The number of permits issued for adult film productions in Los Angeles is down 90% as a result of a 2012 law requiring porn actors to wear condoms.
In what could best be described as a complete sacking of the once-thriving adult entertainment industry in Los Angeles, according to a nonprofit group that handles film permits for the city and county, only 20 permits have been issued for adult productions in 2014.
“We’ve seen a dramatic drop in permits,” said Paul Audley, president of Film L.A. Inc. “It is a cause for concern that people who are manning the cameras, lights, and other things on those sets are not working anymore… it’s not helpful to have another segment of the industry leave the region.”
The Los Angeles Times reported that already Los Angeles has experienced a huge migration of mainstream movies and TV productions to Canada and other states. However, those companies escaped to take advantage of rebate incentives and to avoid burdensome tax rates and regulations.
Due to Measure B, porn producers are shooting films in other counties in Southern California, as well as Nevada, Florida, and Eastern Europe. Many porn industry experts contend that condom porn doesn’t sell. Moreover, many adult film actors claim condom use triggers rashes and chafing during prolonged shoots.
Steven Hirsch, founder of Vivid Entertainment, said, “We’d like to stay here. This is our home, where we’ve produced for the last 30 years. But if we’re forced to move, we will.”
Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation which advocated for Measure B, is now sponsoring AB 1576. If the bill becomes law, it will create a statewide mandate for condom use in adult films. Weinstein claims that they are not trying to ban pornography. “We’re not against porn; we’re not trying to drive it out of business. We want to protect the performer and we want them to be [in] a safe industry like any other industry.”
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