Before you start
Before we begin
So you want to be a porn actor or actress.
If you're here, it's because you want to — or you're seriously thinking about — becoming a porn actor or actress.
It sounds like the dream job: you have sex and on top of that you get paid. But the reality is a lot more complex than that.
Here we're going to share our story, what we've learned about the industry, and tips for becoming an amateur porn actor or actress. I've divided it into three parts: Considerations, Being an amateur actor, and Being a cam model.
First of all, if you've landed here directly — welcome to our site. My name is Mia and I'm an amateur porn actress alongside my husband Bruno, together known as Cherry Lips.
On this page we'll try to share our story and give you advice so that you too can become an amateur porn actor or actress: how to sign up on different platforms, which ones work best for us, and what to do to succeed in the amateur porn world.
I'm going to try to be completely honest about the reality of porn. Percentages are approximate, and of course there are always exceptions — nothing I say applies to every single case.
I don't claim to have all the answers. I probably make many mistakes in how I do things and how I express them — please don't take offence, as none of it is ever intended to offend.
Sorry for the wall of text, but there's a lot to cover.
Professional vs amateur
What's the difference?
Before anything else, let's be clear about the difference between a professional porn actor and an amateur one.
A professional actor works for production companies — you simply show up and perform in front of a camera.
An amateur actor does everything themselves and puts their own money on the line to launch a product.
The advantage of going professional is that partners are provided, you get paid per scene, and once it's done you move on — the film's sales aren't really your problem. You just need to stay in shape, perform on camera, and follow direction as long as it doesn't cross your own lines.
The advantage of going amateur is that you decide who you film with, when, and what you do in each scene. If you feel like missionary, you do missionary. If you want to film solo, you do that.
Professional porn
The reality of professional porn
Most guys reading this think professional porn means sleeping with runway models or famous actresses. The truth is a bit different.
It usually starts with a casting call — typically on Twitter — where a production company is looking for actors. Your body type, penis size or cup size rarely matters at first contact; the company will tell you what they're looking for and whether you fit the profile.
For castings you'll need a recent lab test proving you're STI-free. Once you're at the casting, don't be intimidated by the other candidates. If you can, chat with the actor or actress to relax — it'll help when the moment comes.
What productions typically look for is someone easy to work with: someone who can perform on cue and finish when directed. If they have to constantly wait for you or coax you through the scene, you're a liability — and that scene will probably be your last with that company.
If you get through the casting, your first shoot comes next.
Find a reliable testing clinic, because you'll be visiting it often — a clean test is required before every single shoot. Also bring your ID: a photo of you holding your ID document is legally required to protect against future claims.
You'll also sign a contract transferring rights. Read it carefully. Only transfer rights for that specific film and its promotional photos — not blanket rights to all future use. Don't let the excitement of breaking into porn make you sign something you'll regret in four years when you see yourself starring in a penis enlargement ad.
A porn shoot involves a lot of people and very expensive equipment, plus post-production. Don't expect to arrive, have 15 minutes of the best sex of your life, collect a cheque and leave. Shoots last hours, with constant pauses for camera angle changes, battery swaps, or a single stray hair ruining a take. You'll have sex a lot — but you'll struggle to actually enjoy it with all the interruptions.
On your first shoot, don't expect to be paid. You're new, no one knows yet whether you'll perform or whether the film will sell. Your fee depends entirely on your profile and how well-known you are — the average is between €300 and €500 per scene, but one "scene" lasts as long as the director decides, potentially across several days of shooting.
And the most important thing I'm saving for last, in case you only read the beginning and end:
Never, ever do something you don't want to do.
Don't let yourself be pressured into something because you're afraid of losing the job. But equally — don't waste the production's time. Before saying yes to a scene, find out exactly who your scene partner is, what's expected of you, and every detail of the scene. Better to turn down a shoot than regret it afterwards, or spend months unable to work because of an injury.
Amateur porn
Being an amateur porn actor
This is the path I know best — it's the one I chose.
To be an amateur porn actor or actress, all you really need is a phone with a good camera and the imagination to create fantasies for your videos.
Yes, you can go full production-house mode with proper cameras, lights and mics — but that's entirely up to you and your budget. The truth is there's an audience for almost anything, and there's always someone who'll be into what you make.
If you're a guy reading this, I already know you're thinking about filming your dick and messaging every woman in your country. Please don't. I'll get to that in the tips section.
Keep in mind that as an amateur, you are also your own distributor. You need to make people aware that you exist. That means social media, engaging with fans, and dealing with a fair number of idiots — especially at the start. But you'll also meet genuinely lovely people who make it all worthwhile.
