Why do models sign up for studios?

[Deleted member 57885]

Hi everyone! I'm a member hoping to be more informed about studios. Studios are something I've discussed a bit with a former studio model and see mentioned all the time on the forum, but I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts so I can get a better perspective!

Firstly, I understand studios are likely not all bad, but I feel like I've seen a much higher amount of horror stories than any positivity surrounding them. E.g. intense harassment / pressure if the model thinks about leaving, forcing the model to work (without concern for model's health) else intimidation, taking a crazy high percentage of earnings (like over 50%+), highly restricting the model's freedom of choice on running the cam, or even imposing some scams here and there. This is all anecdotal, so please tell me your more informed opinions on the matter

I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around exactly what the benefits are of working in a studio as opposed to fully independent. I understand that a studio offers usually decent camera equipment / a room to work at / maybe even some room 'promotion' (albeit sometimes against TOS like bot scripts), but is there something else I'm missing?

Is it really purely the upfront cost that drives people to enter into these perhaps precarious places (...or perhaps, into contracts)? Is it a bait and switch tactic? Or something else I'm oblivious to? Maybe there is a regional difference too (e.g. studios in Romania)?

This will differ person to person, but I'm just looking for any wisdom on this. Please correct my cluelessness!

 

[James_and_Aiden]

I think a lot of people join studios because they just don’t have the knowledge and/or equipment to start out themselves.

Most good models will leave after a period of time, but I’ve spoken to a few models in Romania, and they tend to say they can’t afford to buy the equipment.

I suppose they don’t realise they can do it with basic equipment if they’re good enough and build up, that’s how we did it.

We’ve always been independent UK models.

 

[Nigerian Prince]

People not having their own space is definitely one of the bigger reasons. I also remember a conversation I had some time ago with a Colombian model, who is currently independent but worked for a studio for over a year before quitting. I don't remember the specifics but I believe she said something about it being somewhat difficult to receive payment as an independent model in Colombia.

 

[CheeseMoon]

Is it really purely the upfront cost that drives people to enter into these perhaps precarious places (...or perhaps, into contracts)?

From my (limited) experience after talking to two latina models about this and that (and some more this and that) over about a year, their joining a studio was the easiest and quickest way to get into the business and make honest money. They both shared tiny flats with several others and didn't own any broadcasting gear themselves other than their phones and in the case of one of them, a shitty laptop. I did the math with one of them, and going independent was financially very far into the future. Joining a studio was a low barrier to entry. They have both quit now (I think).

None of them had anything particularly negative to say about their studios, even while communicating off site. I have no idea what the studio cut was on their earnings. On cam their rooms looked nice enough, and both studios were small outfits in Bogotá with two or three rooms. Couple of guys running it and a woman assisting with the on cam stuff. It was simply a place of work, for better or for worse.

 

[cbhours]

Hi everyone! I'm a member hoping to be more informed about studios. Studios are something I've discussed a bit with a former studio model and see mentioned all the time on the forum, but I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts so I can get a better perspective!

Firstly, I understand studios are likely not all bad, but I feel like I've seen a much higher amount of horror stories than any positivity surrounding them. E.g. intense harassment / pressure if the model thinks about leaving, forcing the model to work (without concern for model's health) else intimidation, taking a crazy high percentage of earnings (like over 50%+), highly restricting the model's freedom of choice on running the cam, or even imposing some scams here and there. This is all anecdotal, so please tell me your more informed opinions on the matter

I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around exactly what the benefits are of working in a studio as opposed to fully independent. I understand that a studio offers usually decent camera equipment / a room to work at / maybe even some room 'promotion' (albeit sometimes against TOS like bot scripts), but is there something else I'm missing?

Is it really purely the upfront cost that drives people to enter into these perhaps precarious places (...or perhaps, into contracts)? Is it a bait and switch tactic? Or something else I'm oblivious to? Maybe there is a regional difference too (e.g. studios in Romania)?

This will differ person to person, but I'm just looking for any wisdom on this. Please correct my cluelessness!

intense harassment / pressure if the model thinks about leaving, forcing the model to work (without concern for model's health) else intimidation <-this is not very common, some studios do have some messed up fees if they try to leave early though, usually there are incentives to work/make more but im pretty sure i have heard of some charging fees for missing enough work.

taking 40-50% is very common.

Some do have very tight rules and limitations, some dont allow any social media or outside communication for example, some don't allow the model to customize any of the apps/bots/site settings. Some let the model do whatever they want.

As for the reasoning most popular i can think of:
-Live with family, the poorer the area the more likely they live with family, some of them don't even have their own room.
-Don't have the equipment.
-Don't have decent enough internet available.
-Have a hard time receiving payments

They see the opportunity to make more money than any other local job can pay them and thats after the 50% cut so they don't care that the studio is taking that chunk of money because they can make more at the studio than they could working in say...customer service or retail.

