When I decided to focus my career on live cam work in 2011, many of my friends and peers in the adult industry mocked my decision because they viewed it as a step down from adult movie work. It is still not uncommon in the adult world to think of being a cam performer as less significant than being a “porn star.” But, I have met many cam models with fan followings that any popular porn star would be envious of.
It didn’t take long before I started to prefer cam work to porn work. As an exhibitionist, I enjoy being able to actually see how many viewers were watching me and cheering me on. Unlike traditional studio shoots, you don’t have to wait to get feedback from your fans. My viewers’ opinions have always driven me and challenged me when I’m on cam, so I used to hate having to wait around for weeks or months for a scene to be released.
As a trans performer, the fact that Chaturbate puts all types of models on the main page makes me feel included and valued. I don’t feel like I’m treated differently than other performers and that I’m given the same opportunities and traffic as any other performer on the site.
Cam work has also given me the opportunity to interact with my fans, both new and old, in a more personal way. Even when I did adult movie work, I always tried to interact as much as I could with my fans. The live fan interaction of cam work really boosted my brand. It’s definitely made my following more loyal because they really feel they know me personally. I’m not a caricature or some random, naked girl in a porn video. Since every performer’s career depends on the fans, I never understood the negative attitude some adult performers had towards live camming.
My cam career has also given me the opportunity to become an entrepreneur. I built a successful white label cam site, KellysDreamHouse.com, through Streamate. Growing the site and adding members hasn’t been easy, but I have found the work to be fun and rewarding. It has allowed me to use my brand to earn income that doesn’t require me to be naked or be on cam, all while being able to be a website owner!
One of the things that even surprised me, is the amount I am able to earn compared to what movie and website studios are paying for video work. I’m not sure that new trans porn performers realize how few studios there are compared to how many performers there are. The trans industry is much smaller than the straight industry. Performers have much fewer options, and as a result much less bargaining power. With the increase in piracy, studios today are paying performers a fraction of what they paid a decade ago. Cam work allows me to generate a steady income without leaving my house. I always wanted a stay-at-home job and now I have it!
I’m also not sure if some adult performers realize just how many thousands of viewers cam sites attract at all hours of the day. That amount of traffic can really help amateur and experienced performers alike grow their brand and increase their exposure. I was actually surprised, and humbled, when I first started camming and realized that most of the people who came into my room didn’t know who I was. I mean, I thought I was a porn star! But, I realized that to the audience of people who watched live sex shows, the cam models were the stars! Many of the fans I have now never saw any of my adult movies. The live cam audience is a huge, untapped fan base that many adult stars and adult movie companies have only recently begun to pay attention to. For me personally, I’ve felt vindicated in my career decision six years ago.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my camming experience over the years and have loved working for Chaturbate especially! As a trans performer, the fact that Chaturbate puts all types of models on the main page makes me feel included and valued. I don’t feel like I’m treated differently than other performers and that I’m given the same opportunities and traffic as any other performer on the site. Some cam sites only allow cis female performers. Chaturbate has even included me in their events and given me the opportunity to speak at summits they attend about the world of cam. I think they deserve credit in this industry for not shying away from having a trans person represent their company. I was offered a similar opportunity to speak at XBIZ Miami, which I was unfortunately not able to attend, but hope to next year! I’d like to thank XBIZ for believing in the cam industry and for honoring me as one of the first winners in my category at their award show!
Cam work has also given me opportunities to be on VH1 and other news articles talking about cam work. This has helped push my brand into the mainstream market’s eyes like never before. I have lot to be grateful for from this industry. I am totally blessed!
I’m going to be excited to see how the world of cam will continue to grow. The popularity of live interaction is on the rise. As technology continues to improve, live interaction will be the future of the porn industry. I’m proud to be a cam star and love my job! I would like to end with some advice to future cam models. Remember, if you approach cam work with the same work ethic that you would approach any other job, you will be successful. Time and effort is the secret to going from earning a little to a lot on webcam!
