Producing tips

A SHORT(ISH) GUIDE TO PRODUCING

Fettishvids.com

I had a thread but unfortunately some people had to derail it, so I'll rewrite it here but condensed with the meat and potatoes.

I have a LOT of people who ask me about producing so here is my (probably not short) reply.

First, i get called ‘lucky’ a lot. It isn’t luck. I don’t say that pissy, understand. Thing is, it is anything BUT luck, its a metric shit-ton of work.

THE ABSOLUTE MUST READ PART (aka if you only read one section let it be this):

Do not confuse a shoot with a session. If you’re only wanting to do this as ‘playtime’, you don’t need to be doing this. Period. Is it fun? Well sure, it is. But there is a vast difference between shoot time and session time. It’s a different mental space. I never get aroused during a shoot because my mind is thinking not only about what I'm doing (which would be the arousal part normally) but also what the audience is seeing. I’m also thinking about the safety of the model I’m working with. If she's going through too much and the intensity seems to be ramping, I have to consider backing off, even if that means a full stop.
It’s also a good time to give her a break, whatever that looks like. Swapping tools, slowing down, pausing to talk trash. Whatever. Point is, I’m thinking about the audience and the model primarily. I dont have to do this with my wife, because I KNOW her. She’s easy to read.
With a model it may be a first time, or even if not, it still isnt someone I’m intimate with, and so there is a higher need to pay attention.
The other problem if you cannot recognize the difference, is that you come off creepy. Like, REALLY creepy. If a girl is there to work (in this case be bound and tickled) let THAT be the thing. If this is a segue in your mind to get laid….ugh. No. If this is a method for you to get your rocks off, also no. Big no. It’s scary (and potentially dangerous) enough as is for a girl who doesn’t know you to be put in this position, don’t you think? Now imagine the ler/dom/rigger getting aroused and you CAN’T move. See where I’m going? You want the model to have a GOOD experience. That leads to a good name, that leads to more models and now you also have a return model (potentially at least).
I can unfortunately name (though I won’t, I’m not about to get into a mud slinging contest) some that have gotten carried away probably due to arousal/excitement, and its just a shitty way to behave. Trash takes itself out, so they likely won’t last or grow.
One story involves a guy who decided to stick his fingers in a girl while she was bound, and that certainly wasn’t part of the shoot. That's absolutely sexual assault.
Another story involves a certain ler who I absolutely refuse to ever interact with now, who was a session guy and to save money, crossed over into producing. Surprise surprise, he has crossed several girls limits. They’ll be calling ‘red’ (full stop) yet he doesnt. In one case he even jumped on the girl. These aren’t stories I’ve witnessed however I’ve had multiple girls tell me these same stories about this guy. So piss on him. Don’t be him.

Girls, VET the guys you’re thinking on working with. And not just one or two people. One or two may have had an issue with a producer and theyre deciding to trash him, so multiples are a good idea. Or the opposite, they may be friends with the producer and deciding to help him out with positive feedback.
Guys, VET the girls. I’ve had more than a couple who ended up being a negative experience. Thankfully out of roughly 80 at this point its only been three that I can think of, one I’ve patched things up with but two of the three were not pro level models and couldn’t differentiate shoot from session. Thats an issue for the talent as well as the producer.
So, ASK for several references or even better go through their twitter (best place) timeline and see who all they’ve worked with.

AND THEN

You need a concept. Consider a simple bondage studio. If you try to open a ‘guy ties up girl’ biz, you’re only likely to have limited success. There are thousands of guys good with rope. Worse, there’s hundreds out there already established. Will you have a measure of success? Maybe. But what will make YOU stand out? Why does someone look your way since so many are already out there and established? You need some sort of angle.

ALSO REALIZE

Being new you will get taken advantage of. Or at least the attempt will be there. Some models will play the clock game, knowing that they’re hourly then go take forever in the bathroom looking for an easy payday. Or, they’ll negotiate ‘x’ then show up and want to downplay what they agreed to. Understand consent CAN be revoked at any point, but also understand you have the right to stop the shoot if they shirk their agreement. It will suck that you already paid travel (wait what?! Yeah I’ll get to that) but they’ll walk away with nothing or very little also. No one wants that.
On the flip side, if you’re producing you can’t be a slave driver and not give them breaks because they’re on the clock. This stuff isn’t easy.
A reasonable amount of time (you can negotiate this of course) hourly to stop for whatever reason, is something needed.

MONEY

This isn’t cheap. The models aren’t doing this for free. You can't expect them to pay to come to you, what would they make? Their money would be gone in travel and stay. So offer to pay both travel and hotel. That's on top of their fee. See how quickly this adds up? Add in supplies.

MARKETING

I hustle my ass off. If you’re lazy and don’t want to do all the talk, posting updates, and chasing talent, then don’t expect much in return. I work harder at this than I do my ‘vanilla’ job, by far.

PROFIT

If you didn’t know, the paysite hosts do charge a hefty percentage to host your clips. Anywhere from 20 to 40 percent. Ouch. Currently it seems like Gumroad is the best deal at 10. BUT, how long will they last before they get the ban hammer potentially dropped on them? It happened to Patreon, it can happen to GR.
Most of us hate Clip4Sale but currently it has the most eyeballs on it unfortunately. They take 40. Again, ouch.
Which leads me to…

PIRACY

You may think its cute, but when you STEAL from a very small business it HURTS. Most won’t care. You can see evidence of this all over subs/forums where they’ll continually ask where they can ‘find’ this clip. They don’t mean to purchase it, they mean to view it, free, against your wishes. They won’t spend the 10 to 15 (in most cases with me) dollars to support you and keep your studio going. People are greedy and suck, its human nature.

CLEANLINESS

Don’t be gross. Your workspace, your materials, your person. No model wants to work around that. It’s unhealthy and disgusting. I have had a difficult workspace at times (warmth) but its never been gross. I wash my ropes, spray down any thing that touches a body. It’s what you should do.

There it is. There’s my ‘short’ spiel.

I’m not ‘lucky’. And if you pursue this route you will realize that.

Hope this helps!

Fettishvids.com

So I had come back as a bondage producer again and had little success (though I've never ever gone into debt monthly to do this, always made a profit no matter how small) hiring unknowns. I had hoped to use the girl next door approach, not going with the pro names. Problem was, its incredibly hard to do. The best route seemed to be Model Mayham but if you can get a reply there you're fortunate, a yes is far, far more rare.
I finally succumbed to taking the pro route after a fellow I had made friends with via Fetlife named Tony offered a model he produced with when he was active to work with me. Michelle Peters was a huge name as a bondage model, and worked for Dizdat out of Florida (that owner was also Tony - I say 'was' because he died a few years back). She had disappeared and no one knew where she had gone. Turns out she got married and moved to NY, and wasn't a model anymore. She's an old school model who can take a punishingly tight tie, and is cute on top of it all.
So Michelle was passing by my state on the way back to Florida when she had separated from her husband and had been in contact with Tony, who put her in contact with me to shoot. I said yes immediately and we shot all of Saturday, making an array of content. Toward the end of the visit, I had my table in its very early stages, having used it on a couple of girls already but it wasn't the monstrosity it is now. I wrapped Michelle up and got her set for a tickling vid.
I pay her and she heads toward Florida and I immediately dropped all of the content rapidly, knowing I had a hot commodity that hadnt been seen in quite some time, with an eager fanbase for her.
The clips sold well, but the best of the bunch was the tickling vid.
It didn't take a genius to realize the direction I had to take.

