We sent writer Matt Peake to speak with rising porn star, Max Cameron to find out what life is like for a porn star in today’s industry.
MP: Tell us about your first porn job
MC: Technically speaking, I suppose my start began with some ads/photo shoots that I had done with Mr. S Leather (an adult/sex shop in San Francisco) about two years ago. It really took a leap of faith to do it. I have always had some issues with body dysmorphia, and it took a year or two of frequent visits to the gym before I was comfortable with putting my body in the public light. Shortly after, I did my first scene with Treasure Island Media, and at the time didn’t really think to start getting “serious” about it. After I had done a couple scenes with TIM, I decided to throw some applications up with various studios (there isn’t necessarily an “audition” process), and that’s where it started to snowball (sorry for the pun).
My first scene was terrifying! I was tagging along on a shoot, and thought that I had been given the option to decide on location if I wanted to participate. When we arrived, the director was giving me all these instructions as to how he wanted the scene to play out, and told myself, “well, here goes!” I was totally caught off guard, but it turned out to be a pretty hot scene!
MP: Have you told your family?
MC: I’m not one to really draw attention to myself in my private life, and thus really don’t talk about porn outside of my close-knit group of friends. As far as my family is concerned, only my sister and brother-in-law know about my moonlighting as a performer. My Mom would probably keel over & die if she found out. I have told them that I am a “model,” which, in actuality, is what we are referred to, so at least I’m not lying! Eventually, I’m going to have to bite the bullet and come clean. God help me!
MP: Is it hard to find romantic partners as sex is such an intimate part of the human experience, how do you balance the act versus the deeper connection?
MC: I don’t think it’s hard to find a romantic partner. I have been with my current partner, Jackson Fillmore, for almost six months now, and I feel like even as time progresses, we create a tighter, closer emotional & spiritual bond. That being said, we have an open relationship, which, for us, works just great, although it might not be for everyone. Speaking from a gay perspective, I think that generally men are more capable of the emotional disconnect associated with casual sex.
Furthermore, I live in San Francisco, which is known to be a very sex- positive city, which in some ways foments many “friends with benefits” relationships. I know that I share a life and bond with my boyfriend, and therefore any sex outside of our relationship is merely ad hoc and recreational.
MP: Have you ever dated another porn star? If so, would you only ever date porn stars? What is the camaraderie like between porn stars?
MC: I have (regrettably) dated another porn actor. And I don’t say that because I regretted that he was in porn, but just the nature of the relationship (don’t get me started). My current boyfriend is getting his toes wet in the industry, and I’m sure he’ll be ready to make the plunge in the next few months. In all honesty, I would prefer to date someone not in porn, but at the same time, I think it is hard for someone to understand the intricacies and complexities of the industry looking in from the outside. A lot of the industry is smoke and mirrors, and is often misconstrued as being posh and glamorous.
MP: Are there things you’ve learnt doing porn that you’ve included in your personal life? Do partners expect you to be ‘experts’ of sex?
MC: Sure! I’ve learned that, when filming sex, know your angles and be conscious of where the camera is! In all seriousness, I don’t know if there has been any translation of porn to my personal life.
I think sometimes when I have sex, and they know what I do, there is maybe an expectation. It’s actually quite amusing when I notice it. It’s like they are auditioning almost; trying to “outperform” me. I just go along with it. It’s a fun game to play! I just keep getting incrementally more and more over-the-top porn-sounding.
MP: Do you ever bottom?
MC: Of course I bottom! That’s half the fun of being gay! I am
versatile, or, as I like to say: “100% 50/50.” Hygiene is of utmost importance. To quote a previous TheSword.com interview, I “hate dirty bottoms almost as much as [I] hate Kim Kardashian!” It is definitely a process that really boils down to knowing your body. When I “clean the kitchen” it usually takes about 20 minutes for a thorough cleaning with the hose. Some friends that I know spend upward of 45 minutes to an hour. So much for the California drought! And to set the record straight, bottoms do not make more than tops.
MP: Do you sleep with your fans?
