who do you feel is financially responsible for the talent getting tested every other week? should the cost burden be on the models or the producer (and therefore indirectly the client)?

i say it should be on the talent... it's their own "cost of doing biz" just like any other industry that requires workers to have permits, licenses, etc... the good news is the models could deduct the testing expenses from their taxes

your thoughts?

They should work out a volume discount deal... it can't really cost the same amount to test someone 4 times in one month as once in one month if you multiply that times soooo many people getting tested.

I had one at my gyn a few months back, they want you to do it with the yearly exam every year (what a racket), and I don't recall it being that much on the itemized statement, surely it's cheaper in quantity for them to have it done at a non-profit organization - which my gyn is certainly not.

But all that said, the talent needs to understand the cost of doing business.

If they paid them, alot get paid in cash.

I agree with you it is a part of the costs of doing business. If a girl or guy is under contract however, they should have it included in the contract that the company pays for it.
Also, if you want to hire a girl that has no money you could pay for the test and deduct it from her pay for the shoot (s).
:2 cents:

absolutely... that's how i pay mine, tho i still report them on my company's tax returns each year as an "independant contractor"

now it's the government's problem to collect from them LOL

i think talent shoudl pay.....come on, it ain't that much.....there shouldn't be any question about it.

at most it might be $200 a month, and that is every 2 weeks

when we got tested, we ALWAYS deducted it from taxes...it is a 100% legitimate deduction...shit, that is a $1200, if not more...

the government should pay it man!!!!

:1orglaugh

well i'm sure some govt clinics do it free for "high risk" people, kinda like the free needle program...

I think the producers and companies should pay for it. Jace for example you shot for vivid considering the amount of money they will make on that video they should pay for it. For the companies it should be the cost of doing business. If they can have a fancy booth at a show or throw a huge look how big my dick is party. They can afford a test and I think if companies paid for the test the price would go down dramatically because they would start shopping prices.

Also I think if the companies paid for it , there would be less monkey business. Also people would be tested more often. I think once every 30 days or even two weeks is enough.

In that case, you should only be able to work for Vivid with those test results. If you wanted to work for Anabolic, VCA, Hustler, etc then you should have to use your own money to pay for a test.

Just my thoughts on the matter, this ain't socialism, it's porn.

vive la pornvolucion!

Well it should be the talents top priority to get tested regardless of the case [but we all think -- "never me"], however for contract work I really think it should be paid in full by the producer

dayum, i really shoulda made this a poll...

Bull shit. I share my checks with newbies every week. Viva la socialism!

The talent ought to be responsible for paying for their tests. Since a company may just do 1 shoot with a girl, they shouldn't be responsible for paying for a test that'll be relevent for her next 4 or 5 shoots with other companies.

On the otherhand, if a model is exclusive and under contract, a clause shuld be written in stating that certain deductions will be taken out to accomidate the HIV testing.

Your kidding right its not socialism, when you consider the millions these companies make and most porn performers cant go more than two weeks without pay or they will lose everything. Its business and if you dont want the government way up your ass ,you take care of it and not depend on someone who couldnt hold a day job . lol If a nonporn company wanted you to take a drug test or any kind of test before they hire you would they pay for it . When I was a independent contractor for a search firm before hiring mefor the project, they sent me for a drug test, evalutions with industrial psychologist. They paid for it all.

I think everytime they shoot they should get tested, so one company wouldnt paying for other companies. Its nonsense every thirty days or two weeks, god knows what they are doing between shoots. This would tighten it up greatly.

perhaps... but they'd start to look like heroin addicts with all the track marks on their arm veins... nothing some make-up can't hide i suppose

How is that the fault of the producers?

hahaha... SO true!

i guess you missed the recent memo that it's our fault they have kids and abusive boyfriends to support (for the most part) or heavy party lifestyles and drug habits to feed (for the most part)

you'd be amazed the number of times i actually have to advance the girls a $20 bill to run out and pay the cab fare... truly sad

what's the point of testing every time a porn talent works? The virus doesn't show up until sometimes many weeks after HIV has been contracted. If somebody has it and they are working alot somebody else is surely going to get it. Though more frequent tests would reduce the number of people affected. You can't be running people into AIM to get tested 5 days a week - popular girls work that much, same with guys. I think the hope is these new FDA approved HIV tests, takes 20 minutes - maybe the producers should make each performer take one of those before each shoot.

not sure where I read it but AIM charges more than the test is costs , but AIM in non-profit - the tests should be provided at cost to the porn actors. The porn companies should pay for the costs of maintaining AIM, rent, lab equipment, etc.

interesting idea... but no way in hell i'd physically do that myself for them

the D-I-Y tests open up a whole other can of worms

Nope, I'm not kidding. Why should one company pay for testing for it's performers that are not under exclusive contract and then the same performers go running off and shooting elsewhere on that test? Even if you couldn't bring the physical test with you, it would still stand to reason that you passed if you were doing work for Company A, that you'd be in the clear or they wouldn't use you...

As for these performers not being able to go two weeks without pay or going under, that's poor management on their part in a large percentage of cases. Alot of these chicks are doing 5 scenes a week at a 1000 a pop in some cases and you are telling me they can't live on 5k a week and pay for a 60 dollar test once a week? Sorry, I'm not buying it.

It's just one more way for people to avoid responsibility in this industry, and that's a rampant thing as it is. If I tell my power company I can't work unless they pay for an HIV test and therefore can't pay my power bill, they'd turn my lights off for stupidity before the due date.

