LOS ANGELES — Top industry pros, including Ron Jeremy, Vivid Entertainment chief Steven Hirsch and performer Allie Haze will be participating in a panel discussion on adult at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts at 7 p.m. on April 4.
The panel will be moderated by David Lerner, Ph.D, whose academic expertise includes the histories of non-mainstream film genres that show how they relate to issues of censorship or broader cultural attitudes.
Mike Dillon, a Ph.D. candidate in Critical Studies at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and organizer of “An Evening with the Adult Film Industry,” said the discussion will “focus on a range of topics befitting our academic environment: cultural attitudes toward sexual representations, business practices of the adult industry, legal frameworks (including the recently-passed Measure B), the myths vs. realities of the industry, etc.”
Dillon said he anticipates a “very interesting and informative conversation for our film students.”
Among the subjects to be discussed by the panel are the impact of wider availability of adult entertainment, how cultural attitudes toward porn have changed over time, how different presidential administrations have impacted the cultural climate around pornography, how a major company like Vivid contends with the proliferation of online competition, what constitutes the Vivid “brand” amid all of these options, and what has spurred the recent trend toward adult parodies of mainstream films.
Haze and Jeremy will be asked to discuss the differences between being a contract star and working independently, issues surrounding a performer’s longevity, differing standards between men and women in pay scale and work schedules, and how the nature of the business differs from what a star such as Haze expected when she started.
The event starts with a screening of the documentary “Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy,” followed by footage from “Star Wars XXX: A Porn Parody."
A humorous send-up from FunnyOrDie.com on Measure B, the law passed in November by Los Angeles voters that mandates condom usage in porn films, will also be screened.
A Q&A will follow the discussion. There is no admission cost for the event.
The USC campus is located at 900 W. 34th St., Los Angeles, 90089-2211.