Fair warning: you may not agree with the things therein, and if you're the intolerant sort, unable to have a civil discussion or have an axe to grind, you're probably best passing on this entry. Open minds only.

Some know that I hit the ripcord and left at the end of Oct 23. The reasons behind it were primarily related to my deeply held beliefs. Anyone holding any worldview, whether religious or even non-religious, are open to the ability to become a hypocrite. I certainly didn't want that, and worse, to offend God by living basically a double life.
I do take my beliefs seriously and therefore try to live them out.
So it took a lot of thought and discussion while I was on hiatus, if I was indeed okay doing what I was / am doing.
Theres a reason I don't shoot anything overtly sexual, though some have gotten extremely aroused (ergo my one series) but thats never been something I've aimed to happen. Oh I know people will eyeroll and say theres no way I'm not aroused during a shoot but I'm truly not. As I've said in my original blog entry, it simply isn't that way if you're being a pro about it. Being a pro doesnt mean sitting there like a robot but what it DOES mean, is youre concentrating on model safety, what the audience will see, and the shoot / clip duration - hiring isn't cheap when you hire quality.
So is it fun? Like I said prior, of course it is. The laughter and joking you see in my clips isn't pretend, we really are having fun as you see it. I nor my wife would allow me in this world if it were any other way. I love her and don't want to risk a divorce by any means, and I don't want to disrespect her either. Not cool.
This is fun and profitable, but it isn't worth losing that either.

Was my departure sudden? Kinda.
But not really. Like anyone else I have my own thoughts and internal battles. Just because someone doesnt voice them doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Kinda like quarks, God, and other dimensions (what are we up to now…..potentially 11?). Anyway.
I’ve been talking to people I highly trust in these matters. One philosopher, a theologian, and an ordained fellow I’ve been friends with for twenty years, who is well versed in ANE culture and the Bible as a whole. One didn’t approve. Brilliant fellow but he’s very much old school when it comes to even masturbation itself which….I simply think he’s wrong about. But I’ll get to that. The other two didn’t have an issue; found it strange, sure. But didn’t have an issue. With what I do, no one is naked, nor sexually stimulated (yes I know some can and have - orgasmed from tickling - but like anything else I produce, I just tickle them and record….I’m not TRYING to get anyone to do anything - keepin’ it real). The only people I won’t hire are those who aren’t ticklish because well….that doesn’t make for much, does it?
The question starts with, ‘what is lust’? There’s been centuries long debate over the term itself. Churches have caused a LOT of trouble for young men (and women I’m sure..but I’m not a girl, can’t speak for their own desires and such) telling them if they even LOOK at someone and find them attractive that they’re committing adultery. Clearly this is wrong. If you used that line of thought, then you can divorce your spouse if they look at tiddies on the internet. No, seriously. What then, is lust?
Well it’s a synonym for covet. Well whats coveting?
If you’re interested in a good video about 5 minutes long, Dennis Prager (let your politics go a moment - yes hes a conservative and yes this country is terribly divided - but if you disagree with his other views at least listen to this clip, its nothing to do with politics) has a great bit on YouTube. Basically coveting is the source of other crimes/offenses. It’s ok to want things. It’s not okay when you put a plan into action. That is, if given the opportunity, you’d sleep with your friends wife. That’s why it says dont covet your neighbors wife, or house, or donkey (which i guess would be your neighbors car now lol).
The other thing that’s always annoyed me is when people will try to twist Song of Solomon into something it isnt. It IS erotic. There simply isn’t any other way to read this. They’ll say ‘oh it’s a metaphor for Christ and his church’, or some such. Ok even if we grant that (which is pretty weird considering some of the descriptions in there) - that still doesn’t slide the point aside that the words used are VERY sexual. Metaphor or not. The author knew what he was writing, he wasn’t stupid. Did he write it for the express purpose of someone getting their jollies off to it? I wouldn’t think so, but it wasn’t like there was video back then, so all they had was writing and pictures. Someone reading that would undoubtedly have gotten aroused or at least the author had to have known that would happen. I can already imagine heads ablaze pissed off at me for writing that, but tell me I’m wrong. I once read an author (Christian author) who was talking about the humanity of Christ and how just like us, he would have been a baby crying, dirtying diapers, etc, and he actually had readers mad at him for suggesting that Christ would dirty a diaper. Oy…
I also do not believe masturbation to be a sin. You’ll get pushback on that one I know, but simply saying pleasures of the flesh ain’t gonna cut it. And why? Do you find food pleasurable? What about water? A nice swim? A hot shower? On and on and on. These are all flesh based pleasures. How this puritanical mode of thought penetrated this is beyond me. When you gratify desires of a sinful nature, ah - now it’s a problem. If you desire to steal something and you gratify that, thats obviously wrong. In the same way alcohol isn’t a sin, neither is masturbation. It’s when we take ANYTHING in excess it becomes a problem. Why? Well thats when it becomes idolatry. That is, you’re putting something above God and it gets into worship mode with obsession doesn’t it? I have a friend who is horny 24/7 and doesn’t hide it - it’s an ongoing joke. He told a story where his wife was falling asleep and wasn’t DTF. He said ok but this is going to go to waste - then turned over and let it fly while in the bed next to her. That’s…a bit weird. Mine certainly wouldn’t have liked that lol
I laughed at the story and asked how she reacted, “I’ll tell you like I told her, I gotta get the poison out!”
His point being, if he doesn’t relieve himself he may run off and do whatever else worse.
You can say ‘oh get a grip and control yourself!’
Fine and dandy but for how long? If she started denying him, THEN what? What’s he supposed to do? Take cold showers the rest of his life since some will tell you masturbation is wrong? Come on.
My rule of thumb has always been since I started this, that I’d only shoot the type of stuff that is clothed (yes Kylies boob fell out accidentally while she was almost levitating off the table - wasn’t remotely intentional) - and I wasn’t stimulating someone. Sorry, as hot as it sounds I won’t put a wand on anyone in a production - even myself which yes, I’ve had requested. Again, sounds awesome for personal play, but that’s a no go. That ISNT a knock on others with differing limits than I. I’m explaining where my head is.
I’ve asked a while now: why is it something like wrestling, tickling, and ‘tie up’ (bondage) games are okay when you’re a kid, but suddenly you hit a certain age and its made ‘dirty’? Yeah, if you’re doing this and you’ve got a raging boner with your friend you’re rolling around with, that’s different from when you’re a kid - or at least I assume so? Growing up I did these things and they were simply FUN. They weren’t anything beyond that. Many of you have reached out to me and said you like my content because of it being genuine, but also that we’re having fun together. That actually shocked me to hear. I’d ask how a viewer KNEW that? No one had a description but they ‘just knew’. That still throws me for a loop because they’re right - we are having fun. I typically don’t show my face (I dont hide it necessarily, I just cut it out of the frame normally because who is looking at me anyway?) because I’m armpit deep trying to stifle my own laughter! I get the same joy shooting these clips as I do when I’m playing a prank on someone. I can’t describe it beyond that. It’s simply fun. I also get to be creative, and that’s something thats always soothed me, as a PTSD sufferer (long story, don’t ask).
I can’t answer why anyone else enjoys this because I don’t know. I can say for me, I have control issues (absent parents) and I suspect most comes from that. I’m also a people pleaser though, so making people happy means a lot to me. Toss that in a blender and bam. You get a sadist-ish sorta fellow that wants you to enjoy it. A ‘loving’ dom I guess you’d say. Or that used to be the term anyway.
I know with the ‘Lickle’ series I’ll halt that. That’s verged into a far more erotic realm than I’m comfortable with. I don’t need that, it’s a bridge too far. The ticklegasm stuff is…well it’s a weird spot to be in. I’m not weirded out by it, but I’m not TRYING to get that to happen either. My material is extremely organic, as viewers should know (yes you’ll always get detractors claim that its fake its fake blah blah - but there’s nothing you can do to convince them so why bother). I hit the go button after someone is strapped in and it leads where it leads. Point being, the Lickle series was intentional (obviously) and that probably needs to cease.
It’s been a battle coming to grips with all of this but I appreciate the messages I’ve gotten.
If I ever think it through again and come out on the side of it being against what I believe, I'll pull the plug again. But I do think I have it sorted out.
I won’t throw my soul / salvation away over wealth nor desires. Nothing is worth that. But I’m also not going to kowtow to someone TELLING me how I’m supposed to read and understand something when they’re using their own lens and wants to drive the interpretation. I’ve seen people wear around and brag about their own holiness like the legalistic Pharisees of Jesus’ day. Be a good person, sure - but when you get prideful about it, it’s just as sinful as anything else.