Your brand
Just because you're amateur doesn't mean you have to look amateur. A name and a visual identity go a long way to setting yourself apart.
If you can't draw or don't know a designer, just pick a distinctive font — there are millions of free commercial-use fonts that can serve as your entire logo.
If your name lends itself to a graphic, even better. In our case it's a cherry whose leaf is shaped like lips — Cherry Lips. I love it.
Whatever you choose, make sure you love it. Fall in love with your work and everything around it.
Body confidence
If you want to be a porn actor or actress, you presumably don't have major hang-ups about your body. But if you do — forget them. You don't need a perfect physique or a 30 cm penis. Amateur porn is about reality, and the reality is that flawless bodies are the exception, not the rule.
There's a market for every body type, every age, every sexuality. Enjoy what you do and viewers will come to you naturally.
Yes, younger, conventionally attractive people will get followers more easily — but that's not your market. Your market is the people who specifically want what you have.
On penis size: it matters once you're above roughly 10 cm. Women have most of their nerve endings near the entrance of the vagina, so anything beyond that is enough to create pleasure — and if you're making a woman genuinely enjoy herself, you will make money.
Larger penises do look better on camera and allow certain angles that a smaller one can't. But that's where the importance of size ends. If the camera can't fit, don't force it — find another angle or simply point the camera at her face so we can see she's actually enjoying it.
If you're older or have extra weight — same thing. It doesn't matter. Just enjoy yourself and let it show on camera. Switch on your camera and lights, and action. That's all you need.
Camera
Your camera is the most important piece of kit — it's what brings your performance to life.
Before choosing one, think about where most of your shoots will happen and what your budget is. Don't go buying a €2,000 cinema camera if you're just starting out.
The most versatile option most amateur models use is an action camera (GoPro or similar). It lets you shoot anywhere, including in water, and the wide-angle lens is ideal for framing a full scene without a tripod.
We went with a GoPro Hero 7 for its audio quality and voice control, and we're very happy with it. The downside of action cameras is that in low light the image gets grainy — you'll need a decent light source.
Modern smartphones also shoot 4K, but they struggle in low light too. A phone is a perfectly valid starting point though — many models use nothing else.
DSLR cameras look incredible and handle low light beautifully, but they're expensive, bulky, and awkward to position during a scene.
We're currently considering upgrading to a Blackmagic camera — a hybrid between a professional video camera and a DSLR. If anyone wants to gift it to us, we'll love you forever.
Editing
One downside of being an amateur actor is that you have to do everything yourself: director, actor, editor, social media manager, distributor. If you're in a couple it's easier, but it's still a lot of work.
For editing, we use Final Cut Pro X — professional software with a relatively friendly learning curve. There's also Adobe Premiere, the industry standard. And if you want something completely free that works across all platforms, DaVinci Resolve is genuinely excellent.
Don't pirate your editing software. If you're making money from your videos, it's only fair to pay for the tools that make them. There are also solid free options — use those before resorting to piracy.
Most amateur videos on the platforms are completely unedited or use a basic phone app. If you want to stand out, putting work into your post-production will immediately set you apart. A well-edited video, even if the sex itself is ordinary, looks infinitely more professional.
Though sometimes the strategy is the opposite — make a video look like raw, shaky, hidden-camera footage. It's a specific genre, and it works. The magic of post-production.
Your first video
So you're finally ready to film your first video. What do you shoot? Do you start gentle or go straight to the deep end?
There's no single right answer, but if you're focused on PornHub, my advice is to start strong. There's a new model contest on the platform for your first two months, which rewards the highest-viewed new upload. Starting with your best content gives you the best shot at visibility.
Always shoot in natural light if you can. Videos look amazing in daylight — forget filming in the dark, it will ruin what might otherwise be great footage.
And here is the best piece of advice I can give you, for your first video and every video after it:
Don't make what you think the audience wants. Make your porn. Be yourself, and film things you'd personally want to watch.
There are already thousands of people making content they think the audience wants, and most of them fail because the competition is overwhelming. Your unique identity is what protects you from that competition.
In our case, we love knowing why two people are having sex. In almost all our films there's a story — a reason. It's our DNA. It's what makes us Cherry Lips and not just another couple with a camera.
Titles & keywords
Your title is hugely important. It's how people find you on search engines and on platform search bars. A good title can mean the difference between a video with views and one that disappears into the void.
My process: create the fantasy first, then look for keywords that describe what we actually filmed, and draw inspiration from the titles of similar videos that are doing well.
Don't lie in your title. Don't put a famous name in it if that person doesn't appear. Don't claim something that isn't in the video. You'll get mass downvotes without explanation — don't invite more than you already will.
