Page 59 - AVN September 2016

Tim Siner, a seasoned live cam consultant who was one of the
first in the game starting cam sites in 1998, agrees that developing
interactive devices is the current trend in the space.
“The problem technologically is latency, especially in regions that
have less than desirable internet speed,” noted Siner, whose corporate
site is TimSiner.com. “There are also patent issues.”
Shirley Lara, the chief operating officer for Chaturbate, told AVN
technology that simulates remote sexual interaction such as mutual
masturbation is becoming increasingly prevalent and represents a
major driver of the next wave of innovation.
“Teledildonics is still on a rise and dominating,” Lara said. “In 2016
we have noticed new brands coming into the market.”
Lara also pointed to a recent trend that sees millennials visiting
Periscope sites.
“That trend has fueled traffic to and interest in live cams sites,” she
said.
It’s all part of a greater societal awareness of camming that is
leading more tech-savvy consumers to their computer screens to
connect with their favorite models in ways that just aren’t possible
when watching pre-recorded porn content.
“This year we have certainly seen a trend of broad acceptance
and familiarity with the webcam space more so than in years past,”
Brad Estes, vice president of Flirt4Free, told AVN. “The public now
generally understands the concept of webcams and many people have
visited a site and mainstream media has given more attention to our
space in articles, television and movies.
“This mainstream awareness of webcams is introducing more
customers to our space and should prove to be a continued benefit to
performers, studios and affiliates if the perception remains positive.”
Meanwhile a spokesperson for MyFreeCams.com said that while it
sees a significant area of growth in mobile usage on both iPhone and
Android the biggest challenge facing the cam community remains
“staying fresh and innovative to provide the kind of experience that
users can’t get outside of MyFreeCams.”
Chaturbate’s Shirley Lara noted that not unlike traditional porn
content, “Piracy is a huge problem.”
“People illegally record broadcasters and upload the content and
charge for access or otherwise monetize the content,” Lara said.
“Online piracy doesn’t solely affect adult, it’s a problem that every
industry is facing.”
Flirt4Free’s Estes suggested the cam industry at large “still struggles
with over-generalization of the ‘webcam’ concept.
”
“Within the webcam space there are a variety of different product
offerings and customer experiences and it is important that affiliates
and performers both understand the nuance that differentiates a
webcam platform so that they can find the best business fit for them,”
Estes pointed out.
Even with all the technology and infrastructure, the quality of the
models on any given cam platform will always be the biggest draw.
Even the most technologically advanced cam site cannot sustain itself
without fan-friendly models logging on.
With that in mind, Tim Siner said the time is now for platforms to
take better care of their talent.
“I believe companies that undervalue or under pay their talent are
making a huge mistake,” Siner suggested. “Models are getting more
savvy. Technology is expanding at a breakneck pace. Look at how Uber
has nearly decimated the taxi industry. Model-to-customer platforms
are already live, and there are several more in development. My advice
to the big boys usually goes something like this: ‘Keep your models
happy and well compensated. They are your product. Without them,
Playing the Game Opposite page, Kendra Sunderland, Nikki Beez and Alora Jaymes
recently performed a popular show on Cams.com. This page, from top, Cherry Devivre, Hope
Daylee and Hazina are among Flirt4Free’s top models.
you have nothing.’”
Vanessa, the director of talent recruiting for
Streamate, knows first-hand about nurturing the
model side of the live cam ecosystem. She works with
performers on a daily basis and listens to their wants,
needs and concerns.
“I think the biggest trend particularly for cam
models is the more successful cam models are all on
social media,” Vanessa told AVN. “They just released
Instagram ‘Stories,’ just like Snapchat has, and already
I’m seeing our models all over that.
“There’s still an influx of new models every day
coming into the industry and it’s getting harder and
harder for a brand-new cam model without a following
to build one up at this point. It’s not impossible, but it
might be a little bit harder to be successful when you
have some models who have been established for a year
or two and have their regimen down with their day-to-
day activities and how they integrate social media.
“And some go as far as having their own member
sites now. Diversifying is definitely a trend I’m seeing
among cam models. Not only that, some of them are
crossing over into adult video content and shooting for
production studios. It’s given them a lot of opportunity
as well.”
Livia Choice, an ImLive model who has a Ph.D. in
communications and semiotics, says she is passionate
about camming not only as an artistic expression but
also as an intellectual activity. The reigning winner of
Social Media Star at the 2016 AW Summit in Romania
told AVN camming has changed a lot in the six years
since she started.
“The biggest challenges I see is to deal with webcam
sites that offer nudity for tips in Free Live Chat,” Livia
explained. “This condition—obviously very much
appreciated by guests—requires all sites to do the same
in some way to continue competing in the live cam
market nowadays.
“This year we have certainly seen a trend of
broad acceptance and familiarity with the
webcam space more so than in years past.”
— Brad Estes, VP, Flirt4Free
Livia added, “All webcam sites are starting
to stimulate the models to tease too much
and to be attentive in Free Live Chat, or
otherwise, their guests don’t feel turned on
enough to take them Private. This change
brings a high level of anxiety for the models
(and we can’t ignore this fact) because it
means we are working in double! So from
the model’s side it’s a challenge and a trend
at the same time, too.”
While L.A.’s San Fernando Valley is
considered the porn capital of the world,
camming without a doubt has become a
global phenomenon.
9.16 | AVN.com | 59