I've had some I've been in dialogue with (I enjoy discussing different viewpoints as long as the other person isnt a jackass) ask me why I think what I think. Rather than a weeks long public tit for tat, I usually point them to reasonablefaith.org - great material there, and he can convey it much better than I could.

Anyway! If you made it this far now ya know

Why can't we just admit it?
Why can't we just admit it?
We won't give pause until the blood is flowin'
Neither the brave nor bold
Nor brightest of stories told
We won't give pause until the blood is flowin'

- Vicarious by Tool


Ah yes 'the dirt', the part that humans seem drawn to.

When I ask successful models and other producers about their own journeys, they laugh when they hear about some of the negativity I've experienced, having had been through their own in their time in their own career. Some rivalries are so intense that they can't be in the same room, others have had all out fistfights and been ejected from conventions, and yet others go about their day seeking any morsel they can to twist and bend to their own propaganda war against those they hate. In the end, my cohorts and associates smile and say, 'Well thats when you know you've made it, haters reflect your success'.

Fair enough I suppose. After all, I don't care who you are, you'll never have a 100% approval rating. Even George Bush Jr right after 9/11 was at an all time high for presidents regarding approval when he vowed to go after the terrorists who killed roughly 3000 citizens in a cowardly attack against America. Goes to show: you'll never make everyone happy, there's always going to be the angry 'yabbit' crowd.

So why the fuss? Well a few things. Initially some of 'the community' as its called, disliked my heavier approach, preferring the lighter bondage productions which is completely ok! Different strokes, after all. But I've been around this scene since the late 90s and have watched it change dramatically. There was a fellow named Kujman (invoking the name is akin to Candyman, he will show up at some point and go on a days long angry tirade of denial) who admittedly made solid content. But it was on the more severe side and for whatever reason the 'lighter' crowd wasn't tolerant of it and hounded him. The error he made, was he paid attention to it closely. I'll typically give a single reply if I happen to see something, but then leave it at that. If the internet has taught us anything it should be that an online argument is utterly pointless. Too much ego is involved and people can't admit they're wrong, much less apologize for an action - especially 'in public'. Kujman I suspect, has Borderline Personality Disorder. I can't prove it at a distance and behind a screen of course, but thats my suspicion. Anyway, what was really telling from the community back then was when he posted some material where a male was being tickled (I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure it was him, he had said) and people went apeshit offended. That.....was weird. But thats how it was overall. Hell its still that way, as I've gotten a few negative remarks toward my Vengeance series, but that segment seems to keep it to themselves, with a new loud and angry vocal group taking its place.
Where Kujman screwed up, was when he was straight up busted on an ollllllld forum where he was in a Renfaire group who were completely vanilla and only doing the hobby for the hobby itself. He was there posing as just another player, but for whatever reason a member found his account linked to a tickle fetish group ....where renfaire tickling material was at. Uh oh.
When called out, he went into one of his days long back and forth tirades. Look, he was wrong and its okay to be wrong (something honest people acknowledge, but not holier-than-thou types) but it got ugly and he ended up looking bad in the end. You can find that particular decades old drama here:

https://groups.google.com/g/alt.fairs.renaissance/c/hcV2lzj2stI/m/zENvmCP-_8cJ?pli=1

With the prior page I wrote in this blog, I talked about my personal beliefs in Christianity, something I don't shove on anyone and only ever brought it up publicly in reaction to why I got out of the biz for some personal reflection before continuing. People wondered why, and so I told them. I really don't tend to hide much; as I've said prior I do enjoy conversations with those able to hold them. Because of that and more likely the political opinions I may hold, the country has become so divisive here in the U.S. we go into attack mode as we instantly generalize someone - which is juvenile thinking to be honest. That sounds harsher than I mean for it to but its true. Reason being, you can hold belief 'x' and be in camp 'y' and be perfectly rational. Just because you think 'q' is true doesnt mean you are in the 'p' belief system (yes the letters are random here and mean nothing outside of showing a difference). I know of one model I consider a friend who is very pro abortion but yet during a shoot she made mention how conservative she is aside from that one issue. Her pro abortion stance she can vocalize, her conservatism she feels she can't. Which is a sad state of affairs to be honest. But, that was a huge reminder that we as people don't all jam into one box quite so easily, therefore shouldn't be judged as such.

Believe me, I'm well aware that those of my same metaphysics would recoil and condemn me shooting fetish material, assumptions already having been made. When I moved to the U.S. from Canada, I was quite anti-gun but I also didn't understand why the 2nd amendment exists, nor why anyone 'needed' to arm themselves. I was on a forum and was attacked nonstop by the pro gun crowd, who like anyone else passionate on a topic were unable to have a civil discussion on the topic. Its no different than anyone in the anti-gun crowd, or any other topic. You'll always meet those who are so entrenched in their thinking that they become outraged when challenged. Just is what it is I suppose, but it strikes me as immature - ergo I use juvenile above.

I think its so bad online because thats typically what we introduce first. Meaning, you join somewhere and start running your own news cycle on your socials, and people immediately judge you and praise/condemn you based on what you're putting out rather than getting to know you first and then learning more details later on. Think about it. When you meet someone in person you don't shake their hand and say, 'Hey Joe here good to meet you, I hate guns!' ....you'd get some weird looks. But thats more or less what we (I'm guilty of it also, I'm aware) do online. Then someone comes along, reads that and immediately dismisses you and in some cases even goes into attack mode - and the fight is on and the humanity behind the screen is discarded.

But I'm getting off topic slightly.