Keywords are just as important as the title. And the same rule applies: don't lie. If you're a MILF, don't tag yourself as a Teen. Most platforms let you enter titles and tags in multiple languages — use a translator and fill in every single field. More languages means more reach.
Platform guide
PornHub — the biggest platform
PornHub is the world's largest porn network. For any amateur actor, it's the first stop.
To start monetising, you need to reach 10,000 views. From that point you earn ad revenue on every video. The maths roughly works out to around $1,000 per million views — so it's not a get-rich-quick scheme, but with consistency it builds up.
Support
Model support is excellent — though a bit slow for minor issues. For anything important they're responsive and genuinely helpful. A model colleague of mine had a video stolen and uploaded by a third party, and PornHub identified and removed every pirated copy.
Privacy
They have a geo-blocking programme: you can block your content from appearing in specific countries. You can also block video downloads, or make them paid-only — ensuring viewers either watch on the platform or pay for the download.
PornHub takes model consent very seriously. Every person appearing in a video must have signed a consent form, and a photo of each person holding their ID must be submitted. They take this so seriously that even if you plan to clone yourself in post-production, you have to notify them first — otherwise your account gets blocked. (Yes, I'm speaking from experience.)
Payments
Payment is at the end of the month, provided you've earned over $100. If you finish a month at $99, you don't get paid that month — it rolls over. Their calculation method is somewhat opaque, and what you see during the month doesn't always match the final payout.
By default, they activate an exclusivity contract that pays you 5% more on your free videos — in exchange for not publishing those specific videos for free anywhere else. Read it carefully. Also: when you create your model account, you automatically enter a two-month new model contest which rewards whoever gets the most views on new content. Use it.
There's also a model referral programme that pays $50 per user who signs up through your link.
Pros
- Largest porn network in the world
- Strong model protection against piracy
- Premium sales also go to ModelHub automatically
- Network includes Tube8, Redtube, YouPorn — auto-uploads
- Regular video contests for visibility
- Free Twitter promotion if you tag them
Cons
- Very business-focused — you feel it when you're not profitable
- Only cross-posts videos that have already been top performers
- Contests are dominated by models with existing subscriber bases
- Guys almost never win the model ranking
- Twitter promotion rarely reaches beyond their own followers
Final tips — PornHub
Don't obsess over the model ranking. Nobody — including other models — knows exactly how it's calculated, and PornHub support has never given a clear answer when asked.
If you're doing well, don't be cold to newcomers. Everyone starts at zero. Share what you know. One day they might surpass you and you'll need their help.
PornHub publishes annual statistics showing what fantasies and categories perform best, and peak times for uploads. Use them to plan your content calendar.
Platform guide
xHamster — our second best performer
xHamster doesn't pay as much as PornHub, but of all the platforms I've tried, it's the second best for income.
On xHamster, amateur models are called "content creators" — but it's exactly the same as being a model on any other platform.
They have a private chat with photo and video options, which tends to become a flood of unsolicited dick pics from every timezone, so configure who can message you carefully — or brace yourself.
xHamster is excellent if you have your own website: you can create a studio profile and attach a promotional banner to all your videos, driving huge amounts of traffic to your site.
To start monetising you need to reach 10,000 views, after which you earn ad revenue. They also have Faphouse for selling your videos — you can set up a fan club, share premium revenue with Faphouse, or sell directly. Unfortunately it's one or the other: you can't combine selling and fan club membership on the same video.
Support
Support is decent but slow — a few days to respond. They only reply in English, so if you write in another language you'll get a polite request to switch.
Privacy
Geo-blocking is available — block your content by country. xHamster has no download option at all (paid or free), which is a genuine plus for privacy. I wrote to them about 100 times asking them to remove the old download option after finding watermarked copies of my videos on Telegram — and they eventually did it.
Like PornHub, they require a photo of each person in a video holding their ID. If you don't comply, they'll deactivate your video — sometimes without telling you, so keep an eye on your content.
Payments
Payment at end of month once you clear $100 (configurable, but the minimum is $100). Same rule as PornHub: $99 on the 31st means you wait another month.
Pros
- Ideal promotional platform if you have your own website
- Model protection — they take piracy seriously
- Faphouse integration for sales and fan clubs
- Monthly video contests with prizes
- Monthly top-50 creator contest
- Relatively easy to appear in the model listing (fewer Spanish creators)
Cons
- Lower ad revenue than PornHub
- Same people win the monthly contests
- No video uploads unless your watermark matches your xHamster username
- No advertising your own website in your content
- Twitter promotion is minimal unless they already follow you
Final tips — xHamster
Don't fixate on the content creator ranking — with relatively few creators in each language, appearing on the list at all is already an achievement.
xHamster has a massive Indian audience. Mentioning that you're from a certain region or using specific regional tags can bring unexpected traffic from markets you wouldn't have considered.
