by Michael Sullivan

This might not come as a surprise to the student body of the University of Southern California, but it seems that we have our very own actor in the gay adult entertainment industry. Though he tries to maintain a low profile on campus (understandable), he agreed to speak with me about what it’s like juggling student life and an illustrious career in the industry. Because he has asked to remain anonymous, both in real name and professional alias, I will be referring to him as Tyler Beau— an alias I’ve devised to protect his identity — to share with you exactly what it’s like to balance full-time schooling with a job in adult entertainment.

Tyler tells me that after three years in the adult film industry, he’s ready to call it quits. He’s withdrawing from adult film work — but not all at once, of course.

“I’m shooting a movie in Europe in early August,” he tells me.

Europe?! Porn stars get to travel?

“All over,” Tyler says. “I have three scheduled [club visits] for the summer so far, in Pitsburg, Dallas, and DC, but chances are I will also do two more in Providence and New York City.” Apparently, club visits are all part of the biz, though he keeps them “to a minimum during the school year.”

I have to admit, Tyler makes it all sound so glamorous — which is not an adjective I ever expected to use to describe the adult entertainment industry. And if the touring alone doesn’t give off that impression, surely the pay does: “If you’re completely fresh to the business, and are straight, and sign an exclusive contract, you can make between $5K and $8K per scene on the Internet.” According to Tyler, the Internet pays more because there are no non-model fees are waived, like directors and writers. These films tend to be just actors and a salaried cameraman from the film company.

But some gigs don’t pay quite as well: “A film company may only pay $2,000 for somebody who isn’t under contract … anything under that, though, and the model is potentially being ripped off.”

Tyler's work doesn't appear exclusively on the Internet. He described for me a day on set working on a pornographic film the way most people think of them, crummy dialogue and all. “First, you show up,” he began. “People are setting up all sorts of things around you like lights [and] cameras…there’s a make-up person who fixes everyone’s flaws one at a time.”

By looking at him, you’d be hard-pressed to find any flaws to fix. Tyler is a muscular, tan, fit blond, so it’s not hard to believe he was “discovered” one evening while clubbing at Hollywood’s Tigerheat.

“Usually a photographer shoots a model solo as he/she comes out of make-up before the shoot,” he continued. “There’s a lot going on all over, especially if it’s a scene for a movie. Movies are a lot more intense, logistically.” This seems reasonable. “So after everyone has worked with a photographer, we shoot dialogue, which is usually the most ridiculous part.” Also reasonable. “And then we jump into the scene,” he concluded.

But what about when you’re wrapped and done? “We jump in the shower,” he responded.

Together?! He laughed, “[It] depends on who I’m working with.”

That covers the process of the shoot itself, but I wanted to know what goes into the shoot’s preparation, mentally and physically. “Physically, I do as much as I can to make myself look great.” By this, Tyler means tanning, going to the gym, and personally grooming. Though this seems very time consuming, especially for a college student, he says these are things he would allocate time for whether he was in the industry or not.

“Mentally, I acquaint myself with what my partner looks like and build up a false attraction to make the scene go smoothly.” I asked him what he meant by “false attraction.” “I focus on attractive features, [and] sort of try to build up a small crush on the person.”

“It’s a lot like acting,” he continued. “You put yourself into a character, and that character is really attracted to this other person, hence why they are about to sleep with them.”

But not every situation is so cutand- dry. For example, Tyler admits that he is “deathly afraid of water sports,” or sexual acts involving bodily fluids that aren’t typically associated with traditional sex. He once found himself in a situation where he was asked to participate in such activities, but fortunately, he had someone on his side: “I just called my agent and he dealt with it.” Tyler said he has a very good relationship with his agent. “He’s a very awesome guy … I have dinner with [my agent and his partner] all the time here in LA.”

Tyler's mantra is, “I won’t do a scene if I feel, in the long run, I’d look back on it with embarrassment,” and his agent believes “performers don’t work for agents, agents work for performers.”

Tyler ended the interview on a somewhat cautionary note. He said that “a lot of people get into it with high expectations,” but to anyone thinking about pursuing the lifestyle, know that “you’re not ever going to make millions … and there’s no guarantee as to what projects you’ll get and who you’ll work with.”

“It can be glamorous, but it can also be unglamorous and embarrassing—you just have to be careful.”