MC: I’d sleep with anyone I found attractive (in my personal life), be it a fan or otherwise. That being said, from a professional (escort) point of view, and as the saying goes, “money talks.” I think escorting (prostitution, in my opinion, has such a negative connotation) and porn go hand in hand. Most porn actors are also escorts. Porn is a way of advertising your escorting services, which, in today’s terms is the real breadwinner in the adult entertainment industry. More often than not, escorting entails companionship and an emotional connection, not just sex. In many ways I consider myself more of a therapist than a “prostitute” or “hooker.”
MP: Do you worry about STIs? Do you think bareback porn is contributing to rising rates of HIV in young gay men?
MC: I feel very fortunate to have PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis, or Truvada) available in the US. PrEP is a once-daily HIV prevention pill that has an efficacy rate of over 99% (significantly higher than that of a condom). While only ONE organisation, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is fighting PrEP, notable health organisations like the World Health Organisation and the US Centre for Disease Control have both publicly endorsed PrEP as an effective means to combat HIV transmission. As far as other STIs are concerned, I am tested every three months (as per doctor’s orders while undergoing my PrEP regimen), which, in most cases is significantly more frequent than those not on PrEP.
I don’t see any correlation between rising rates of HIV in young, gay men. In fact, as far as I know, HIV rates have been on the decline in my hometown, San Francisco, but I’m unaware of what the British/European data has shown. I think people are inclined to practice safer sex as they feel appropriate, and people have preferences to which they adhere pretty rigidly whether that includes use of PrEP, condom or otherwise. For the most part, I don’t think that condomless porn influences its audience in any way, but rather, caters to its pre-existing preferences and fetishes.
MP: Are fluffers a real thing?
MC: LOL. Absolutely not. It may have been a thing of a bygone era, but fluffers don’t exist.
MP: Do you use drugs to get hard?
MC: These days, it is common to see the use of Viagra, Cialis, and various other erectile enhancers to aid in video production. When you are on set for sometimes, 8, 9, 10 hours or more, you need those tools to perform under pretty rigorous conditions.
MP: How do fans react to you in the street? Do you find that a lot of people chat you up?
MC: I am a very public and social person, so I often notice people who recognise me. Truth be told, most people won’t approach me, but will stare from afar… making things quite awkward. Sometimes it feels like being an animal at a zoo in that regard. I don’t know if people are intimidated, shy, or what, but if you see me out and feel the need, just come say hi! I’m a very approachable guy! That being said, please respect my personal space & private life. If you see me out in my hometown, I’m likely not
out as Max, but as me!
MP: What would you say to people who want to get into porn?
MC: Be sure you want to do it! In my opinion there is no half-assing it. I am my own worst critic, and I would hate to ever have a scene come out that I’m not happy with or one that I haven’t given 100%. Also, it really is a job and can sometimes be insanely taxing. I’ve had shoots that have gone up to 12 hours long. It is not as glamorous as you’d think.
MP: What’s the average day of a porn star?
MC: Well, I wake up at 6:15 AM to get ready for my day job as a high school special education teacher, where I work 8:00-14:30. After work, I usually head straight to the gym where I work out for 1.5-2 hours. After that, I’ll head home, hop on World of Warcraft for a bit (NERD ALERT!), followed by either social time and drinks with friends or soccer (football) practice with my gay club, the San Francisco Spikes (sfspikes.com).
MP: How do you see your career progress over time and how do they feel about limitation with age/body?
MC: They say the average shelf life of a porn performer is somewhere around 2 years. Though I haven’t over-saturated the market, which often tends to decrease one’s tenure in porn, I’ve tentatively given myself maybe another year before I “retire.” I think I’ve accomplished just about everything I’ve set out to do: I’ve worked for just about all the studios I’ve desired to work for, I’ve been nominated for industry awards and been given the opportunity to travel. Age, for me, at least, plays a minor role in that decision as well. I don’t want to be some old guy clinging to a career that I should have let go years prior. That being said, there are a limited few for whom it works (Rocco Steele, for example).
MP: What other plans have you got in place for after?
MC: I will be going back to school this year. I’m leaning toward business, or possibly travel & tourism.
I’ve also flirted with the idea of starting my own modelling agency, or studio/website. I like the idea of having creative control of a product. We’ll see…
Follow Max Cameron on Twitter
