On one hand the answer isn’t as simple as you might think; on the other hand it’s simpler than you imagine.
Firstly, one needs to consider that “quality” means different things to different people: for example, in context of porn, the measure of quality can be defined as “did it get you off?” This really is the bottom line and what separates porn from other art forms.
Beyond this basic standard, one can find several other yardsticks to judge the quality of porn; such as its technical merits (is it well-lit, with clear audio?) and production values (was it shot in a nice location, with careful attention given to things such as the model’s outfit and makeup – or did folks just show up at a cheap motel and start burning tape?).
Having said that, I’ve seen some particularly compelling material that was shot by folks that just showed up at a cheap motel and started burning tape; without any real thought given to the lighting conditions or the fact that the air conditioner and television were droning on in the background.
I’ve also seen hi-budget shoots from established producers that bored me to tears; causing me to fast-forward through the bulk of the production – hoping in vain to get a glimpse of something worthwhile…
When I think of “quality porn” I think of the visual mastery of Andrew Blake and the technical sophistication of Ali Joone – producers at the very top of their game; with years of experience and industry-leading budgets: It’s great stuff; but it isn’t what gets me off.
And that’s the rub (pardon the pun): “quality” isn’t necessarily what sells – making the question of “what is quality porn?” less important than “what is marketable porn?”
You can have the worst-lit, barely-audible, low-resolution, poorly-compressed video with the shakiest camera moves ever caught on tape – but if the models (and action) are what flips the viewer’s switch, then you’ll be able to sell it – and as a producer, that’s your goal.
At the end of the day, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what one viewer considers the utmost in quality another viewer considers worthless. In this business, the old saying “different strokes for different folks” was never truer.
What is “quality” porn?
It is porn that turns YOU on enough that YOU would be willing to pay for it.