Producers: AITA needs you!

[strictlybroadband]

Open message to producers and performers... as you'll probably know, AITA is the Adult Industry Trade Association in the UK... and you probably don't know that I'm one of the committee members.

Late last year, we realised that AITA covers a wide range of businesses from video producers to lube distributors, so decided to split into two subcommittees, one for "entertainment" (i.e. porn) and one covering retail.

I've taken on the job of creating the entertainment subcommittee, and coming up with some goals. I'd like to hear from producers, performers, webmasters and distributors who would like to get involved to some level: either just to input your ideas or even to join the subcommittee.

I'll be organising a meeting (in a pub somewhere probably) soon to get this kicked off, and I'm sure AITA will be happy to pay for a couple of rounds... so drop me a line if you'd like to come along and join the discussion.

I'm well aware that the UK producers have begun to organise themselves, and the aim here isn't to compete but to get AITA and the UK producers working together towards the same goals. United we stand, divided we fall! !happy!

J

[Jessucker]

Hiya J, both myself and Kinky Kiwi are up for the meeting. Drop us an email.

Jessucker xxx

[Archangel]

Are there any positions available in the AITA?? Any plans for inspiring and helping new producers and directors?

[DanG]

http://bgafd.co.uk/forum/read.php?f=2&i=55233&t=55233

Has AITA's standpoint changed considerably in the ensuing time, or are they still pushing the same policy as outlined in the thread above?

If it's the latter, well, good luck to you....personally, I think a trade association is a great idea, but the fact it's made up of people who have their own interests and whose chief aim seems to be using said association to protect their interests does tend to give one pause about the legitimacy and impartiality of AITA.

A radical idea? Perhaps AITA should consider employing people from outside the industry to sit on the commitee and thus deflect any such accusations.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume your personal intentions are honorable, but others may not see it that way. I'm sure Strictly Broadband is doing great business, but how would it fare if it had competition from hardcore channels or Pay Per View on Sky? I tend to think most people would prefer to watch it on their widescreen TV than on a computer monitor, so if I were a suspicious person, I might look at AITA's stance on hardcore on TV (even on encrypted channels) and think 'I wonder whose idea that was?', and see who would have the most to lose from hardcore on demand on TV, and you would definitely be one of them.

That's why I advocate having non-industry people on the board...any such suspicions are immediately nullified.

As for me, I buy all my stuff from abroad, as the UK market is so desperately hamstrung by that stupid mail order legislation....

[strictlybroadband]

Thanks Jess, I'll fix a date and email you in the next week or so.

[strictlybroadband]

"Are there any positions available in the AITA?? Any plans for inspiring and helping new producers and directors?"

Broadly Yes to both questions. I wanted to split the porn side away from the rest so we could develop a programme that aims to help producers, directors, etc... the reason I want to fix this meeting is to see what the issues are that producers most care about and then get AITA to work in those areas. Such as...

- BBFC/censorship issues
- Create a networking forum
- Piracy
- Health

And so on... the new "entertainment subcommittee" currently has 2 members: me and a producer, so there's space for 2-3 more people to join.

My initial goal is to see plenty more distributors, producers, performers, directors join AITA so we can set an agenda that'll help make AITA more relevant to us all in the porn biz.

[strictlybroadband]

I don't have an immediate answer to this, which is why I want more porn people to be involved with AITA.

AITA's stance on censorship has been variable in the past couple of years. On the one hand, they put up a strong fight to allow R18 DVDs to be sold by mail order in the UK (they lost). On the other, they campaigned to prevent hardcore being broadcast on TV - this stance has been widely criticised!

It's a tricky question: putting hardcore on TV would bring porn to the masses (good) but put much of the market into the hands of Rupert Murdoch, Richard Desmond, Playboy TV, etc. (bad)

My personal position is to oppose all porn censorship within reason.

[davewells]

Any paid positions Jerry ?

[Archangel]

Interesting and a very admirable aim.

I myself am an aspiring producer, but while I have knowldege of what I want to film and what I think would work, th epractical business sides, costs, shooting, technology and such I am lacking in informartion and support.

Schemes to help aspiring porducers would be good, simlar to ones to help people into the mainstream film industry.

However postions on a baord offering practcial solutions and information would also be suitable for me, although I would sense my lack of practical experience i the business could be a dampner to that.

[strictlybroadband]

Nope, us suckers do it for the sheer love of it...

The goal is a trade association that adds strength to the industry and represents our interests with a single, strong voice. That's in everyone's interest, and it's not going to be achievable without good involvement from the industry.