For a long time, Danae Mucino wasn’t sure about what she wanted to do. With one bachelor’s degree in management and human relations, plus another in marketing and event planning, she found herself working in a variety of fields, including travel, immigration and fashion. Yet none of those sectors truly called to her.
Mucino knew she could not settle for just any job, as the idea of simply counting the days until the weekend held no appeal for her. But she also never had a dream job in mind. What she did know was that she wanted to make a difference and be part of something greater. She had always enjoyed volunteering, giving back and being part of a community.
In my role, confidentiality is everything, so I can’t go into specifics about performers’ individual issues.
She finally found the opportunity she was waiting for in a place that some might have found surprising: the adult industry. The field had always intrigued Mucino, so when the pandemic led her to seek a career change, she started doing some research. Learning about Adult Time, she was impressed not only by the company’s manifold umbrella of brands and channels, but by its clear mission, goals and efforts to make a difference inside and outside of the industry. For Mucino, it felt like the perfect fit.
Over time, Mucino has built upon the opportunity Adult Time afforded her, developing her role as talent liaison and bringing together talent in a mutually empowering way. In this WIA Woman of the Month interview, she shares her experiences and strategies for making an impact in the community she now calls home.
XBIZ: Describe your primary duties as talent liaison for Adult Time.
MUCINO: My main duty is to advocate for performers’ and crew members’ well-being and safety, before, during and after our shoots. I also support the implementation of improvements to Adult Time’s code of conduct, guidelines and best practices pertaining to talent and crew safety.
I strive to maintain open lines of communication and encourage and empower performers and crew members to speak up so their voices are heard and their hard work is noticed. I take most pride in knowing I have become someone our industry members can confide and find support in during great and not-so-great times.
XBIZ: What were the biggest hurdles you faced when you started in this position?
MUCINO: When I began in this role, many people were afraid to reply to my emails, let alone have a conversation with me. Knowing the stigma that already exists for adult industry workers, many people feared speaking to me could put them or people they care about out of jobs and jeopardize their future.
Slowly but surely, I have proven my aim is to be a source of support, not a threat. This took hard work and dedication; I quickly realized I was a stranger to everyone and my first step needed to be letting people see the real me. I shared some facts about my life, my story and my goals and I encouraged everyone I spoke with to share bits about their lives too. Once people humanized me a little more, a sense of trust started to emerge.
XBIZ: What is your work dynamic like, interfacing with other Adult Time personnel?
MUCINO: My communications with crew members and performers regarding their issues are strictly confidential. However, having a bond with our crews and performers and understanding them in a personal manner allows me to better work with them. I love being the go-to person when teams are strategizing to improve on- and off-set practices.
XBIZ: What are the areas where you see yourself making the most tangible impact?
MUCINO: In my role, confidentiality is everything, so I can’t go into specifics about performers’ individual issues — but whether it’s something small like helping someone who forgot a makeup item or is looking for a door code, or supporting someone who is enduring a personal or professional crisis, I make sure to be there for them. Having a person they can talk to and bounce ideas, doubts or frustrations off of has had a very positive impact on performers’ well-being and has helped us better shape and strengthen our relationships in the industry.
XBIZ: Talk about how you handle problem-solving when challenges arise.
MUCINO: I always take a human approach to challenges. No problem is too small or too big to be handled, everyone deserves to be heard and I am always happy to take the time to reply or speak to a performer or crew member in distress. When emotions are heightened, it isn’t always easy to share or understand the true issue: many times, it takes more than one call or email to get to the bottom of a situation. During my communications, I like to remind our talent and crew members that they are in a safe space, and that no matter what they share or how we choose to handle it, it will always be in a manner that prioritizes their mental and physical well-being.
XBIZ: How has your role with Adult Time evolved?
MUCINO: At the beginning of my journey, I was nothing but an email with a survey link! Although I tried to personalize my emails, many people assumed it was an automated email sent by Adult Time and many were doubtful a human was on the receiving end. Thankfully, some people actually took the time to reply or answer our surveys. Some even did it as a joke, and I was happy to read it all.
Their responses gave me the chance to further engage and show that their voices are being heard and that what they say and how they feel matters to us. Once the conversations started, performers and crew members started talking to each other about me and encouraging their peers to reach out in times of need.
As soon as the pandemic calmed down, I knew my next step was to meet all these wonderful people in person, so I made my way to LA and that changed everything! Everyone was so welcoming and happy to see that I am in fact a real person. Calls, emails and texts started to flow, and once we noticed the positive impact of having a talent liaison, we extended the position to benefit performers across all of our business units. This has encouraged us to start planning the role’s expansion, which will likely result in the creation of a team of talent liaisons.
XBIZ: How do you relax or spend your free time? Any unique hobbies or skills?
MUCINO: I have three dogs, so my free time is mostly spent taking them to parks, teaching them new tricks or photographing them. And this one’s going to be a little random but I love rewatching shows that I love, over and over. “Modern Family” and “The Office” are my two faves! I also love coming up with art projects and bringing them to life, and watching horror movies. Most of all, I love space, both outer and personal.
XBIZ: What are your goals for the coming year?
MUCINO: My knowledge and experience as a talent liaison have encouraged me to take a step further in the industry and become a production operations manager for Adult Time. I am currently in the midst of learning all I need to perfectly carry out that role. Our team will be expanding and we will be bringing on more talent liaisons, whom I will train and coach directly so that our performers can continue to feel supported and heard. My hope is to strengthen relationships between crews, performers and our different business units and departments so that together we can continue to bring change.
Each month, 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.