 

[anabeauty37]

from the list of reasons .
-very confortable to work in a studio, they do everything , tehnical support 24 h, trainers 24 h, make up artists, hair dressers, u just start broadcast and smile .
-mostly of big studious are working with livejasmin they require perfect image. pefect net, perfect rooms, almost all models on lj are in studious becouse of that ,
-70% of the models do not speak english when they go to studious, so studious got trainers who are typing in their place , on lj 95% pf models are typing not talking..
i heared that big studious got special traffic from lj
lots models left studious then they write on forum that they return to studio, not beeing motivated to work home making less then half earnings ..at studio u need to be on at least 8 h a day, home they been like 1 day lazy, 1 day a visit, next day i go out ... so they need the program ,,
also those that cant affort rent, camera, computer and also beeing in the beginiing need to start in a studio to learn what camming about .

 

[Deleted member 57885]

intense harassment / pressure if the model thinks about leaving, forcing the model to work (without concern for model's health) else intimidation <-this is not very common, some studios do have some messed up fees if they try to leave early though, usually there are incentives to work/make more but im pretty sure i have heard of some charging fees for missing enough work.

taking 40-50% is very common.

Some do have very tight rules and limitations, some dont allow any social media or outside communication for example, some don't allow the model to customize any of the apps/bots/site settings. Some let the model do whatever they want.

As for the reasoning most popular i can think of:
-Live with family, the poorer the area the more likely they live with family, some of them don't even have their own room.
-Don't have the equipment.
-Don't have decent enough internet available.
-Have a hard time receiving payments

They see the opportunity to make more money than any other local job can pay them and thats after the 50% cut so they don't care that the studio is taking that chunk of money because they can make more at the studio than they could working in say...customer service or retail.

Thanks for the info!
Do you happen to know-- are there significant regional differences? I was wondering if the points you brought up (e.g. 40-50% cut being common) you meant pretty universally w/ studios or if there are locations better or worse? For instance, maybe South American studios' pay and quality of life tends to be better than Eastern European or vice versa...?

 

[cbhours]

from the list of reasons .
-very confortable to work in a studio, they do everything , tehnical support 24 h, trainers 24 h, make up artists, hair dressers, u just start broadcast and smile .

Thats a really nice one, some don't have any of that though, well...bad support/training xD

Thanks for the info!
Do you happen to know-- are there significant regional differences? I was wondering if the points you brought up (e.g. 40-50% cut being common) you meant pretty universally w/ studios or if there are locations better or worse? For instance, maybe South American studios' pay and quality of life tends to be better than Eastern European or vice versa...?

Im fairly sure thats standard in colombia i think 40-50% cut to studios is normal in romania as well. I'm not sure about other places. I know some of them offer higher percentages based on earnings and other incentives.

What percentage does the one @anabeauty37 mentioned take?

 

[Lelo1]

A common story seems to be people singing up for virtual studios without realizing it. Which suggest maybe the studio wasn't truthful, and or transparent about the processes. Especially when the model doesn't even know what studio they are with, or how to contact them. And often those models find the studio do everything they can to keep taking a cut.

Physical studios usually provide services: room, camera, lighting, internet, computer, power, tech support. They may also handle the language barrier, paper work, extra. All of which could enable some one to get started in the industry.

But the internet is becoming more common, and the cost of entry is lowering. And for some models, the added overhead of the studio is too much to bare. Or if they become popular, the service provided by the studio may not scale, and become over priced.

 

[anabeauty37]

Thats a really nice one, some don't have any of that though, well...bad support/training xD



Im fairly sure thats standard in colombia i think 40-50% cut to studios is normal in romania as well. I'm not sure about other places. I know some of them offer higher percentages based on earnings and other incentives.

What percentage does the one @anabeauty37 mentioned take?

i was talking about romanian studious, here are biggest cam studious , usually lil onces without good quality and what to offer are closing, becouse here is hugge competition between studious and models are picking the famous onces , wich are a lot . i can see on newspapers a lot of selling cam studio , those lil onces ..big once just growing and extending all over the country .

 

[anabeauty37]

i was talking about romanian studious, here are biggest cam studious , usually lil onces without good quality and what to offer are closing, becouse here is hugge competition between studious and models are picking the famous onces , wich are a lot . i can see on newspapers a lot of selling cam studio , those lil onces ..big once just growing and extending all over the country .

about procentage i give to my girls yes 40. 50% . But in my case is different . I dont offer them a room a computer and i open them an acount to start with 10 users , i offer them accounts of first page that i kill myself every day to grow them , and they work 5 h only and making 10 times more that they could do home alone , even if they get only 40% .

 

[yummybrownfox]

A common story seems to be people singing up for virtual studios without realizing it.

