In some ways, what goes on in the LA porn scene really has nothing to do with what Peggy and I do. A typical porn director shoots more sex in a week than Peggy and I have shot in the 15 years that we’ve been inviting couples in front of our camera, and it’s the ferociously high volume of sexual contacts upon which “the industry” is predicated that makes the testing regime so vulnerable. With the benefit of hindsight, we know Darren James was working with an up-to-date PCR test that did not show his actual HIV status, and went on to infect three women (out of about 15 scene partners) before his infection was detect. Alter the time table by another week and he easily could have infected three more.

Perhaps some feel this most recent incident is evidence of the system working, but I just don’t see it that way. Because of the mechanics of transmission, the most urgent threat is the transmission of HIV acquired by male talent during their off-set activities and transmitted to female talent before their infection can be detected. The AIM protocols have a 100% failure rate in this regard. The have never detected an HIV infection in active male talent before that infection could be passed to female scene partners.

I just don’t ever see this happening, and neither do I see any legal mandate ever becoming law, and if it did, my conservative “law of unintended consequences” mind thinks it might very well be disastrous.

No do I think censure will ever have a meaningful effect. This is a population that no one cares about, not “fans”, not producers, and maybe even not themselves.

All I can do is make my films, and explain why I make my films the way I make them, and entreat those who hope for the same world that I hope for to think about the choices they make.

Mandatory condom use, enforced by law, would be a disaster. But the major production companies really have to just get over themselves and make it a no-fault option.