Before I shut down my initial X account I had about 12k followers I think and of the 12k I had a few stalkers, who thought they were 'outing me' (?) because they stalked what I hit the like button on, or I'm sure it showed them the remark/article I may had hit 'like' on. Ok and...? Simply ignore it? But no, the intolerant crowd couldn't and therefore that mental arrangement that generalizes us into boxes kicked in and I was deemed 'fatphobe transphobe bigot racist' lol...wow. Ok thats not excessive at all.
This happened after a negative interaction on Tumblr (right down there with Reddit - the bottom of the internet along with the 'chan' gang) where someone was acting stupidly and hit me in a wrong mood that day. We all have those things happen and its more honest to admit that than the holier-than-thou approach. What happened was this: I reached out to someone who was posting and complimented one of her pics being cute, and offered a modeling gig if she was interested. Rather than saying 'no thank you' or even simply ignoring it (happens all the time and its ok!) I was told I didn't have an age in my profile and was blocked. It wasn't being told no that was the problem, it was the ignorance toward common sense that rubbed me wrong. I screenshotted the interaction and responded publicly because....well that was ridiculous. As I said there, you 1) can lie and put any age in any profile...that means nothing which is why early on when I'm approached I always ask for a license to verify adulthood 2) cannot be a producer and be a minor and 3) please be patient when you're asking for a verification by me - I'm very busy and don't have the time to reply within ten minutes to a DM/email. I don't regret making the reply, what I do regret is having left the persons name rather than crossing it out. That was a knee jerk bit of stupidity on my end and I hate I didn't think it through. The odds of her seeing this are slim and I wish I had contact to apologize to her but I've no clue who it was now unfortunately. It wasn't meant as an attack on her personally, by any stretch. It was meant to address the silly assumption that I could possibly be a minor. I added it publicly hoping to hold it out there as a PSA to anyone who thought something similar in the future. Error on my part but there isn't much I can do about that now.

Days later I log on and oh boy, the place had exploded in self righteous anger. What a show.
At that point I gained my own little 'hate squad' who decided to start a campaign to 'out me' by stalking my likes and one in particular chased me around all of my socials claiming I hate women and all sorts of ridiculous accusations with no base in reality. Finally it reached the point of discomfort and I reverse stalked him to be safe if I had to go after someone legally. To no surprise he looks as I expected for someone hiding behind a screen. I do wish him well and I mean that sincerely. Anyone who is that angry needs healing and hope for a better life. I was accused of being a 'fatphobe' (these terms are getting silly...tossing 'phobe' on the end of everything as a shield is ridiculous) because I said I can't work with anyone who is over a size 14. One glance at my material and its clear why: my bag is sized and I HAVE to get you in it because the table scenes are a staple of what I sell. If you can't fit, I cant shoot it. I know of one producer who openly says 'no fat chicks' (no I wont out him, it isn't my place to turn a mob on the guy) and you know what? Its his production and his right to not hire anyone he wishes - just like the rest of us up to, and including models who say no to any material they dont want to shoot. Years back there was a xxx star who said she wouldn't work with anyone trans, and that was completely her right to choose that. She was hounded and killed herself. If youre reading this and saying 'good', thats more a reflection of your own hate. By all accounts she was a sweet girl and didn't 'hate' anyone who happened to be trans, she simply stated her choice who to work with - and honestly it isn't anyones business who any of us say yes or no to. We don't owe a reason to anyone. Its our money, our productions, our time, and or our bodies.
Where the race remark comes from I have no idea. I suppose its just an easy accusation. It's like labeling someone a sex offender (which that same group has had to toss my way - good luck, speak to the over 100 people I've worked with and you wont find such a thing based in reality). It's just an easy albatross to throw at someone without evidence to get people upset.

So that was that group. I won't bother addressing the more recent drama because I've already talked about it elsewhere and there isn't much to add. I'll simply say this: if you're going to be a pro, don't try to turn a mob on someone because you hold different beliefs than them. Thats utterly unprofessional and a terrible look. I've had more than one person come to me after the fact, surprised this person behaved that way. Well...I don't have to tell them, the words are right there for all to see (or at least were, maybe its been deleted, I have no idea).
The parroting that keeps being bandied about is the accusation that I'm anti trans. I'm sure thats yet another easy thing to throw at someone to get people wound up and angry but...I'm not. There are certain PARTS of the movement I do not agree with but I won't get into that here (DM me if youre truly interested, I'm not sure I'm allowed to go into that with the forum rules so I wont) and yet the label keeps getting thrown at me. I'm sure because of my more conservative beliefs (and yet I keep putting my libertarian stance in there yet that gets hand waved away lol) and spiritual stance, that its easy to believe that I think that way. Don't be too quick to accept that.

For one. I'm happy as I keep saying, to discuss anything civilly with anyone. But for two, you've no idea how I think when it comes to sexuality and the bible itself. Here is a group with a philosophy and stance you may not have considered or even known about:

https://reformationproject.org

Sadly its far too common now to shout down with indignant rage, anyone who thinks outside of your own spectrum. There was a time those on the so called left, were the voices of tolerance and free speech (although that isnt entirely true....the PMRC was headed by Tipper Gore, Al Gores wife and the reason you have Parental Advisory warning labels on music). That has certainly changed, unfortunately. I don't believe there is room for intolerance nor suppression of free speech regardless of the content of said speech. Censorship is the first step toward tyranny - even if its censorship toward things you personally despise.
For me, I want people to have the right to say anything, that way I know who I'm dealing with. Shutting someone up doesn't change their heart, it hardens it and intensifies their own hate, and you'll never know who you are truly dealing with.
I'd rather know.

I believe God loves everyone - everyone means everyone, the same way nothing means nothing when we say pre-big bang cosmology there was nothing. So what that means is that the value of a human being is equal and one is not better than another. That doesn't mean we approve of a mass murderers behavior, it simply means that murderers life is as valuable to God as anyone else, ultimately, and are worthy of being saved and love just like the rest of us. Thats as far as I'll go into it, point being that hate only begets hate, and I've no personal interest in any of that.

Am I proud of every action I've ever taken? Hell no! Thats incredibly narcissistic for anyone to say. Own your mistakes and learn from them, I know I have. Even the recent uproar I've been dragged into isn't something I wanted to happen. I removed the name of a performer simply because of the personal attack toward me and claim they wanted to be disassociated. The material was shot and cost me money and time, throwing it away is ridiculous, but honoring their wish to not be associated with me I was all too happy to grant. The error I did make and have since corrected, was one video posted for a few days was one that turned out to be a clip I granted to be hers exclusively and so I removed it from my own sites. I'm not a thief, after all.

I'm hoping I can get to more lighthearted stuff now and fun experiences; this wasn't bunches of fun to reflect on but I felt it probably necessary.

I was at a convention (Frolicon in Atlanta) with my wife and had a few shoots scheduled when we had our first store together. Not a great con but thats besides the point; we went one year and it had a lot of material we had been interested but the second year it was far too politicized and 'meh'. There I go off topic again.

So we're in the room with the other two models and the scene was the three of them in bra/panties, hogtied and gagged tightly and struggling around for a few minutes. I just finish getting the last of the three in bondage and a knock at the door....'SECURITY!'

I'm usually pretty cool headed (I'll tell you about accidentally drinking piss during a shoot and keeping a straight face; yuck) but that threw me for a loop and I went into panic mode. I dragged all three girls behind the bed to hide them and a voice in my mind is yelling 'You look like a serial killer right now, idiot'.
Off I head to the door. Opening it, its a young guy who says they're going around the hotel to re-code the locks. Ummm ok thats slightly strange.
I step back and say "Have at it" and position myself between him and the girls, standing at the mini fridge. I dont know WHY i felt that reaction. No one was doing anything wrong. I suppose its probably the awkwardness of it all, or the 'taboo' associated with this thing of ours.
The guy finishes and leaves and I slump my shoulders with a big sigh while I hear three girls laughing hysterically behind their gags (hey I don't fake anything, those gags work). I start laughing until I look at Jasmin who I didn't quite hide well enough.
I couldn't continue the shoot and really wish I had kept the footage for BTS reasons for my own site now. Untying them, I ask Jasmin if he had seen her. "Yeah and he was cute!"
Oh my God. "Jasmin I don't care that he's cute!"