Tips for guys
A word for the guys
Don't make videos of yourself masturbating and publish them as heterosexual porn. I'm sorry to tell you this, but that will not get you sex with any woman, and it won't make you money either. You might get a model writing "Wow what a cock, I want it" — but what she's actually thinking is "Another idiot obsessing over his own dick. I'll say something nice so he keeps following and giving me likes."
There are thousands of you doing exactly this. When women want to watch porn alone, a guy masturbating is genuinely not what most of us are looking for. (Obviously there are exceptions — but maybe one in ten thousand.)
If you want to make solo content, publish it in gay or solo male categories. There's a much better chance of earning something there than in heterosexual categories.
In heterosexual porn, the man is an object for the woman's pleasure in 90% of cases. Only your cock entering the woman and how you cum really matters. If you accept that supporting role and stop trying to be the star, someday you might become the next big supporting actor in the amateur world — and without being the protagonist, you'll still be making money.
The advantage you guys have is that your professional lifespan as a porn actor is much longer than a woman's. Older men having sex with younger women is common and accepted in porn. That's a long career ahead of you if you play it right.
You are entering a world that is very, very sexist. You will find people who treat women as objects, who think that because she's a porn actress she owes them anything they ask for. Fortunately not everyone is like that — you'll also meet genuinely wonderful, kind people. Take the bad with humour, don't let it get to you, and when you encounter someone who crosses a line, respond kindly if you have the energy, or ignore them if you don't.
Tips for girls
A word for the girls
You are the protagonist. Own that role and enjoy it.
Try to enjoy it for real. It might seem like guys only want to see breasts and butts — and on a surface level they do. But subconsciously what stays with them are your sounds, your expressions, your gaze. The best actress isn't the one who acts best. It's the one who doesn't need to act at all.
Figure out your best angle — your best feature — and exploit it completely. If you have a round bum, show it constantly and centre it in the frame. If it's your chest, same thing. Whatever makes you stand out, put it in the middle of the screen and work it.
You're entering a global, deeply sexist world. Some men will treat you as a sexual object. Some will think that because you're a porn actress you're a prostitute who owes them free compliance with anything they demand. Fortunately they're not all like that, and you'll also find genuinely sweet people — some will even become real friends.
Take it with humour and don't let it upset you. You're here because you enjoy it — and let's be honest, also because it's good for your confidence. When you meet a jerk, respond warmly if you feel up to it, or ignore them if you don't.
Tips for couples
If you're a couple
Congratulations — you have something professional actors can never have: love.
Don't stop exchanging knowing looks. Let it show that you're into each other and genuinely enjoying yourselves. Try not to always do the same thing in the same way. Mix hard and soft. If you're comfortable bringing in a third person, great — but if you're not fully convinced, don't force it. The video will look terrible if you're not both genuinely comfortable.
Always be yourselves — and don't be afraid to invent fantasies. The cleaner arrives, the plumber shows up, whatever cliché you fancy. Clichés work precisely because they work, and you can play any role without fear.
Live cam
Becoming a cam model
Maybe you've decided to try live streaming instead of pre-recorded videos. It's a great idea. The big advantage is fast money — more, in less time. The downside is that you're only earning when you're actually streaming. But you can realistically earn $300 in an hour, so working just a few days a week can outperform video income.
Before you dive in, please read this entire section. There's a lot of text, but nobody said being a porn actor would be easy. You have big dreams, you're chasing fame, but fame costs — and this is where you start paying. (If you just read that paragraph with the Fame soundtrack playing in your head, you're old enough to be a porn actress, so go for it.)
Everything here is based on our experience. You'll find situations where it applies perfectly, and others where it doesn't at all. It's a guide, not a rulebook.
Our experience — Amateur.tv
I stream on a platform called Amateur.tv. I know it's not the most popular and I'd probably earn more on Chaturbate, but Amateur.tv is primarily Spanish-language, has fewer users — and therefore less competition, which makes it much easier to be one of the top cam rooms.
We've also broadcast on ManyVids, but there weren't many Spanish speakers, and my English isn't quite good enough to maintain a conversation in front of a camera.
Amateur.tv also has mobile streaming support, which Chaturbate doesn't always handle well — and I want to be able to stream from anywhere, which was another reason I chose it.
