Tag Archives: Sydney Screams

Clips, equipment, Fetish Model, Sex Work

The Best Equipment For the Job: Buying A Camera

By Sydney Screams

Choosing a camera for work is no walk in the park. You have a lot of options out there to choose from, all of which will have positive and negative aspects. Cheap is very appealing, hence the popularity of the wave of handheld cameras similar to the FlipCam, but the quality of these cameras is low. These cameras are fine to start off with, but be warned: you’ll be upgrading within 6 months to a year. If you can afford to do so, hold off until you have more money saved so that you can get a better quality camera. If you need a camera that is great for both photos and videos, a point and shoot is good option, although not your best investment option. A good point and shoot will run anywhere between $200-500. The microphones on point and shoots are generally awkwardly placed where you will more than likely cover them up if someone is holding the camera for you. The sensor is not as good (or large) which means even on HD settings, videos will come out grainy if lighting isn’t perfect. The plus side of point and shoot cameras is that many are now water proof, drop proof, crush proof, etc, so if you’re like me and want to record yourself in the shower, you can do that without having to be super careful! Or you can film giantess clips and jump on your camera without worrying about breaking it. Canon’s Powershot D20, Olympus TG 820 iHS, and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20 are all waterproof and shoot 1080p HD, and all run around $300-350.

When looking for a camera for both photos and videos, getting a DSLR is your best investment. Both Canon and Nikon make great beginner line cameras that take 1080p HD video as well as good quality images (as long as you have good lighting!). The problem with the lower end Nikon cameras is when shooting at 1080p, the camera will automatically stop shooting at the 5 minute mark. The other problem with DSLRs is that you should expect to dish out at least $700- 1000 for a kit (both camera and lens) plus the cost of SD cards (you’ll need either 32 or 64 GB ones if you’re shooting 1080p HD), an additional battery, and a carrying case. You can find bundles on both Amazon and Ebay, but make sure you’re buying from a verified seller! You can find used DSLRs, but be sure you’re getting one with video capabilities! Not all DSLRs have that capability. If you don’t know how to use a DSLR, expect to get one from Canon’s Rebel line (such as the EOS Rebel T2i) or Nikon’s D3200 or D5100. These offer fully automatic and fully manual modes and are considered the most affordable and user friendly. With a DSLR, you will want to get a microphone that you can slip into the hot shoe, as the microphone on the DSLR is mediocre at best. Luckily microphones aren’t expensive and some bundles even come with them now! A DSLR is great if you’re running your own site that requires the need for both photos and videos. Remember that photos make for great teasers or advertisements! When shopping for used equipment, check out Canon’s or Nikon’s Refurbished Store or B&H’s online used store.

If you want a video camera that is strictly for video, there are a few things you want to make sure you get. 1-a threaded lens (so you can add wide angle or zoom filters. Look for “filter diameter” when you’re looking at the specs), 2-a hot shoe (so you can have an on camera light or on camera microphone), 3-multiple SD card slots OR internal memory PLUS an SD slot (in case you run out of space on one, it will automatically switch to the second one without skipping a beat), and 4-the ability to use different size batteries (ie, no battery slot cover). When it comes to a strictly video camera, Sony and Canon are the leading companies, although I personally recommend avoiding Sony as once you start using Sony you are stuck with their products (their video cameras do not use standard memory cards, instead a Sony only memory card that cannot be used on non-Sony products). A video camera can be much cheaper than getting a DSLR, but again, you have to worry about quality and the lower end ones don’t always have the threads on the front. I cannot stress the importance of those threads on the front—most video cameras don’t zoom out far enough to accommodate the average size 12’x12’ bedroom. A wide angle lens then becomes a must so that you can fit yourself into frame properly! Canon’s Vixia HF M500 has allows for SD and SDXC cards, lets you choose which format you record in and runs only $550. If you can really afford to splurge, Canon’s Vixia HF G10 goes above and beyond with manual modes (both exposure and focus), has internal memory plus allows for dual SD or SDXC cards, allows for a larger battery for longer run time, and is my personal video camera wet dream (can I point you to my Amazon wishlist right about now??). It runs $1300, but is well worth it based on the quality you’ll get.