Yup! Those damn ads on SexyJobs.com. Lol. That Streamate studio called 'InternetModeling' was the worst. They had a contract that made it difficult for you to get out of if you did decide to switch to sign up directly for Streamate.

 

[Hybrid]

In some developing countries it's more common to live with your parents later into age, so a big appeal is just having a separate physical space to work from. Even if you have your own apartment, living quarters can be compact so you also have to worry about neighbors hearing you.

The other thing that was already mentioned is if you aren't tech savvy, the set up and configuration can be daunting if you go independent. The sad thing is I see a lot of studios don't even set up their models properly or have the correct knowledge. The microphone will be disabled, or their music level will be set at 80% and their microphone at 20%, or (the worst offender) they'll have music as a direct input and then the music is being picked up a second time through the microphone causing a chaotic feedback loop. tbh i never understood the appeal of playing music loud while broadcasting. As a viewer, I can listen to my own music if I feel like it.

 

[uzhvecher]

Studios in Colombia never fail to shock me. The level of sexual harassment is off the charts. And while some studios give the models some training, it's not uncommon to sit a new model in front of the camera without having any idea what to do, without having any idea what her tip menu says, nothing. But as others have stated here, for the models it's about economics and space, as well as a desire to keep their family from finding out.

 

[Hybrid]

Studios in Colombia never fail to shock me.

On more than one occasion I've seen new models hold their passport/drivers license in front of the webcam to get a snapshot of it, presumably because the studio doesn't want to use a scanner? I dunno but definitely not a wise idea.

 

[_pilya_]

In the philippines its a hit or rmiss depending on the studio owners, some prrovides you with everything from a place to stay, work area and even 3 meals. Of course you work longer hours, and have goals to meet up with to reach a higher percentage for you salary.

There are also handlers who can help you start of by providing you the "how to, and can guide you from creating an account to your daily broadcasting. To many, this seems not needed, but to our place where it can get complicated to even set up your pay and all you want to do is work.. then this is something many satisfied working with.

 

[Deleted member 57885]

The microphone will be disabled, or their music level will be set at 80% and their microphone at 20%, or (the worst offender) they'll have music as a direct input and then the music is being picked up a second time through the microphone causing a chaotic feedback loop. tbh i never understood the appeal of playing music loud while broadcasting.

This actually brings up another point I had been curious about-- I sometimes wonder if a rule some studios impose on the model is 'no mic audio, only computer audio (aka music).' There was one model who would say she didn't have a mic whether built-in or otherwise, but then there was one stream where the built-in mic was turned on briefly for 10-20 minutes at the beginning, likely on accident. Never happened again to my knowledge. I've always wondered if it was a studio rule in some places to avoid giving away clues about their location or whatnot, or if it was simply a tech issue.

 

[Hybrid]

This actually brings up another point I had been curious about-- I sometimes wonder if a rule some studios impose on the model is 'no mic audio, only computer audio (aka music).' There was one model who would say she didn't have a mic whether built-in or otherwise, but then there was one stream where the built-in mic was turned on briefly for 10-20 minutes at the beginning, likely on accident. Never happened again to my knowledge. I've always wondered if it was a studio rule in some places to avoid giving away clues about their location or whatnot, or if it was simply a tech issue.

I don't check Eastern European cams anymore, but I think that mostly happens over there. They get more attention if users think they are English speaking or from North America, perhaps they can raise their price. And if they can't speak English they'll have to mute the mic to keep the illusion going.

 

[SMuser69]

This actually brings up another point I had been curious about-- I sometimes wonder if a rule some studios impose on the model is 'no mic audio, only computer audio (aka music).' There was one model who would say she didn't have a mic whether built-in or otherwise, but then there was one stream where the built-in mic was turned on briefly for 10-20 minutes at the beginning, likely on accident. Never happened again to my knowledge. I've always wondered if it was a studio rule in some places to avoid giving away clues about their location or whatnot, or if it was simply a tech issue.

There can be a few reasons. The one that come off the top of my head are,

They're using a translator to type so no mic means people aren't attempting to bypass typing and ruining the illusion
They are multi streaming other sites and don't want to mute all the various tipping noise or prvt notices (usually means SOMEONE's getting a free show when someone else is paying)
They are trying to pull a recorded loop scam
They are in a location with animals or children that are making noise that can be picked up by the mic so better to mute it
They are in a group room where they put 3 or 4 models in the same room so there's too much noise. You have to remember if it becomes clear SOMEONE else is present on a cam feed it can break TOS on my sites since that person isn't usually not verified on that account so muting the mic solves not getting an avoidable ban

or They 'actually' don't have a mic, maybe this still can happen though I've never seen a webcam built without a mic in the last 10 years

 

[anabeauty37]

This actually brings up another point I had been curious about-- I sometimes wonder if a rule some studios impose on the model is 'no mic audio, only computer audio (aka music).' There was one model who would say she didn't have a mic whether built-in or otherwise, but then there was one stream where the built-in mic was turned on briefly for 10-20 minutes at the beginning, likely on accident. Never happened again to my knowledge. I've always wondered if it was a studio rule in some places to avoid giving away clues about their location or whatnot, or if it was simply a tech issue.

i said that up, is not a studio rule no mic, is a studio excuse, becouse the models cant speack english, so no mic only music and someone typing.