Apparently they had made eye contact which was...well it makes me wonder to this day what that guy had thought.
Either way, everything ended fine and we all had a good laugh and a good story to tell.

Ugh.

The other half of the game (or I should say, third - the other piece of the puzzle is the audience) is modeling. Producing has its risks of course; being outed to your family and friends, liability if someone gets hurt, being ripped off, and of course false claims. If you're going to venture into modeling its something you want to be extremely careful about doing. Vet the people you'll work with, other models and producers alike.

I hired one model in particular and burned the ticket, losing hundreds. And why? Because I was new and made the error of not looking at her social media tirades. Its well known shes unstable and I had multiple people tell me to not hire that one. So, I took the advice and didn't.
Shes since caught on why I wont hire her (word travels) and became insulted - you can imagine where it went from there. I'm not going to be bullied into hiring someone, neither should you as a model. Work with who you choose, do the material agreed upon (but understand you can always revoke consent, thats important). Also understand that you need to ask for a deposit. I know a lot of performers who do and for good reason. But also understand that if your travel is pre-paid, that IS the deposit. Asking for a deposit on top of pre paid travel is just silly and it looks a bit shady to be honest. I've only encountered that once and I turned her services down. And again, she became insulted. I'm not sure why. Understand you will be told no, both by producers and by models. You cant take it to heart. Its both their right and thats ok! No one owes you a reason why they wont hire you, just like no one owes a producer a reason why they won't take their gig either. Its ok! Plenty of fish, as they say.

Back to paragraph one. If you ARENT ok with the idea of being caught DONT DO IT. Sure, you may get away with never being outed but is it worth the risk? Think of it like an illegal activity; if youre okay being sent to prison for drug dealing have at it I suppose, but don't cry when you get busted and sent off to prison either. You know the risks you're taking. Same thought process here.

Expect a ton of DMs if youre successful with allllllll sorts of annoyances. You're best hitting the block button or simply deleting the message. Just like any negativity - use the 'One reply, bye!' approach. Works for me at least. But to filter the annoyances to some degree don't be SO hard to hire that you aren't getting work either. List an email if you arent going to check your DMs often. From the friends and associates I have in the industry that seems to be the most common answer for models.

So back to vetting. Get an array of people theyve worked with. Every producer and every model on the planet has had a negative interaction, its simply going to happen for one reason or another. You don't want to ask one solo opinion where the person hates you or had a negative interaction and go from there, nor do you want to ask one person who happens to be a friend and is going to vouch for them no matter what. Both approaches aren't smart. So reach out to multiple and you'll get a decent read. See attachment LOL
I know of one producer who got a glowing review from one girl I work with, yet another girl I work with says he stuck his fingers in her while bound. Thats incredibly unsettling. But is it true? Who knows but this brings us to a safety escort.

Yes. Always always always ask if an escort is okay. If it isnt - run. Theres no reason any producer should be telling you it isnt okay to have an escort present. Hell early on a girl brought her elderly mother. THAT was a tad awkward but it is what it is lol....it was fine. A bit weird but it was fine. I know of one MAJOR bdsm company who wont allow the escort in the room with the model, and they shoot some very severe scenes. From what I've heard, they don't allow it because jealous or 'helicopter' boyfriends have interfered with the shoot. So I kinda get it but it isn't a policy I would follow through with. It just looks really suspicious.
Safety escorts should be there through the 'briefing' and know what to expect. Know the safety signals, what to expect to happen to the person youre watching out for and such. If something goes off the rails then yes step in. Piss on the producer if theyre doing something you know isn't okay. I know of a very popular tickling model who did a bondage shoot and the guy had her locked in a stress position which was fine. But she was signaling she wanted out and the producer straight up ignored her while her safety escort did NOTHING. Like bro....why are you there?! For a long while she wouldn't shoot bondage scenes and I get it, you can't blame her.
Anyway don't be useless if youre a safety escort but don't interfere when it isnt called for either. Thats a surefire way to kill any future work for the model.

Know that when you sign any standard release, you're releasing ALL rights to the material you're shooting. It may be altered, edited over and over, titled multiple ways, uploaded anywhere such material is viewed, and may not even include your name at all. Some producers (Dominic Wolfe being one of the bigger names I can think of) will name the girls what he choses. I'm not sure why, I guess he picks names he thinks are 'hot girl' names?
If there is something within or something you want in particular, then you should make that known and either it will be agreed upon or it won't. The agreements you'll find anywhere all essentially say this, along with saying your ID will be provided and you consent to the material therein. It likely will say you're of sound mind and able to read/sign the agreement and state you aren't a minor (even though it asks for an ID).
It will also likely say that you agree to the laws of whatever state you're shooting in, and any discrepancy will be settled in the state and county therein. Makes sense. You aren't going to shoot with a producer in California and live in Michigan then try to bring the claim to your home state where the material wasn't created.
You cannot reverse this once it's signed. The property isn't yours, period. If you go on to become a high profile attorney or doctor in the future, it no longer matters how you feel about it, it simply isn't yours once you sign the dotted line.

Compensation. You aren't in this for free after all. I know yes, there are GWCs (guy with camera) who produce but its a ruse. Theyre producing because its a way for them to play with others, and thats where it gets really shady. If youre fine with that then so be it, but know thats whats happening. If you set a rate, set a rate. Because once you start dropping your rate word does get around. If any producer hears you'll shoot for 'x' and you quote them 'y', youre about to be in a weird situation. Its okay to hike your rate sure, but just know once you go low you're pricing yourself. On the flipside don't overprice yourself where no one hires you. Its your right, sure. But I for one and many others will not hire above a certain limit. The risk on return just isn't worth the gamble. You DO eventually get your money back in time if the material stays up, but some are much longer than others. I personally pay 125 hourly, where the average is around 100 but I think its creeping up with inflation the past four years. Reason I pay more is I always aim for return models and a good working relationship. This stuff can be hard, even if you're a model who is a lifestyler of a 'lee, and also your time is money.

Other forms of compensation. A trade shoot is never a bad idea if you're also going to try to produce. A lump pay is great of course, as its a shock to the wallet to make a nice chunk in just a few hours but the material is gold over time. As mentioned above, even if you shoot a 'meh' clip it'll eventually sell and be worth it in time. Or you can agree to a partial trade partial pay. If you do full trade you SHOULD pay half of the travel, as you're sharing content and you aren't a hire - youre a collaborator in that scenario. Partial trade/partial pay is nice because you do get both a payday and some content for the future. But in the end its whatever you prefer and can come to an agreement to.

Don't let anyone pressure you into anything. This isn't unusual once a shoot starts. Sure, its okay for the set to flow and change; I'm seat of the pants with almost everything in life, always have been. But if you introduce an idea and it gets rejected its okay! Just expect new ideas may occur as the shoot goes on, and they may try something new. If you say no and they keep shoving it past where you've said you don't want to do it, then I'd say just cut the shoot short and roll on. I'm often asked for wardrobe and I'll tell them I only ask for makeup and nails. I recommend they wear something to keep them cool, as my bondage covers a lot and gets pretty warm. I'm quick to add I'm certainly not asking for anyone to get naked, but whatever keeps you cool. Worst case (and its happened) I'll put an ice pack in there for them as it does get really hot, especially laughing and squirming around.

