The Adult Studio Alliance Coming To A Porn Shoot Near You

Aylo (operating Pornhub and owners of Brazzers), Erika Lust, Mile High Media and Ricky’s Room are just some of the better-known names in modern adult content creation who have recently banded together to create the Adult Studio Alliance or ASA. Boasting a collective of perspectives and experience in working XXX fare across a global adult industry, this newly formed group is looking to create a united framework “Code of Conduct,” where all adult talent, directors, on-camera performers, crew, and producers can enjoy a mutually agreed upon standard of safety.

As many studios already prioritize performer safety and have always worked within an ethical framework of production, a spokesperson alluded to the fact that the ASA’s goal is not about reinventing the wheel. The new group merely wants to bring together “existing best practices and standardize them across the industry in a clear, unified, and structured way.”

By aligning shared standards, the Alliance hopes to create a guideline that acts as a “norm for all studio productions."

The ASA Code of Conduct

The goals of ASA’s comprehensive Code of Conduct include:

• Studios applying ‘full transparency’ for talent on the particulars of the scenes they come to shoot, as in the scene’s details, who will be participating in a particular scene, and what will happen in that scene, (or a full breakdown of scripts), and a listing of a scene’s overall shooting conditions. All these details are to be provided to the talent prior to talent being booked.
• The implementation of ‘boundary checklists,’ as in the welcome of pre-shoot discussions, and the talent’s right to call “cut” at any time. The ASA is hoping for better and fully encompassing, talent empowerment through a shoot.
• ‘Intimacy coordinators,’ hired to work on set.
• Strict health and safety protocols adhered to. The ASA’s standards (presently set across the industry) are that all performers “take requested STI tests before any sexual act and must prove negative results of specified STIs as a precondition to carry out their performance.”
• The prohibition of drugs and alcohol on set, with clear guidelines set for prescription medication.
• Requirements set for the “licensing, transparency and ethical representation” of crew and agency accountability.

Additionally, the ASA Code clearly outlines its specific complaint and resolution process. Hoping to assure swift and appropriate action for violations of any of the points above, the ASA wants to provide the obligatory ‘safe space’ for anyone raising any concerns.

Critics

Critics point out that there doesn’t seem to be enough attention paid, if any at all, from the ASA about the recent copyright question over AI manipulation and the use of performers without compensation.

Concerns have also been raised that ASA marketing language does not fully address BIPOC and LGBTQ+ talent and crew.

And lastly and most simply, critics claim, that while this new code might be well-intentioned, lots of these measures were implemented years ago by the Adult Performers Advocacy Committee (APAC). And by the ASA not acknowledging this fact, their awareness might be suspect.

In not actually wielding any legislative power, the ASA simply “encourages” all studios, members or not, to adopt and adhere to their guidelines to foster a safer, more respectful, and more professional adult industry,