PROVIDENCE, R.I.—For the fourth time in recent years, Sssh.com founder and award-winning director Angie Rowntree spoke and took questions from the audience at Brown University last week, covering a wide range of topics pertaining to adult filmmaking.
At this year’s session, Rowntree identified a central question that has been wrestled with for as long as the concept of pornography has existed, "Can porn be art?"
Rowntree stated, "It's such a subjective issue. But the conversation leading to the conclusion was fascinating. People weren't simply offering knee-jerk reactions or reciting preconceived notions. Instead, they approached the topic with open minds and exchanged thoughtful points."
Other subjects of discussion included the role and importance of the narrative in Rowntree’s filmmaking; the long-running Sssh.com survey and what the data reveals about the site’s member base demographics and trends in their interests; consent and communication on the set; the "female gaze" versus the "male gaze" in adult filmmaking; what a typical day of shooting entails for Rowntree and the use of scripted sex scenes versus a more organic approach.
The session also included a screening of Rowntree’s award-winning 2015 movie Gone, which has been hailed by critics as one of the most emotional and heart-wrenching erotic works.
Following the screening, the conversation turned to "the intersection of death and porn," and the blending of genres. Rowntree said there was also "considerable interest in the nonlinear sex scene" in Gone and the scene’s implications for interpreting the work.
The conversation also included a discussion of the artistic decisions made in Rowntree’s 2019 short film Alla Prima, which the attendees had screened before Rowntree arrived at the session, as well as the use of foreshadowing.
Rowntree said, "I loved hearing their perspectives on art, filmmaking, and adult entertainment. The conversations at Brown have been every bit as educational for me as they have been for the audience."
Rowntree concluded, "I’m really looking forward to going back next year. Conversations like these are so valuable, presenting an opportunity to talk about adult filmmaking as an art form, as opposed to a business. Adult business conventions are great for talking business, but I can’t remember the last time anyone talked to me about creativity or the artistic process at once, and it’s so refreshing to have that conversation. It reminded me of what it is I love so much about making films in the first place, which is the opportunity to tell strong stories and draw a response from the viewer."
All models were at least 18 years old at the time of their performance. 18 U.S.C. 2257 Record-Keeping Requirements Compliance Statement.
