Each month, industry news media organization XBIZ spotlights the career accomplishments and outstanding contributions of Women in Adult. WIA profiles offer an intimate look at the professional lives of the industry's most influential female executives.
This month, WIA spotlights the work of Julmodels’ manager Sabina, who has made her mark by helping a global entourage of both female and male adult talent to develop their craft and careers at the Budapest-based modeling agency.
Julmodels provides a private driver and free COVID testing for our exclusive talent, ensuring that every scene is safe.
Helmed by the multifaceted and talented Julia Grandi, a former performer who won Director of the Year at the 2020 XBIZ Europa Awards for her stunning Vixen Media Group productions, Julmodels is at the pinnacle of the European agency scene, with a reputation for providing caring guidance, revenue boosts and consistent service.
Maintaining the day-to-day scheduling and navigating the complexities of stars’ needs on and off the set requires tremendous dedication, and in this role, Sabina strives to deliver in spades. To identify her unique approach and overall philosophy, XBIZ sat down with the Woman of the Month for December 2020.
XBIZ: What types of work did you do before joining the industry and why did you choose adult as a career path?
Sabina: I got my first industry job when I was still a student and I moved to Budapest to occupy my current position shortly after graduation, so I didn’t have much time for other types of work. I worked as the English/German language tutor and I also had two office jobs. I wasn’t aiming for adult, I got in unintentionally, liked it and decided to stay.
XBIZ: What attracted you to Julmodels and how has your role evolved over time into your current position?
Sabina: My previous boss used to collaborate with Julia and one day she asked me to join her in Budapest. We talked on the phone and I guess I just liked Julia’s personality. Perhaps it was reckless to pack my suitcase and leave but it worked out for the best.
From the very beginning, my current position implied more duties and responsibilities than the one I had and at first, it was difficult to understand what’s going on and how things work. However, I like a little challenge and I am grateful to Julmodels for providing me with an opportunity to grow in the industry.
XBIZ: With Julia Grandi at the helm, how has her vision shaped the way you approach your work?
Sabina: Basically, I knew nothing when I joined Julmodels, so Julia had to teach me from scratch. My professional activity is a combination of my personal input and Julia’s vast experience. Her guidance is a vital part of my career.
XBIZ: How do you foster the partnerships that Julmodels relies upon between models and platforms/producers; and how has this changed with social distancing and other factors this year?
Sabina: In my opinion, COVID-19 has brought the industry closer together. We all try to do the best we can and to achieve our goals under severe regulations, we form new partnerships and collaborate with one another, not as competitors, but as colleagues.
Julmodels provides a private driver and free COVID testing for our exclusive talent, ensuring that every scene is safe. Additionally, we encourage our talent to shoot their own content and provide content management so that they can stay financially stable during quarantines and lockdowns.
XBIZ: In today’s market, what does it take for a star to be truly successful, based on what you’ve seen as a talent agent and feedback from producers?
Sabina: In my experience, an upcoming female talent should be 18-26 years old, have no tattoos, a natural face and body, and at least an intermediate level of English, plus basic acting skills and a nice manager to take care of her career.
XBIZ: If a performer complains about an on-set experience, how do you address it?
Sabina: Our talent knows that in case of any questions, accidents, misunderstandings or other issues on set, they can contact Julmodels and the situation will be brought under control by all means. Complaints are never ignored and wishes are always taken into account.
XBIZ: What are the most challenging aspects of your job, behind the scenes, and what are a few milestone achievements you’re especially proud of?
Sabina: Right now, the most challenging part is travel arrangements, because COVID makes traveling extremely complicated. In general, the biggest challenge for me is to always be reachable, because my assistance or intervention might be required immediately. I can’t mute my phone or stay offline for too long and this alertness gets too intense sometimes. Milestone achievements … well, I’m December’s XBIZ Woman of the Month, how about that?
XBIZ: How do you stay organized during your day-to-day duties, and are there any special tools or practices you use to stay productive?
Sabina: I don’t have any special techniques. What keeps me going is that even though the communication is mostly online now, I always remember that I talk to live people who trust me and rely on me and I owe it to myself to not let them down.
XBIZ: What motivates you to continually improve, be it personal or professional passions?
Sabina: I can’t settle for something I’m not comfortable with, so I improve every aspect of my life to the point when I’m satisfied, and the tricky part is that I’m not easy to satisfy. Perhaps it’s not the best motivation, but it’s my ego that doesn’t allow me to become complacent.
XBIZ: Describe the unique demands of testing and arranging travel for models in Europe, both generally speaking and during this current pandemic.
Sabina: STD tests are valid for two weeks, while the PCR COVID test is valid from one day to one week, depending on the circumstances. Nowadays, traveling from one country to another would require at least three COVID tests: one before the trip and two after. This is a must-have unless you are fine with being quarantined for two weeks after traveling.
There are few flight connections and often no bus or train connections, so driving a car or hiring a driver is often the only option. To enter Hungary, for example, a legal business invitation is required — and other countries have their peculiarities as well. And of course, there are medical masks, antiseptics and the rest of the standard protective measures to adhere to.
XBIZ: What are your personal and professional goals for the future?
Sabina: My professional goal is to find my own special place in the industry. There are many attractive opportunities and I try something new every chance I have.
My most recent experiences are providing assistance on-set, voice acting and script co-writing. I think once I’ve tried everything I want and can try, I would be able to choose the right path for me. My personal goal is to move from painting for myself to selling my paintings. I’m glad that both goals can co-exist without overlapping.