Keep it pro. Starting to introduce personal details into the 'real world' outside of set is completely unprofessional and yes, we all see it. People may not voice it to you but you'll likely end up with a bad name and people aren't going to approach you to hire you. If its worth it to you then go for it, but know as far as this job goes, you're likely losing work without knowing it. After all, if you behave negatively toward one the rest of us are watching and know it could very well happen to them also. I know of one fairly recently who did this very thing, and I received a message from another producer saying, 'See? Thats why I didn't fuck with her'.
Sigh. yeah.

Last thing: still talking safety, let your friends know where you're shooting with. Get their name(s), when you'll be done, write their tag. number down. Have their cell number. everything. Check in with a friend or family member between each scene. Tell them if you aren't heard from by such-and-such time to call police. Can't ever be too careful. No amount of money is worth your safety.

I remember when Lady Gaga (not a fan - not because of her, I just dont like pop music...at all) had released Born This Way, the chant started again about people being predetermined as far as their sexuality goes. I've never believed thats true and research thats been done agrees ( https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2019/08/there-s-still-no-gay-gene ) - don't flip out. I'm not suggesting anyone wakes up one day and 'decides' their sexuality. What has proven to be true with most anything, is that its both nature and nurture. So how does it happen? I certainly don't have an answer I can stick in a test tube but I do like thinking about these things. Historians don't seem to agree where 'Know Thyself' came from but its still very valid, whoever first uttered it.

The more I talk to people in 'the community' (i also stick the markers around it because it only really defines people who are vocal in it, but on the other hand shouldn't it mean everyone who has an interest in this? I've no idea) the more surprised I become. I always was under the impression that like myself, this was something we all 'knew' we had as a child. I say 'had' like its a disease lol...it isnt meant that way. Theres a picture of me walking up as a toddler to tickle my mothers feet while she was laying outside. I often wonder if someone happened to catch me in the very moment my fetish sparked, as odd as that may be. I'm no Freudian but that doesn't mean he was wrong about everything he ever thought or wrote either.
I remember being fascinated by feet and to this day I've no clue why. Bondage was alllllways there that I can recall. Something that seemed intensely exciting and fun was connected to it. I don't recall arousal from it, just that sense of those sorts of 'games' being so much fun that you wanted to keep playing them.

The bad parts about coming to light with it while growing up, is you're so innocent as a kid that you dont know to hide it, but you end up learning the hard way. I was pretty young and I wrote short stories involving all of these things. I sort of wish I still had them, just because. Well my grandmother and mother found the notebook. Great. I could hear them as they flipped through the short stories, clearly concerned. There was my initial shame, but on some level I mustve known it was 'weird', or I wouldn't have hidden it, right?
I also remember being fascinated by a movie cover every time I'd go to a video rental store (Gen z yes...we used to go rent movies - and yes I'm teasing) where a girl was bound and gagged with her feet sticking out of the covers (image attached). My head swam in fantasy with that one. Its from the 70s and I can only imagine it was part of the 'sexploitation' movement. I do wonder if that cover was made for that purpose. Maybe. I do know the millennials are the group who cites the infamous Ninja Turtle scene as what sparked their interest more than anyone (or at least thats been my experience while talking to others about this).
Growing more the shame didn't stop, I'm sure I'm not alone in this? Went from parents to then girlfriends. THAT sucks. Its hard enough to meet someone you gel with, but then toss a fetish into it, and worse, this was pre-internet when fetishes were really deemed strange. It isn't like now at all, where you instantly find others who share your interest, whatever that interest is. Gen X and older (I'm an X) didn't have that luxury at all. So here you were with this thing you had to have, crawling around inside you and praying to God when you found someone you liked and the relationship was hitting on cylinders, that when you dropped the fetish bomb on them they didn't turn tail and run or worse, out you to people at school or whatever other social circles you were around. Ugh. Did it happen? Yup.
So there we are rejected by parents and girls with it. Awesome!
My mother knew by then (I was probably 19 or 20) that I had an issue with depression and sent me to a psychologist. I've always had my own interest as to why people think the way they do, and I wanted to figure myself out and why I like the things I like. So after a couple visits to this guy, I brought up my own fantasies and such, barely pulling the curtain back. He jumped on it for that session and the next one, trying to get me to 'just get rid of that' because 'no girl wants that sort of thing'. Yup. Licensed and degreed psychologist. Believe that?
Now add a mental health professional to the mix of rejects.
This isn't me bitching, just describing my own journey with it. I can't possibly be alone with this stuff?
Heres the real kick in the nads: I finally meet someone, everything is great. We have the 'so what are you into' talk, and it went well. Said she was intrigued and was into it. Cool. We play while dating, things are good. Eventually we wed. Annnnnd the classic change. Ring on, everything else off. Usually its guys bitching about sex or blowjobs that disappear upon being wed. No, all of that stayed in place, it was any fetish activity that slowly ground to a halt.
First it went from disinterest, to slowly shaming. Shaming to the point she outwardly said, 'Hey look I'm selfish in the bedroom'. Great.
Look I'm all about tit-for-tat one hand washes the other but wtf.
You fall in love with the person, not the fetish. I completely understand that, but everyone has to understand that sexuality is a powerful thing in ones life. If this is something you feel you have to have, the denial of it is going to leave one party in an extremely uncomfortable position, where you'll go live that secret fantasy life that you're being forced to internalize, and it sucks.
The shaming was the worst part of it all. You find someone you love and even they turn out to reject your very personal desires.

Parents, girls, a psychologist, and then wife. About as shitty as you can get right?

The real kicker? I'm practically asexual. I just never have had this deep desire to have sex. Tickling and bondage are simply 'fun'. I don't have a better way of putting it. I dated a girl who was the same way. I'd tie her up for hours on end, both of us playing most of the day - even staged an entire kidnapping once, as it was one of her fantasies and I was all too happy to play along, having had the same fantasy to live out. That night didn't end with intercourse either, neither of us cared about that.

If I had to guess I think this is what makes up that part of me; my mother was young when she had me and still wanted to live her life. I'm not saying she abandoned me but she was gone very often whether it was work, or on vacations with friends our out with friends, she wasn't there. Little boys want their mothers, and are always trying to strive for acceptance from them. Think of the boy running up to his mom to show her something, whether its a project he did or to flex his developing arm to show how strong he is (or whatever that symbolizes). I feel that its likely that my desire to bind a woman is the symbol of 'keeping' her there, and the tickling is simply the want to make her 'happy'. I'm a 'loving' dom, as the term used to be - I have no idea if thats changed and its something else now. The idea of actually hurting a woman repulses me, I just don't have that part of sadism within. When I collab with Skullcandy Bri its difficult. Not the kidnapping scenes, thats the fun and easy part for me. But when it comes to the scenes where she wants me to do mean shit, Im cringing off camera. To be fair she says that if I don't want to I don't have to, and I know that but I'm also a people pleaser. I want her to get good material for her own site(s) and so I push myself to do what shes asking. I know one scene I tried to do (she threw it away LOL) where I had her in my Tickled in Steel setup for a 'torture' scene of sorts where I was to slap her, spit in her mouth, and gag her from there. The spit I tried to do was pathetic and we laughed about it when we watched it afterward. I looked like mama bird feeding baby bird. I just couldn't do it. I still feel kinda crappy I couldn't get her the scene she wanted, oh well.

