LOS ANGELES — Will Las Vegas become the new capital of porn filmmaking?
According to a new poll conducted by adult industry news media organization XBIZ, about 51 percent believe that a bulk of porn production is headed past Nevada's state line.
But 49 percent of those in the industry believe that adult filmmaking will be staying put in Porn Valley, which is predominately in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles.
Recently, XBIZ asked members of adult industry social network XBIZ.net the question: “Will Porn Valley move across the state line to Las Vegas?”
The question is an important one for the U.S. adult entertainment industry because the business and its underpinnings, which have been so firmly planted in the Los Angeles area for decades, is under threat and could largely move talent, producers and support staff elsewhere, including Las Vegas, which has been a much-talked about landing spot.
While the adult entertainment industry dodged a bullet when a bill to create a statute stalled at California's Legislature last summer, two other issues impacting the biz linger on.
Enforcement of Measure B, the Los Angeles voter-approved porn-condom ordinance passed two years ago, could spell trouble for many Porn Valley production companies. The threat of enforcement, however, has been held up on federal appeal by Vivid Entertainment, which sued Los Angeles County over the measure.
(The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals currently is weighing the Van Nuys, Calif.-based studio's appeal of a federal judge's order denying a preliminary injunction over enforcement of Measure B.)
In another scenario that potentially could lead to a porn exodus, Cal/OSHA's standards board is weighing a draft proposal to create higher bloodborne pathogens standards and mandate barrier protection for talent and production staff — a proposal that a majority of the adult filmmaking business chafes at.
Steven Hirsch, co-founder of Vivid Entertainment, told XBIZ that the likelihood of his business, as well as the majority of other studios staying put in Porn Valley, hinges on the Measure B appeal.
"We all need to wait to see what happens with the appeal; we should know by the end of the year," Hirsch said. "If we win the appeal I do think it’s feasible to stay in L.A. County. There will still be some challenges such as Cal/OSHA but I believe we can work through them.
"The thing we need to keep in mind is that we need to win this now. We need to stay the course. It makes no sense to jump the county or state unless we have no choice."
Peter Acworth, who founded and leads adult BDSM studio Kink.com, agreed with Hirsch, noting that he understands that members of the adult entertainment industry polled on XBIZ.net are in practically a dead heat over the issue of whether Porn Valley might have to move 300 miles east.
Acworth's studio already has rented location space and filmed in Las Vegas
"[But] I think that if things start to go in the industry's favor you'll see a good amount of production return to California," Acworth told XBIZ. "This will be especially true if Measure B is overturned and we get a favorable ruling at the Cal-OSHA standards board process.
"Everyone — even those shooting out of state — needs to pay attention to this upcoming OSHA process, because whatever is decided could go federal."
Larry Flynt, who leads LFP Inc. and the company's Hustler brand, said that those who are intent on chasing the industry out of their Porn Valley backyard will find an industry mobile enough that can shoot anywhere, including across state or even country lines.
"It seems likely that some companies will move their production to Las Vegas," Flynt told XBIZ. "Others will shoot in Mexico, Hawaii or the desert."
The XBIZ.net survey involved votes casted from 181 unique industry members.
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