Fundamentally retrogressive? A study of the career trajectories of adult film performers

• In Event: 2448 - Integrated Occupations, Segregated Experiences

Abstract

In this article, we use the adult film industry to study how people attain and
maintain success in “boundaryless” and project-based careers. While the
film industry in general has long been used to explore the contours of the
boundaryless career, there are particular dynamics of the adult film
industry that make it particularly well-suited for studying the attainment of
a success in such a career. There is a constant demand for “fresh faces” in
the adult film industry, and female performers tend to only be in high
demand for a finite range of ages. While these effects should undermine
the attainment of cumulative success, “stars” still emerge within the
industry. These dynamics are further moderated by performer’s gender,
race, and the repertoire of sexual acts they are willing to engage in. Using a
vast dataset constructed from two different online sources, we use event history models to examine how certain performers benefit from strategic career planning and network effects in an industry where there are strong
prevailing headwinds against sustained career success.

Authors

• Antonio Sirianni, Dartmouth College

• Thomas Davidson, Cornell University