Anyway. Those are my own thoughts on my own development. I could be completely off but thats the closest hypothesis I've come up with for me, at least. If you want to talk about such things by all means DM me, I find all of this fascinating. Thanks for reading

I've always been a fan of hands. You've the ultimate control over your own hands, after all. You can speed them up, slow them down, add pressure or take it all away to the lightest touch; use all the digits or just one at a time.
So why are the tools so prevalent in my produtction? For variety of course!
Same reason you don't hire the same model over and over - variety. Same reason I don't use the same setups over and over - variety.
The first thing that comes to mind is the table which honestly is where all of this modding came from. Using a massage table for bondage was pretty standard (I dont see it a ton but it isnt like it hasnt been done before either) but I've always enjoyed the 'heavier' style of bondage. Most often I would see it when it came to /m material, which isn't my thing. No, I wanted to see /f trapped in there.
It didn't take long to stare at it and realize if only the headrest were flipped, it became a wonderful bracket to do exactly that, including an anchor to toe-tie to. Perfect.
The table kept getting modded (I just added another this past week but hadn't had anyone on it yet) until its what you're looking at now. It's got strips of wide, extremely sticky tape still stuck to it from what I used to use to hold the girls in place. I couldn't keep using that stuff though. For one, its very expensive and two, theres a point when it was going to become so thick that the table would be rendered useless. Ripping it off wasn't an option because when I tried that, I tore the hide off of the thing. Disposing and rebuilding it every single time wasn't anything I had an interest in doing.
I can't recall but I think the HOSTickEL box was next. I'm almost sure of it. I don't film it a ton still but its there for what again....variety! It started its life as a leather bench at the foot of the bed, filled with bondage gear. I dont recall why we got rid of it but it sat in the garage a long while, destined for the trash. I couldn't bring myself to toss it, knowing there was nothing wrong with it. I pulled the feet off of it, stood it up and realized it was a great size to put someone in who is shorter than me, expose their head and feet and bam - new setup. The first time I shot it, it sucked. I somehow flipped the lid the wrong way and couldn't find how I had it set to lock in place. It was Bella Luxx I was working with and I felt like a dumbass. Great girl by the way - very attractive, highly ticklish, and zero drama.
I put her in it, and this was back when there was no post attached, so they just sorta dangled and flailed (which i hate, unable to move is what I always aim for duh). Well I had to find a way to secure the lid so I just belted it shut. Looked like trash lol
I shot the scene and was really displeased, especially with my fumble once I realized what I had done with the lid. Ok fine, that was my dumbassery but thats easily fixed. What wasn't fixed was the legs flipping around out of the hole like a fish out of water.
In came the post. Out to the garage I go, a bit of woodwork and now its nice and secure.
So there was setup two done.
I wish I could remember the order of these things but I think thats when I got the ball rolling trying to think of more stuff. Off I went and found a used inversion table. I wish I could say this setup sold better than it has but it really hadn't, AND it takes forever to film. You cant honestly expect a model to stay upside down while being tickled. Its hard enough to laugh nonstop much less be upside down. That gets really uncomfortable for anyone, especially if you hadn't used an inversion table before. So I had to film it in segments and stitch that one together. Very time consuming and like I said, Invertickle really hasn't sold that well so bollox it....for now. I do have upcoming plans for the tickle totter; not dead yet.
No Safeword is the most controversial thing I do and caught some hate for (controversy is good, if you don't know), and it started with an early model who is local to me who goes by Daisy Rae. Guy wrote me back when I took customs and said he wanted a model who would take thirty minutes of tickling with no way of stopping it. I pitched the idea to her and she was down, so there it went.
It sold so well, that the lightbulb went off again and now its become a regular staple that I shoot with 99% of models. The difference being now, that I allow THEM to pick the time they'll put up with it for, which I honor of course (although I had two girls here recently and one of them would NOT let up on the other - vengeance is sweet and thats all I'll say about that one) and once the timer goes we're off and running. Even if I drop the camera it just keeps going, to prove there are no cuts made to any of the NSW series.
Yes I have a safety measure in place - as safe as you can make bondage that is because lets face it, you've got someone bound and even if they aren't gagged yes, things can happen.
I know of one well known producer who years ago, was tying a girl into a suspension. She wasn't gagged and thank GOD he had the camera going the entire time. He checks on her partway through...and she was dead.
Yeah you read it right. Dead.
She had overdosed but he didn't detect her being high. The cops came and thankfully reviewed the video of him tying her up and he was cleared on the spot. But point being is its bondage and its never going to be 100% safe. Hell even vanilla sex isn't but I'm digressing as always.
After that, I went to the chair. It was a huge investment and gamble but its paid off. It sells as well as TT and NSW and honestly I'm surprised. My fear, was so many studios have used some sort of chair setup that it may appear boring and overdone but not true! It sells quite well. Naturally I stuck my own spin on it and kept adding more and more. As of today 1/29/24 its quite a monstrosity much like the OG table itself. I've got 4 removable auto ticklers on. I've had to make them removable because I dont think anyone would want to watch just 15 minutes of a tickling machine working someone (I could be wrong and if I'm shown otherwise I'll gladly turn them on, step back and just do the filming).
Tickled in Steel came about when I was thinking about the more severe style of bondage that Kink does. I'm not into the pain thing (I mean i'll DO it but like Ive mentioned prior, I'm not really super comfy inflicting strikes in a scenario like that) but I wanted to try it for tickling. It also allowed me to add upper body into the mix, for those inclined.
Board Room Meeting was my first foray into machine ticklers, and its gone pretty well. That took a while to build, with a lot of trial and error but its come together nicely and sold decent enough to keep it going. Its a second setup I can add upper body action with too, so theres that motivation.
Someone emailed me with pics of a foot press which I'd seen before but hadn't really considered. Once I grabbed hold of a cheap bench my head started down the process of bringing up Bench Press, which has now morphed into Interrogation which was far harder to come up with than I wanted it to. The cards are fun to mess with but I'm more considering making it a financial reward as opposed to keeping their card from me.
BP is just a couple of boards that slowly squeeze together, pulling toes back and locking the feet in place. Very long bolts drilled in through the bench make this possible. Comfort has been a bit of an issue but I think I've modded it to where it should be far more comfortable. I cut holes out in the top board, so all of their toes can slip into a 'slot'. I've padded it, and once its tightened the foot isn't flexed but its absolutely stuck.
Carbonitickle is well....more nodding from me to Star Wars culture. Can't help myself; just a big nerd at heart. Its a custom made vac bed and no, it wasn't cheap at all. Again, more full body tickling and everyone who has gone through it says two things: 1) its very relaxing and 2) until I start tickling them because apparently the latex make the vibrations worse! Ah well I hate to hear that
Jokers Throne was an early invention also. I'd seen a piece of art where someone is seated in a chair, the poor victim underneath with a foot sticking up through each arm on either side while the tickler sits comfortably while the poor girl is getting worked over while trapped under the chair. I've still got it kicking around but it isn't easy to film. Reason being people want to see the soles. So I either have to shoot it top down, or maybe it isn't popular for some other reason? I'm not sure. I'll hang onto it for now though.
Tickle TV is pretty straightforward and I love the sadistic aspect to it. Forced to stare into a monitor while your vulnerable, immobile feet are right there in front of you and you can SEE what is about to be used on them. Its super easy to do, too. Simply mirror your phone into a monitor and let the torture begin
The newer Trophy setup isn't something I can use on everyone, reason being if you aren't flexible I can't get you in it. Its a hard position to be in, much less tickled in. I went through it myself and it sucked, I'm not sure why. I was drooling and almost crying when Unique was tickling my feet. Shes such a sweetie I didn't realize how cruel she could be!
No Escape, Totally Helpless, and anything else on the table is all a variation of sorts from the table itself. No Escape is the heaviest bondage I put anyone in, with them being mummified in tape while IN the bag itself which like TT and NSW, is then heavily strapped. Gagged, ear plugged, and blindfolded then the show is on.