Technical setup
If you're not thinking about being a cam model, skip this section. But if you're taking the leap, let me save you the hours of research I spent.
If you have a laptop, you practically already have everything. Just open the browser and go. Though if it's a cheap laptop, an external webcam is probably better than the built-in one.
If you need to buy a webcam, make sure it has a microphone and records at 1080p minimum.
In my case, I have a 27" iMac in the living room. I almost never use it to stream because with kids in the house it's impossible, and the background doesn't work for moving around freely. The thing is huge — even with just one cable it's a nightmare to move.
Searching for wireless webcams (which I still haven't found a single one of), I discovered a free app called iRun Webcam that turns your phone or tablet into a wireless webcam. For Apple and Android. Perfect for my setup.
The problem: with my phone as the webcam, I couldn't see the chat or my earnings in real time. My solution was to mirror my iMac screen to an Apple TV on the bedroom TV. Another option would have been running a cable from the living room to my bedroom — about 20 metres with two doors in between, so no.
Now I had a 4K wireless camera and the screen in my bedroom. Problem solved — until someone opens a private chat and you need to interact with the computer to accept or close it.
Bruno (bless him) solved this with an iPad running TeamViewer, letting me control the iMac from anywhere in the house via wifi. I can see the full screen and interact with it. I still use the bedroom TV too because seeing it giant while receiving love from viewers is useful — small text when you're in the middle of things isn't ideal.
The last piece of the puzzle: a remote-controlled vibrator. The most popular is the Lush from Lovense. Viewers go mad for it — they can make it vibrate by tipping, which turns it into a live game. This is usually where most of your income comes from in a stream session, so it's an investment that pays for itself in a couple of hours.
What to do on camera
The big question. From our (limited) experience, what draws the most viewers fastest is live sex, especially couples. But couple streams fill with non-tipping viewers. My usual approach: start with sex if Bruno is available, then continue solo. That keeps us near the top of the room listings, which means people keep discovering the channel — and from those people, some will want to tip.
Something that works especially well is inviting viewers to push your limits within reason — "don't go too hard on me, my parents are home." People will immediately try to make you break the rule. Use human nature to your advantage: you make money, they get entertained.
Humility and honesty also work brilliantly. If they're tipping at vibration level 1 and you genuinely want more, tell them. They'll appreciate the honesty — either by leaving, or by giving you what you actually want. Don't try to fake it; experienced viewers can always tell.
If you feel the show is about to escalate and the current tipping doesn't justify it, take the room private. Better to lose the free viewers and be left with paying ones who genuinely like you.
You can also just sit in front of the camera and chat — show your cat, talk about your day. Not showing anything can actually be a challenge in itself: viewers will try to persuade you with tips.
Amateur.tv — our experience
After PornHub, Amateur.tv is our second biggest income source. With live streams, income is fast — but it stops the moment you go offline. Using cam shows to fund your video equipment is a smart strategy for getting started.
The best thing about Amateur.tv compared to others is that 99% of the audience speaks your main language. You can stream from a computer, iPhone, or Android — as long as you're not using the Firefox browser.
Support
Support for models is excellent and in perfect Spanish. They usually reply the same day and are genuinely friendly. 10/10.
Privacy
Geo-blocking is available, and they go further than most — you can block your content at the provincial level. So if you want to block your own region but not the rest of the country, you can do exactly that.
You can also make your show private from the start. Set an entry price so that nobody can watch for free — they can still hear what's happening in your room, but they can't see it without paying.
Payments
You get paid whenever your balance reaches $100 — whenever you choose to request it. Payments take around 3–4 days to process. There's also a model referral programme that pays 5% of what your referred model earns, plus 1,000 free coins for anyone who signs up through your link.
Pros
- Entire audience in your main language
- Fast income — high earning potential per session
- Video sales also work well on the platform
- Lush / remote vibrator integration is simple
- Daily contests for extra visibility and prizes
- Easy to reach the top of the room listings
- Free Twitter promotion if you tag them
- Most users are friendly and respectful
- Can block disruptive users
Cons
- Video uploads require your watermark to match your username
- Promoting your own website in videos is prohibited
- Twitter promotion rarely generates meaningful reach
- Some users treat models poorly — be prepared
Final tips — cam models
On Amateur.tv, personality beats looks. The model who's been dominating lately barely shows anything except her cat and the occasional glimpse of her cleavage. There's an ongoing joke among viewers trying to get her to take off her top. She earns huge audiences through pure charisma — and she regularly promotes other models, which only helps everyone.
Live sex shows attract huge audiences quickly but generate relatively little income. Use them to get to the top of the listings, then switch to solo with your Lush. That's where the real tips come in.