,000 in the U.S., it would cost me $500 in Brazil. But to the performer in Brazil, that $500 may be worth $1,000 down there. Right now, the strength of the American dollar against the euro is diminishing, so in Hungary or Prague, the performers get about the same as you'd have to pay in the U.S. You used to pay a Czech girl $600, but now —because she has to change those American dollars into euros — she needs $1,000 American."

The continuing strength of the U.S. dollar against Latin American currencies has helped production costs remain lower in such countries as Brazil and Argentina. In fact, the savings are so significant that many company owners don't like to admit it, for fear of letting the cat out of the bag and inviting competition.

"It's cheaper, there's no doubt about it," Colossal Entertainment President S. Baer says. "The prices you pay for talent in the U.S. are insane. Shooting here is insanity. The locations are expensive, the talent is expensive, and the directors are expensive, so we have completely stopped shooting here in the U.S. It's at least 40 percent less to shoot in South America, if you have the right people. If you don't, it's going to be costly."

Colossal, like many successful companies producing in South America, employs directors and crew who are resident citizens of the region. They work specifically for Colossal, which also furnishes its own production equipment. As a result, performers don't necessarily know they're working for an American company, which can make a huge difference in their asking price.

"If the talent knows you're shooting for an American company, they want everything," Baer says. "If you're shooting for a Brazilian company, they don't try to get you."

Hidden Costs
The company with perhaps the most complete Latin American infrastructure is UrgeXotica, whose co-production companies have offices in nearly every nation south of the Rio Grande, including its main office in Uruguay. But Baron, UrgeXotica's producer-director and principal liaison to Latin America, insists that hidden costs for shooting "down south" eat up most of the advantage gained in performance money.

"It's true that models are cheaper in South America," he admits, "but there are costs that you don't have in the U.S. These girls don't even have money to get a taxi to your location. We've had to fly girls to different cities to shoot them. You have to dress these girls. We have to do their hair, their hands, their feet. We have to pay for their (medical) tests. Also, down there we have to pay triple the U.S. price for lighting equipment. So today, we have to spend just as much on a production in Latin America as you would spend in Chatsworth, Calif."

Despite the hidden costs, UrgeXotica's "Girls of Latin America" series has been a big money-maker. The company has filmed in 20 cities so far, and whenever employees leave their Miami home office for a shoot, they have production support already in place, thanks to Baron's extensive Latin American contacts, garnered during his 17 years as a sales director in that region for a multi-national corporation.

"We have companies in various cities that co-produce with us," he says, "so before we even arrive, our crew down there has already helped us cast all the girls we'll need for that particular production. It's all electronic. They email us hundreds and hundreds of pictures, and from those pictures, we start picking girls. If we're not sure about some of the girls, they'll send us 15- or 30-second clips so we can see the girl moving around and get a sense of her personality. We want a girl who's more than pretty. If she's pretty and she's a lame performer, what do you do with that?"

In part two, we'll continue our look at the cost, benefits and pitfalls of shooting in South America.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

profile

WIA Profile: Rae Threat

Threat is completely self-taught. Shooting nightlife was how she learned photography and honed her skills, experimenting with ways to shoot low-light action shots without a flash. She notes that these nightly adventures also helped her acquire social and networking skills. One thing led to another, and she soon found herself working in the adult biz.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Girlsway Celebrates a Decade of Acclaimed Sapphic Erotica

When Girlsway launched back in 2014, Bree Mills had a plan. As head of production for Gamma Entertainment, she set out to up the stakes of all-girl content with the new imprint — and to continually, proactively reinvent the brand and its offerings along the way.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

TeamSkeet Debuts Swappz Channel, 'Swapception' Feature

Chief Revenue Officer Brandon explains, “The inspiration behind ‘Swappz’ emerged from a growing market demand for niche adult content that pushes boundaries and explores the taboo themes and deal-striking handshakes of swaps.”

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

Goodbye to Noncompete Agreements in the US?

A noncompetition agreement, also known as a noncompete clause or covenant not to compete, is a contract between an employer and an employee, or between two companies.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Brittney Kade Talks Big 'Career-First' for Adult Time

Brittney Kade’s first gangbang originated as an Adult Time “Director Showcase,” a creative opportunity the production team offered to Jim Powers, one of the studio’s regular producers.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

Compliance With State Age Verification Laws

During the past year, website operators have faced a slew of new state age verification laws entailing a variety of inconsistent compliance obligations.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

On the Set: Welcome to Adult Time's 'Futa World'

Dressed revealingly in a yellow waitress uniform, Lauren Phillips greets eager customers Hailey Rose and Chloe Surreal. On a sign announcing the grand opening of “Dick’s Diner,” the apostrophe between letters k and s bears a striking resemblance to an ejaculating penis.

Alejandro Freixes ·
profile

Hayley Davies: From New Zealand Math Nerd to Fast-Rising Adult Star

Growing up, New Zealander Hayley Davies was a proud nerd who participated in mathematics competitions against students from much higher grades. Her good looks turned out to be a kind of secret weapon, causing peers to underestimate her intellectual acumen.

Alejandro Freixes ·
profile

WIA Profile: Inka Winter

Award-winning erotic filmmaker and ForPlay Films founder Inka Winter knows what she wants her films to be, and what she doesn’t want them to be. She seeks to depict sexuality that is mindful, based in human connection and trauma-informed.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

The Perils of Relying on ChatGPT for Legal Advice

It surprised me how many people admitted that they had used ChatGPT or similar services either to draft legal documents or to provide legal advice. “Surprised” is probably an understatement of my reaction to learning about this, as “horrified” more accurately describes my emotional response.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
Show More