 

[Deleted member 57885]

They get more attention if users think they are English speaking or from North America, perhaps they can raise their price. And if they can't speak English they'll have to mute the mic to keep the illusion going.

They're using a translator to type so no mic means people aren't attempting to bypass typing and ruining the illusion

i said that up, is not a studio rule no mic, is a studio excuse, becouse the models cant speack english, so no mic only music and someone typing.

That's interesting-- so I guess if I understand correctly, it's sort of to keep up the illusion the person speaks English? I thought that even if a model couldn't speak English, there'd be a mic on, since I figure hearing a voice (even if a language not understood or poor audio quality) is much better than no voice at all, but maybe I'm alone on that opinion. (I like to match a voice to a face instead of me guessing lol )

After all, translators are pretty flawed. It's easy to tell someone's level of fluency. I also figured it was sort of just an accepted fact that not everyone is fluent though, kind of like "hey, you don't speak my language, but if we can converse well enough and I find you attractive, we're all set "

 

[CheeseMoon]

if a language not understood or poor audio quality) is much better than no voice at all, but maybe I'm alone on that opinion. (I like to match a voice to a face instead of me guessing lol )

Well same here, but I guess in some studio owners's heads you aren't actually visiting the model when you come to a room, you are visiting and tipping the studio. It's basically a pimp shop.

 

[odioso]

The reasons I've been given by Colombian studio models:
* They live with their parents and are camming in secret.
* They don't have the money to pay for the equipment.

Two of the Colombian models I followed eventually became independent. One was already living on her own (with her boyfriend), and left the studio because of workplace drama.

The other one, who lived with her family, became independent after she caught COVID and the studio wouldn't let her return to work. She's living on her own now, but I don't know if the situation with the studio forced her to move out of her family home earlier than she had planned.

Another one left but was having issues setting up her payment, so she returned to the studio.

One Russian/Central Asian model was fired when her studio found out she was planning on going independent. According to her, they refused to pay her the tokens she had earned for the period before her firing.

 

[CheeseMoon]

One Russian/Central Asian model was fired when her studio found out she was planning on going independent. According to her, they refused to pay her the tokens she had earned for the period before her firing.

"You are not allowed to quit, ever, but we reserve the right to fire you on the spot for any or no reason"
What a 100% shitty place to work.

 

[Lelo1]

The reasons I've been given by Colombian studio models:
* They don't have the money to pay for the equipment.

What about smartphones? Is that a practical option? Asking, sense some websites now offer streaming by smart phone.

 

[Nigerian Prince]

What about smartphones? Is that a practical option? Asking, sense some websites now offer streaming by smart phone.

You can use them but it won't be the greatest experience trying to manage everything in such a small screen.

 

[darcyduke]

I would never work for a studio again. i actually started out at Babestation, and then moved to Bangbabes (back in the day!) and they worked me to the damn bone. I was so drained after every shift, and when i felt unwell, they just shrugged and told me to get on with it. I had a total burnout and ended up having to stop. Things are much more manageable when you work for yourself.

 

[odioso]

What about smartphones? Is that a practical option? Asking, sense some websites now offer streaming by smart phone.

I've never asked because I wasn't aware that that was possible.

Which reminds me of another thing, all the Colombian studio models I've spoken to were introduced to the industry by friends who were already working at cam studios, so I think since the studios have these nice expensive setups, they probably think that that's how it needs to be done.

 

[Deleted member 57885]

I would never work for a studio again. i actually started out at Babestation, and then moved to Bangbabes (back in the day!) and they worked me to the damn bone. I was so drained after every shift, and when i felt unwell, they just shrugged and told me to get on with it. I had a total burnout and ended up having to stop. Things are much more manageable when you work for yourself.

If you don't mind me asking, what benefits do you feel you got from the studio? Was there anything you felt you got from the studio that is/was hard(er) to get from an independent model's standpoint?

 

[anabeauty37]

I've never asked because I wasn't aware that that was possible.

Which reminds me of another thing, all the Colombian studio models I've spoken to were introduced to the industry by friends who were already working at cam studios, so I think since the studios have these nice expensive setups, they probably think that that's how it needs to be done.

models already in studio are getting bosus if they bring a friend