The Sony VX1000, a camera revered in the skateboarding world for its raw, authentic aesthetic, has had a significant impact beyond the halfpipe. For many skaters, it’s the only camera that truly captures the spirit of skateboarding. But its influence extends into the world of adult entertainment, where it helped to shape the look and feel of gonzo-style pornography.
John Stagliano, a pioneer of gonzo porn also known as Buttman, is one of the figures who embraced the VX1000. We spoke with him about how the VX1000 impacted the porn industry in the 90s and how newer technology continues to change it.
John Stagliano filming with a VX1000 camera
What were your initial thoughts on the VX1000 when it first came out? Which pornographic films did you produce using it?
The VX1000 offered superior quality compared to previous cameras, and provided flexibility and speed in setup. Its ease of use allowed actors to film, enabling individuals with good ideas to produce content, rather than just big production companies. I shot my film, Buda, with the VX1000, and it ended up winning best video award.
The VX1000’s microphone is renowned in the skateboarding community for its high quality. How important is audio in porn production?
I preferred the VX1000’s microphone because it was omnidirectional, which was useful for me as Buttman, as I was often speaking from behind the camera. A unique choice I made for Buda was not using a boom mic. I solely relied on the internal VX1000 mic, positioning myself about 3 to 4 feet away to get good sound.
Boom operators can be intrusive. You generally get better sound with the camera’s mic because you’re facing the subject directly. While a boom might offer better audio at times, the need for more on-set personnel while trying to shoot disrupts the vibe. The cost and disruption of an extra person doesn’t justify the minor sound improvement.
A GIF of a person using a VX1000 camera
You’re credited with inventing gonzo-style porn, where the filmmaker participates in the action. Can you elaborate on that?
Yes, I am. While others like Ugly George were doing similar things earlier with a VHS camcorder, I made it essential for the performer to look directly into the camera. That, for me, is the key difference.
My inspiration came from a magazine photo in the late 70s where a woman performing oral sex was looking right at the camera. The image stood out. Later, a salesman suggested a movie with the camera on a tripod, featuring a couple introducing themselves and declaring their intention to make adult films about their sex life.
That is what gonzo is about: acknowledging the presence of the camera and performing for it. The style is intimate and real, and it revolutionized porn. At that time, the portable Betacam was the perfect device. As I started using it for gonzo, others followed suit, particularly with Hi8. Rocco Siffredi also used a VX1000, which he brought to my house in 1996. It was a big step forward even if I didn’t realize it yet.
A low angle shot of Buttman filming an adult scene
Do people in the adult film industry still use the VX1000 for its raw, nostalgic quality like skateboarders do?
No, the VX1000 was replaced by the VX2000 and later the PD150, which had slightly better image quality and XLR inputs. The VX1000 and VX2000 became the workhorses of the industry. Today, online viewership is driven by best image quality. Clicks determine content preference. The majority of viewers aren’t looking for moody or artistic content; they seek visual stimulation, not filmmaking ideas. Of course, there are some who do still appreciate that, but most of the audience doesn’t care about a story or mood, they want the high quality image. Look at John Leslie’s Fresh Meat which mixed Sony PD150 footage with super 8 film. In 1994 it was successful, but today artistic approaches that compromise the visual quality aren’t very common or successful.
A photo of Buttman on set of an adult film
Who, in your opinion, was the best adult film director using the VX1000?
John Leslie, Joey Silvera, and Rocco Siffredi, among the Italian filmmakers. They all took advantage of this technology.
Independent skate videos still sell on DVD. Are DVDs still selling in porn?
We still generate 25 to 30% of our revenue from DVD sales. A sizable market of collectors and older viewers still exists. I recently saw a video store with a selection of Evil Angel DVDs and a customer buying DVDs, while magazines in the store are ignored. It’s a strange phenomenon. Some customers are creatures of habit and prefer the familiarity of physical media. However, this market is declining as younger people rarely buy DVDs.
A group of people on set of an adult film
Skate videos used to tell stories, but now they’re more about short clips on platforms like Instagram. Has porn gone that route as well?
The internet has encouraged shorter viewing habits for several reasons. Short clips are effective. But the other important factor is the abundance of available content, so people prefer short clips as they can watch many clips in the same time it takes to watch a feature length film. The audience minds in the porn industry are the same as in skating.
Tube sites have recognized this, allowing users to upload and share their favourite short clip, which works better than long story. The way people consume entertainment has completely changed since good quality online video became readily available, like when Youtube started delivering 30 frames per second in full screen around 2005.
A group of people filming an adult scene
Have you ever had to film a money shot twice due to technical issues?
It’s rare to get a second take! Usually guys can’t cum twice so quickly [laughs]. However, I recently filmed a scene with Xander Corvus where he did come twice. It was the first time I used autofocus because my eyesight isn’t great, and I noticed I was slightly out of focus. I also didn’t feel the first money shot was good enough. He offered to go again and I used the second take. That is the only time in my entire career where I’ve used a second take for the money shot.
Have you ever gotten too close with the wide angle lens and gotten cum on it?
Today we worry more about spit and slobber from a blowjob getting on the lens. But, yes, getting too close with the wide angle lens would inevitably lead to various fluids landing on it. I recall once shooting Fallon. As she was about to orgasm, I changed camera angles just in time because the fountain of fluids that followed probably would have shorted out the camera.
John Stagliano holding a camera
If porn is consumed so openly today, why is the industry not thriving?
The rise of tube sites has changed our business model. Our core market is now made up of hardcore fans who are willing to pay for high-quality content and better delivery systems, like subscribing to a website.
However, our marketers also compete with each other by uploading clips from our scenes to tube sites like PornHub, which is supposed to drive traffic back to our main websites. Unfortunately, these clips can be quite satisfying on their own, which reduces traffic back to our sites.
Camera phones have also changed the game. Now anyone can film content without needing to invest in expensive equipment, which has created a different viewing habit. The VX1000 was the beginning of this change, giving filmmakers more portability and better image quality than broadcast television, but now with camera phones anyone can create a video and put it on the tubes. We are adapting to this change to continue to offer value to our audience.
Interview: James Lee
Photography courtesy of John Stagliano & Evil Angel
VX1000 animation by Jake Menne
