It’s a truism to say that the Web has changed pornography forever, but we’re not going to sit here and talk about the proliferation of access to adult material via almost every channel you could imagine.
It’s everywhere, and whether you like that or not, it’s not going away.
See our 2017 interview with Anna Bell Peaks here
On the business side, while the Web has presented a lot of opportunities for new adult revenue streams, this has (as loudly protested by the porn industry in general) come at the detriment of the quality of scenes being produced, according to some.
Read next: Best VR porn review 2017: All our VR porn roundups on one page
A quiet but persistent consolidation process has resulted in an amorphous amalgam called MindGeek (formerly ManWin) owning a huge number of the highest traffic adult websites currently operating. MindGeek also owns businesses on the production side too – it’s a complete end-to-end porn operator, which while terrifying in scale, is hard not to find impressive in achievement.
But with a porn landscape that bears little resemblance to the one that existed even just 10 years ago, how is this affecting the performers?
Anna Bell Peaks, a professional porn star and cam model, is one of the few adult performers embracing a more fully-rounded, social-friendly approach to building her fan base beyond a porn audience.
STG caught up with Anna Bell Peaks to see how her new approach is paying off and what lies in store for her future.
STG: I was particularly interested in speaking to you as you’ve recently launched a YouTube channel. You work on cam sites, do professional shoots and are already seemingly pretty successful in the industry. Who are you trying to reach via YouTube?
ABP:
“The best answer I can give is I want to reach ANYONE I CAN! I know that as a ‘pornstar’ with tats and wild hair I’m super noticeable in the world of porn. But in the normal world, I’m just me. I have a family and a Masters degree. I enjoy the gym and having the door opened for me. I love old cars and new Harley’s. I love anything outdoors especially the sunshine.
I figure even if someone isn’t a big Porn watcher, I’m unique in that I’m rare in this world. People want to know me, as me. If they happen to love the work I do as much as I love making it, then I’m so flattered and happy to continue for years!
I watch YouTube like crazy for everything from make up guides to car reviews to random blogs. I want to be a part of that voice.”
Do you need to be as active as you are across all those channels to remain successful?
Absolutely. I have big goals and every month I work so hard to reach my goal. I know I’m a limited time commodity, I know I’ll be too old and ugly to do this, and I want to be able to say that all the hard parts of this life were worth it.
I don’t feel a ton of backlash from the community but my family does and one day I want to look back on my decision to have this amazing career and say it was worth it.
Many bemoan technology’s impact on the traditional porn industry – but you’ve seemed to make it work. Has your success been brought about in part because of these new potential channels that perhaps wouldn’t have been accessible in the past?
I believe I’m successful because I work extremely hard. I believe anyone can be very successful in anything they do if they choose to work their ass off.
I do, because I know I’m only young and pretty once. I know time is a factor in my work and I want to make the most of every single second I have until this opportunity goes away.
Are you hearing much demand from fans, directors or other companies you work with for VR, or is it mostly still just hype right now in porn?
I haven’t been asked to do VR yet but really would like to. I’ve used the VR glasses and I find the content very true to life and I’m sure it will only improve with time.
What does the future hold for you beyond porn?
I am always looking for ways to earn money, extend my career, and make a difference in the world. I know as a porn star, my impact in the world as a whole might not be as big as if I was a politician, but I have big dreams.
I do have a Masters degree in accounting and a CPA license and do expect to use my education when this career is over. If something else happens, I’m all for it. I would love to be a mainstream model, movie star, educator, public speaker, politician, mentor. But I live life to the fullest and I know whatever comes my way I will take it and make it the very best I can be.
And finally, what are the oddest requests you get when you’re on cam?
The strangest request I get on cam is to pee on cam.Guess it’s something some men find arousing, to watch a woman on the toilet, but it’s not for me!