When you’re shopping for any camera, I always recommend going into a camera store or electronics store to hold them. See what feels best in your hand, see which ones have the easiest controls for YOU to figure out. I’ve been using cameras pretty much since I could walk, so what works for me may not work for you. See how the picture quality looks in the store lighting conditions. Double check to make sure the front of the camera has threads so that you can screw on a wide angle lens. Whatever you do, DO NOT BUY IN STORE unless you’re getting a really great package. Have an idea of 4 or 5 cameras you’d like to look at when you go in, and know what they’re going for on Amazon, eBay and B&H with or without a bundle (SD cards, an additional battery, case, tripod, etc). If, in the off chance, the store you’re at can offer you the same price with the same bundle, by all means, go ahead and buy, but generally speaking, you’re going to get a better deal online. Remember that stores generally only carry the latest models, but going back a generation or two will save you anywhere from $50-200. Before you buy a camera, be sure to check out the reviews online, specifically dpreviews.com for any “photo” cameras (DSLRs or point & shoots only) where you can do a side by side comparison of specs and features.

Sydney Screams: Fetish Model, Clip Producer, Adult Actress, Radio Talk Show Host

Internet, Marketing, Money Management, Sex Work

Work Smarter – The Marketing Edition

Marketing is probably the most time consuming aspect of success in the adult industry. Actually, I should correct that statement to encompass all industries, not just the adult industry. Because there is no one sure fire way to be successful at marketing, it involves a lot of trial and error. Sometimes you’ll find that one venue of marketing works amazingly, but then six months later maybe it’s a completely different venue. This royal pain in the ass also happens to be your best friend in the path towards success. Be careful though, it sometimes feels like an uphill battle. In stilettos. Since marketing is an ongoing trial and error process, your first instinct may be to advertise one month on one website and then the next month switch to another website. This can definitely have its ups, but an ad needs to be seen at least 3 times for the audience to make a decision on the product or service. Assuming someone goes to a website once a week, your ad would have to be guaranteed to show up each time they visit that website for them to remember you. That seems like it would be easy, until you factor in that you are not the only advertiser on a website. Most websites use banners that either change every 5-7 seconds or that change each time you click to a new page within the website. Give your ad on the site a 3 month trial period. If you haven’t gotten at least a 10-20% return on your investment, it is definitely time to look elsewhere.

When you’re paying for advertising, be smart about where you spend your money. A fellow producer friend of mine decided to invest by advertising on a popular fetish based tube site, which seems like a great idea except he advertised on a niche fetish tube site and his site doesn’t cater to that specific niche! Of course he was really disappointed by the results since he didn’t get a return on his investment, but he made the mistake of not investing intelligently! Make educated decisions on where and how you spend your advertising budget (do your research!!) so that you don’t end up making the same mistake.

If instead of paying for advertising, you’re doing your own advertisement, consider where and how you’ll be doing it. Are you sticking primarily to forums and interaction with potential customers to drive traffic your way? Maybe you’re running a blog or twitter? Consider this for a moment: what is your hourly rate for a cam show or session? Are your efforts at marketing bringing you that rate for each hour devoted to the cause? If you’re spending 3 hours a day tweeting, and your hourly session rate is $250, that’s $750 worth of work. Did you make that money up? Did you book a session during those 3 hours directly off twitter? No matter how you are advertising, you need to expect a return on your investment, which means not only did you make back the time and money spent, but your earnings go above and beyond that.

If you are advertising by your own means rather than a third party site, use tools that are readily available such as Google Analytics, keywords/search terms, social media sites, and forums (where you are allowed to market yourself. Check the forums TOS before posting ads!). Remember that time is money, and if you’re spending all of your time posting ads and trying to drive up traffic there needs to be a return. Perhaps you spend 10 minutes writing a blog post, be sure to add keywords to make finding you easier. Or maybe you’re tweeting, spend 30 minutes scheduling your tweets to post at popular tweeting hours. See if people you know are willing to do a banner exchange to help drive traffic to each others’ sites or blogs.

There is a lot that can be done to advertise on the internet, and taking advantage of all the avenues is one of the best thing you can do. Whether you decide to pay for advertising or do it yourself, make sure that you’re smart about it. Don’t present yourself or your brand in a bad light, choose the right venues for advertising, and make sure that your ad or banner catches the eye and is memorable!