This is a business. If you choose to be in this business, you have to understand the risks that go along with being in this business. Just like a producer, director or distributor should be saving money in case there's a knock on the door and they have to pay an attorney for their obscenity defense, the talent should be doing their part too.

as long as the job is gauranteed, i think the models should cover the costs. I would think they would rather be safe than sorry anyway

I'd say it should be covered by the models. Whatever they do during the shoot is being paid anyway. But then, they still have lots of things going for them on their free time!

Models/Talent should definitely pay for it themselves unless they are under exclusive contract. As pointed out before why should company X pay for someone's test and then they go the next few days and shoot for company y and company z...

Actually I think the cost should be covered by the government at the health clinics or somewhere else but since that won't be happening then the models should take it upon themselves to ensure their own safety. Why leave it up to a producer to pay for it who may skimp and say.. "well, we can shoot without it this once".. Once is all it takes to get HIV

You make some good points but it would be interesting to see, what your answer would be. If you sold and consulted to porn performers to make your living instead of the companies that hire them. lol

In that case, I'd be called an agent, and in order for me to make enough money not to be living hand to mouth, I'd have to make sure they were picking up some nice coin, no?

Perhaps I should branch out now that I've moved to Cali ;-}}}}

where can i read more about these tests? thanks in advance. I started requiring tests every 2 weeks instead of 4 weeks this year, someone tested pos in europe and its the risk of the biz but i want to do anything i can to not only protect but educate these usually young, naive, models. shit - when i was 18 i couldnt find my ass with both hands and a road map so i dont hold it against them that they have bad habits. i certainly had mine at that age.

:2 cents:

oh yea, models pay for tests for the same reason other dude said, they are doing multiple jobs on one test. i have paid for tests here and there however. and for taxi's ha ha!

You would be the most feared woman in porn valley. lol

it's nice to see the industry consensus is: models be required to pay for their tests

for once we're on the same page

The talent should pay.

What the industry needs most of all is a Money Management 101 class. Then maybe the talent could afford their own tests.

If the government or the court systems need to know then they should pay.

If a person wants to know, or should know, or needs to know, or show proof, then the individual must pay.

maybe a 50/50 split would be good? If not, then i'd definately say the model. They should be the ones looking out for themselves.

Definitely the models. They are the only ones who really know how often they do it outside work.

What is needed is a low cost ACCURATE on site method of testing. If a pcr/dna test came in a little box for 5 bucks a pop and you could test all parties involved 30 mins before the shoot that would be great. That's the only answer.
Being a producer myslef you're lucky if these girls show up at all, let alone on time & with 2 forms of ID. Asking them to show up with proof of an hiv negative test is like asking them to explain string theory.
IF you told a girl to get an aids test before a shoot about 70% wouldnt bother. Most are in it for a quick buck, aside from the girls who have truly made this their occupation. Waiting for results takes the quick buck mentality away, and you would loose all the amateur models who only do one scene and split.
We need on site testing at the cost of the Producer. I think the producer should attend some type of medical training class and have some type of certification to administer these tests on location.
I really think this is the answer. What do you think?
Thanks,
Duke Skywalker :)

Opps sorry mutt, I didnt read your thread first. Seems I posted your idea without reading what you said first. Sorry man.
ds

The talents must make sure that they take care of themselves. Any tests done is for their own good anyway so I think it is just fair that they pay for whatever expense that would cost.

that do it yourself HIV home test kit is something I read about on some site while following this HIV thing in the porn industry. It said it had just passed FDA approval. Not sure what the name of it is or what company owns it.

There is something else called Orasure - Mike South is all excited about it - it's an HIV test u pop in your mouth.

If there was a do it yourself HIV test that was pretty reliable and cost say 50 bucks per test some studios might pay for it and require the talent take the test before a shoot but unless it was a law probably less than 50% would do it.

guys like TTBoy, they'll just keep doing what they're doing, expose talent to risk, whatever.

if there was an accurate self-administered test i would certainly stock up that shit and use it b4 all shoots. i googled around this vscan test but havent really found about how to get it, or what the hahahahahaha is on it. its fairly useless to do an onsite test if the hahahahahaha is 6 months.

anyone have accurate informed info on the hahahahahahas of pcrdna/pcrrna? im doing a lot of research after this positive test in la, but not finding much

why the hell does it turn fenster (deutsch) fenetre (francais) - those glass things on your house - into hahahahahaha?

testing once more - hahahahahaha testing misspell - winndow

:1orglaugh ain't that the truth!!!

some don't even show up with make-up or a change of clothes, let alone with an HIV test in hand

this is a real problem

that is just silly, when we were in LA we worked for AT LEAST 3 companies a week.....and it was our choice...i don't think vivid would be too keen on paying for our test and then us going on to work for 20 other companies that month....and like someone else said, if we tested for each company, we would look like junkies....ecspecially with AIM, my wife has been butchered there from them trying to find a vein...

talent are independant contractors, plain and simple....and when your a construcction worker, you opay for your certs, why shouldn't talent pay the one hundred measly dollars once a month to get their tests...out of the $10K their making that month?

ROFL! Hey I just like to get paid!

agreed

&

agreed

Talent!
It is worth it to me to stay alive. I go every other Saturday, NOT once a month....

The model

Sorry, doesn't work. We've paid a couple of times for girls to get tested to never see them again. At $100 a pop, that ain't cheap. And soooo not worth it. If the girl is seriouse about the work, she'll get tested. It's her responsiblity. I don't ask the models to pay for my video tapes.