Anyway! For those who have asked there it is. Brief history of my own little setups.

Just occurred to me I started that prior blog talking about hands. That was supposed to be the segue into why I use tools but I wandered off track as usual. Now, the opener just looks weird. Yeah I could edit it but meh. Maybe it'll be a laugh for someone, somehow.
So yes just like the 'hands only' gang (I know youre out there), I prefer them also for the reasons I listed in the prior entry. But tools can be so much fun! After all, there isn't any one size fits all for ticklees. Some of you take less pressure, some more, and others take any input at all. I know Liz River and Karly Salinas can't take ANYTHING beyond light or it hurts them. Paige Turner doesn't get a lot out of a light touch but when I dig in with the heavy stuff (my Death Sphere especially), she explodes!
Theres an experimental angle to it also, there have been times I work with someone new and the opening minutes (which I leave in place) is almost ineffective. Honestly I get a bit worried at that point, wondering if I hired a dud or someone who bullshitted me to get the job. And then the magic happens! The right item and the right use and bam, they lose it. Those are some of the best in my mind, especially because it kicks my sadism into high gear and on some weird level I want them to pay for hiding it (not that they necessarily were but sadism will look for any reason to be a bastard wont it?).
I tried several things early on, some of it ineffective, some of it just drop dead boring, and others had almost zero durability. Thats the other thing to consider. If you're using junk and it falls apart it sorta kills the mood doesn't it? That and if it does work, you just broke the fun because it was a POS.
Finally after being asked where I bought 'such and such' item it hit me to go ahead and market them, so thats when I opened my Etsy store. Fact is, it took me time to come up with this stuff and everything I use is modded somehow, so to try to explain it isn't easy. I still have people ask me about the table and I can't really walk anyone through it, since it was such a process (still is).
The one I've lately fallen in love with has been the one I named The Shrieker. I built it specifically for use between the toes, though you can run it along the edges of the feet or even in between the soles and it works to great effect! Need to be really careful with it though, as the tip is NOT what you want to use and can hurt. I accidentally hit Amecia in a recent unreleased clip with it and she called me a **** for it (!!). Tickling accidents can and do happen and that was one. Either way all good, but yes dont use the tip (insert dumb joke). I've also had fun with that thing in the underarm area since the vibrations are so freaking high pulsing through it.
I've got someone out of the UK asking me to build an auto tickler for them to use on themselves which is pretty interesting. I started using more and more of those, with four now on the chair ready to go for a girl out of Canada next week who reached out via social media. All too happy to strap her into it and I'm really curious how it'll go.
If you're in the market for something unique hit me up and we can talk. I can't promise I can come up with something but I do like trying to be creative and building stuff others enjoy

Headed out to last years con, I took a Mini Cooper (that'll be a detail to recall in a bit). In the middle of nowhere passing through a small town deep in Georgia almost to Florida, I get a low tire indicator. No biggie I hope, so I pull into the next gas station and air the tire up. Off I go again. Within 5 minutes on comes the light again. Argh. Well now I have to get a new tire, but its nothing catastrophic.
The plan was to get to the next exit and gas station, fill the tire again and find the nearest tire shop. Part of that plan was executed...part.
I arrive, get more change for the air machine and start to fill it again.
I've been around cars so I'm not ignorant to how they work along with tools. If you don't happen to know, when you air a tire that little brass rod that pops out has a row of numbers on it, telling you how much pressure is in your tire (PSI). Your tire will say on the wall of it how much air it takes (again, in PSI). The gauge really isn't difficult to read, its just numbers.
Problem is, when the gauge is broken and you don't know it, bad shit happens. And no, you can't just eyeball it.

So I'm pumping air and stopping intermittently to check the PSI. All was reading low still. Then - a slow, gradual buildup of a whistle. Immediately I stop and thank GOD I had my glasses on.

BAM.

The tire blew up in my face and sounded like a round from a 12 gauge going off. I don't remember my exact reaction but it was somewhere between shock and laughter. I sigh, and think well time to put the spare on. I open the trunk and start to move the monstrous table, pile of straps, and leather sleepsacks out of the way to get to the spare.
Then it hits me that Minis don't have a spare, just as the young clerk runs outside to see if I needed help, thinking a gun went off.

With my trunk open.

There I am standing and looking like Dexter with a full on murder kit in my trunk, in small town Georgia. This isn't awkward at all. I just kept on as if what was behind me, wasn't behind me.

I thanked him for the offer and he went back inside. At that point I'm expecting a deputy to show up and want to search my car for a body, but I'm also trying to think how the hell I'm going to get to FL now, with a tire BLOWN to pieces, no spare, and night falling soon. I'd resigned myself to the likelihood that I'd be sleeping in my car and probably having to cancel my first couple shoots until I got a tow to a tire shop in the morning. But I went ahead and started calling to see if there was a service station anywhere nearby. What I ended up getting ahold of was a guy who offers the perfect service for my situation but it wasn't cheap. Dude comes, takes my wheel and heads to his garage, changes the tire, and off I go - all at the low low price (sarcasm) of 500 dollars. He was a nice guy and I didnt have much choice so it ended up being worth it, but still.

There went 500 dollars out of my con trip last year. Here's to smoother sailing in the future

No stranger to controversy it doesn't bother to me write about this lol

First and foremost, this is a business. I pay a lot of money (anywhere from 100 to 125 hourly) during these shoots. Covering travel aint cheap. Hotels ain't cheap.
So allllll of that has to be considered because anything else just doesn't make sense.

If you take this route, you'll have a brand. That is what you become known for and concentrate on. That thing will be whatever sells best, because thats what keeps the train going. You personally may LIKE tickling underarms or nylons or whatever, but if it isn't selling you aren't going to last long.

Ditto who you hire. I have to hire a look that sells. That's simply a commonsense approach.

- no, I dont only hire pros. In fact my highest selling model is Amecia, who approached me wanting this done to her. I offered the gig and she said she was fine with that as long as I could hide her identity. No problem, thats what wide gags and/or blindfolds are for. She sells incredibly well. Kylie Moone is a pro and is right up there with her. So pro or non-pro doesn't matter to me. If you're interested by all means reach out and we can talk it out.

- as I said, I know what sells for me and business-wise its stupid to veer from that.

- the look I personally prefer is alt/goth but I'll gladly hire girl-next-door. I've had success with both.

- its my money and my business. I may say yes or no to whom I choose. Every successful producer in the business is the same, whether they say so or not.

- my size limit is size 14. For one my equipment does have size limitations. My table scenes sell the best and the bags won't take anyone above that size. For two thats what sells best.

- The couple of experiments I attempted failed, unfortunately. One big one was nylons. It didnt sell worth a damn, and this is after I had people BEGGING for me to tickle in nylons. So that will never happen again.

- If no one is asking for certain content, I'm certainly not making the attempt. Thats asking to throw money away.

- One experiment I was very nervous to veer into was f/m. I threw one clip out just to see and it actually sold quite well (much to my dismay - I hate being tickled especially on my feet). So, it became its own series. Double edged sword indeed!

I think thats about it. This industry runs on success and thick skin. I've said had 'no' said to me plenty, this also is said to models just as often. It's simply part of it, and thats ok! Can't take that personally. If someone is RUDE, well thats a different story. Theres no need for any of that.