Follow Sydney Screams on Twitter @sydneyscreams4u

Sydney Screams: Fetish Model, Clip Producer, Adult Actress, Radio Talk Show Host

Fetish Model, Internet, Marketing, Sex Work, Webcam

Being a BBW Means You’re Fat

It’s a very rare thought process to wake up one morning and think to yourself “my goal for the next 6 months is to gain 25-50 lbs of pure fat.”  Gaining weight isn’t looked at fondly by “society.”  The thing is, there is an entire population of porn and fetish watchers who are into big women (and men for that matter!), and that population watches a LOT of porn.

Being a BBW/BHM is awesome. As you’ll find in any niche porn, once you’ve got fans, they are fans for life and they are loyal fans. Find what works for you as a BBW/BHM and stick to it. You could stick to the fetish side such as feeder/feedee, domination, or belly play, all of which are extremely popular for BBW/BHM since they feed directly into the larger than life fantasy. Or maybe more on the porn side with straight up hardcore sex. Even as escorts, there is a huge demand for larger than life people, and not a lot of people to fill that demand. I would give the same advice to anyone though—finding your niche is vital and can make or break you.

Being a BBW or BHM means that you’re going to encounter a lot of ridicule. There is no easy way around that fact. Here’s the thing though: the acronym “BBW” and “BHM” are not there to demean you or make you feel ugly. Both use words that are positive reinforcements of your attractiveness. Big beautiful women and big handsome men have just as much insecurity as men and women of average weight. However, the ridicule coming from an anonymous population of people you don’t know can be much easier to handle than the ridicule that comes from your biggest enemy: yourself. Looking in the mirror may not be an easy task, but it may be a lot easier than standing on a scale in the morning wishing that you dropped a pound or two. Confidence radiates just as much as insecurity radiates, so learn to conquer your self-loathing. There is something to be said about a person of any size or shape that radiates confidence! When I first started as a cam girl, I weighed 135 at 5’2” and I was 19 years old. Even then, I was “too fat” for the people who liked skinny girls and constantly had people telling me to loose weight. I’m now 24, and at 5’3” I weigh just below 200lbs. The fat comments haven’t stopped, but the compliments have increased. One of my favorite ways of dealing with fat comments is to point out that whomever is making them is a real genius at pointing out the obvious. Until my youtube channel got shut down, I had a video I would refer people to, about 30 seconds in length of me saying something along the lines of “Saying that I’m fat is like pointing out that dogs have hair. DUH!” and laughing. I got more positive feedback for that 30 seconds than I’ve gotten for anything else, and the people calling me fat ate their words as they sat behind their anonymous youtube profile playing keyboard warrior.

As always, be safe. There IS work out there for BBW/BHM and a lot of money to be made. Do your research on the company you’re working for, or if you’re working for yourself, research BBW porn or fetishism and understand it so you can best cater to it.Don’t be afraid of your body—insecurity shows, even on camera. Learn to laugh at the people putting you down and calling you names.

Sydney Screams: Fetish Model, Clip Producer, Adult Actress, Radio Talk Show Host

Internet, Marketing, Sex Work

Making Twitter Your Bitch

In the last 12 months, I have made over $4000 just based on connections I made through Twitter. I don’t mean residual income from selling videos or photos, I mean $4000+ worth of paid shoots straight off Twitter. If you wanted to add in the income from selling videos and photos from content exchange shoots, that number could easily double. Twitter can very easily be your best friend, but only if you use it to your advantage. Here are some tips on how to make Twitter your bitch:
1. Don’t have an ego so big that you miss important connections. Yea, I get it. We all think we’re the most awesome bitches on this planet, and damnit we deserve to be treated that way! Forget that thought process on Twitter. Having an ego on Twitter is quite possibly worse than having an ego in real life. Nobody cares about your 10k+ followers or that you made $1000 in a day off your clips. People care that you’re a cool person. These days, half of the jobs you’ll get are based off your personality rather than your looks or popularity. Have a sourpuss attitude? That’s a damn shame since there are dozens of others who don’t. It’s way easier to be nice and humble than it is to pull the bitch card.

2. Interact with (almost) everyone. You never know who is a potential client or someone looking to hire you. Obviously the people tweeting comments about how they want to do all sorts of things to you can be ignored or simply just thanked for their support. However, new producers flock to Twitter to find talent, and just because someone doesn’t have a default photo yet might not mean that they aren’t legit trying to get the ball rolling. I’ve been lucky with having some amazing fans pop up from Twitter, as well as meeting new producers and clients. There are jerkoffs on there trying to get freebies or troll you, but in 140 characters it’s quite easy to tell the difference between someone serious and a fanboy or troll. If someone is asking you for photos or videos, send them a link back to your site in response!

3. Autotweets are your friend. Ok, yes, it’s time consuming to get them set up, but the pay off is amazing. The rule of marketing is that people have to see an ad at LEAST 3 times before they consider it. Ideally, you want someone to see the ad 7-12 times. Nobody has that kind of time to sit and update Twitter with the same post over and over and over again. If you do, I highly recommend spending time hustling elsewhere. Sign up for a service like HootSuite which lets you schedule tweets in advance, and don’t be stingy with your tweets. Schedule each tweet to post at least twice a day, during peak business hours (look at your sales or sign ups, what time do they happen most frequently? Use that as a guide for when to schedule tweets). HootSuite is free, although they have a paid version which lets you upload Excel files to make scheduling even easier. Spend an hour a week scheduling tweets for the week advertising your site, your blog, your upcoming travel, any exciting new videos/photosets on your site or store, etc.

4. Don’t retweet everything everyone @’s you. Seriously. We get it. You’re hot. You’ve got a great ass. That dude wants to be your slave. That other dude wants to bury his manjunk so far up inside of you that you feel it deep in your belly. Retweet the genuinely awesome ones, such as a producer advertising you on their sites or getting a rave review from someone you just worked with.  Being popular is great, but again with the ego. Don’t go waving it around in everyone’s face. They can just search @[your twitter handle] and see what everyone is saying without it clogging up their timeline.

5. Be careful who you do business with on Twitter, especially escorts and anyone else who privately sessions. Don’t tweet about your location, don’t tweet about making money with a client, don’t conduct business with anyone who refuses to take the conversation off twitter and fill out your screening services questionnaire. I don’t have statistics about whether police use Twitter to do crackdowns, but I imagine it’d be a pretty easy place to get info. Who is this person you’re talking to that’s only had a Twitter profile for 2 days and is only following you? Probably not somebody you actually want to be talking to and scheduling private sessions with.

6. Use photos to drive more traffic to wherever. Advertising a new clip? Use a still photo from the clip (with your watermark and store/site info on it) in the tweet! People like teasers, so get a really great still photo and use it. This is also helpful when you’re scheduling your autotweets! Nothing says “come buy what I’m selling” quite like an enticing photo. (edit note: be careful about nudes, read the TOS for picture hosting sites many don’t allow them)

7. Hashtags aren’t always necessary. Nobody cares if you hashtag #thingsIforgottodolastnight, but look at popular hashtags and use them! They’re popular for a reason! #fml #whitegirlproblems #toetuesday are all short and simple, and popularly used. Posting a photo of something specific? Use hashtags to describe it (#feet #XXX #ass). This is also a great tool with both autotweets and photos.

8. Don’t carry on lengthy conversations on Twitter. Take the conversation elsewhere, be it Skype or email, 140 characters is annoying and you rarely get the full message across. Don’t be rude about asking someone to email you though—explain that Twitter makes it difficult to follow conversations and that email is your preferred method of ongoing contact.

9. Your tweets don’t show in Google search, but your profile does. Use keywords to describe yourself! Are you a pornstar based in NYC? Put that in your profile! Do you have a website? Put that in your profile (there’s even a place for that!!). What defines your job? List that!

10. Don’t air out your dirty laundry on Twitter. I cannot stress this enough. If you have bad blood on Twitter, be the bigger person and don’t mention it, don’t tweet about it, don’t respond to it. People read your tweets, and if they see that your timeline is full of drama, shit talking, or nasty subtweets, they’re going to move on even if it isn’t about them. Yes, we all have bad days and drama, but keep it off Twitter unless it’s a must. This also applies to your own dirty laundry: if you’re depressed or angry or desperate, it shows on Twitter and can scare off potential companies to see that your life isn’t together.

11. You’ll eventually get tired of me saying this, but do your research!! If it is a new producer, ask them for references. If it’s a potential client, make sure they are properly screened. Make sure the company you are working for is legitimate. Do they have a website listed? Do they interact with others in the industry (both colleagues and people that they hire)?

Follow Sydney Screams on Twitter @sydneyscreams4u

Sydney Screams: Fetish Model, Clip Producer, Adult Actress, Radio Talk Show Host