Working with shoots, Girl-Girl FAQs

Working with shoots, Girl-Girl

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What is meant by “never zoom” in video shoots?

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Customers want to feel they are in the room with the models, so close they could reach out and touch them. To achieve this feeling, we position cameras close to the action, zoomed out wide. This emulates the peripheral vision a person has when they are close to another person (more detials about the no-zoom principle in the GGT3 Always keep viewers close to the action SDLP, 11 minutes).

To be clear, the alternate approach (being further away from models, and zooming in) is never appropriate for abbywinters.com shoots.

These principles apply to all Shoot Types at abbywinters.com.

Achieving correct framing

Camera set up

At the start of the shoot, when cameras are set up, SPs ensure cameras are set to the shortest lens lenth (widest angle) possible. This is the zoom position the lenses will stay for the entire shoot day. For Solo shoots this is managed by the SP.

IM shoots are captured using a single frame from a tripod. SPs ensure the camera is set to the widest possible frame during the set up, moving the tripod and camera closer to models to achieve the desired framing.

On multiple camera shoots (GG, GB), SPs talk to SCOs to ensure that they understand that under no circumstances are they to alter the lens length during the media capture process.

Positioning camera operators

When camera operators are standing far away from models it is impossible to place customers close to the action, while maintaining the widest possible frame.

The below examples all reference GGT3 shoots but the same principle applies when framing for Solo shoots or GBT3.

Wrong approach, far and wide

Relevant to Solo, GG or GB

ABOVE: The camera operator is standing on the far side of the room to the models. They have remained on the widest-angle lens possible (good)… but customers are no longer able to imagine they are involved in the action, they are relegated to watching the models from the far side of the room. Bad!

Wrong approach: far and zoomed in

Relevant to Solo, GG or GB

ABOVE: In this incorrect GGT3 set up, the camera operator is standing on the far side of the room to the models. To get a closer-seeming frame (to suggest customers are close to the action), the camera operator has “zoomed in” (used a longer lens). This is never acceptable.

Correct approach: close and wide

Relevant to Solo, GG or GB

ABOVE: The camera operator is positioned close to the models, on the widest-angle lens possible. This is correct, it helps customers feel like they are right there with the models.

Wrong approach: One close-and-wide, one far-and-zoomed-in

Relevant to GG or GB.

During GG or GB shoots, the SP can only clearly see the content they are recording on their own camera, but they can monitor how far away from the models the Second Camera Operator is from the action. The SP can extrapolate what the SCO is recording, and assess if it will serve customer needs.

ABOVE: If the SCO is on the far side of the room, the SP can conclude that the SCO is unable to acheive the correct frame; either they are so wide they are capturing the models and SP themselves, or they are zoomed in. Both approaches are inappropriate. In such situations the SP directs the SCO to move closer to the action, while ensuring that they are on the widest lens / zoomed fully out.

Correct approach: Both SP and SCO are close-and-wide

Relevant to GG or GB

ABOVE: When both cameras are close to the action, SPs can be assured that both cameras are capturing content correctly; on the widest possible lens, in the best positions for customers.
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How can I capture “active hands” from models in GGT3 shoots?

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What is meant by ‘Active Hands’?

ABOVE: Models are directed to have ‘Active Hands’ throughout GGT3 shoots. Model hands should never be passive – instead they are always touching, holding, penetrating, caressing, grabbing or squeezing; their own body or that of their partner. Simply holding hands is excellent, due to the caring subtext associated with the gesture.

abbywinters.com differentiates it’s GGT3 content from its mainstream competitors by focusing on showing real emotions and realistic sexual pleasure (in naturalistic, homestyle environments), in addition to hard-core levels. These principles are at the core of the abbywinters.com paradigm.

A large part of a positive real (not filmed) sexual encounter is a strong desire to touch, hold and explore a partners’ body.  When someone is turned on by a partner they are drawn to them, want to touch and be close to them. Recreating this drive to touch and grab a partner is a “tool” SPs can utilise to demonstrate to customers that while the models are being filmed, the sex is still authentic. Showing models who grab and touch one another instinctively and regularly shows the models like each other and feel comfortable with each other (again, things core to the paradigm).

A welcome side effect of models having Active Hands is that this contact also helps customers imagine what it would be like to be involved in the sex, to touch and hold the models. Many of our customers do not get to touch attractive young women sexually, and abbywinters.com is way they can imagine that. For example;

A model’s hand pressing into her partner’s thigh helps customers imagine the texture of her thigh, based on how far the givers fingers disappear into the flesh of the receiver. It also helps imagine the warm, soft skin of the thigh, the tautness of the skin, the feel of the underlying muscles.

Models exploring and demonstrating textures of each others bodies is always valued content for this reason.

The above description is what is meant by the term Active Hands.

 What do Active Hands look like?

ABOVE: This image has great raw, realness, the detail of Justina’s lips dragging along Alexandra T’s neck is particularly good. Both model’s hands are reaching for each other and are “busy” (good). The position of all the hands is excellent, and overall this is a successful image but it could be an excellent image. While in the right place, all the hands need more tension to maximise impact. Alexandra T does not need to grab Justina’s breast in a way that would cause her pain, but if the finger tips had pressed – even lightly – into the flesh of Justina’s breast, customers would suddenly have details about the breast’s texture, density and size. Adding tension to the hands grabbing at Justina’s breast and crotch would add urgency and desire for the sex to begin. Active Hands help to capture the real emotions SP work hard to create on set.
ABOVE: Kara D is not grabbing partner Katherine F’s breasts in a painful way, but pressing her hands into the softness of her partner’s breasts adds to this image: Customers get a sense of Kara’s emotions – her excited facial expression makes sense paired with the fact she has her hands full of breast. The breast squeezing also helps to add the feeling of motion into the Still image, a tool to help customers imagine the eagerness of Kara D and to confirm that this is not a posed image but a moment from a genuine sexual encounter. The Active squeezing of Kara’s hands make it easy for customers to understand how Katherine’s breasts might feel in their own hands.
ABOVE: Katia’s Active Hands on Leelee’s buttocks adds urgency and desire to the image at the same time as exploring the depth of Leelee’s buttocks, an appealing details customers want to see. This image would be less successful if Katia’s hands were just passively resting on Leelee’s buttocks.
ABOVE: Thais’s Active Hand on her own breast reveals details about its size and shape. The tension in her fingers in both her hands, helps customers understand the real emotions she is experiencing (and her small frown helps a lot as well). Her body is rigid with desire and pleasure as she pulls her partner towards her, encouraging the sexual contact to continue.
ABOVE: Directed hand-holding during tribbing is an effective tool in keeping models connected while their upper bodies are separate. Active Hands within the hold, where tension is visible, is believable and valuable. The tension in Ayesha’s fingers tells a story of how she feels in this moment in ways a limp hand hold would not. Active Hands add value, limp hands – even when those hands are physically on their partner’s body – reduce value, looking posed and fake (off paradigm).

How to achieve Active Hands

The concept of Active Hands is introduced to models before their first GGT3 shoot, in the GGT3 Info Session. Models are shown examples of Active Hands and are asked to nominate things hands can do throughout a scene to remain busy and engaged.

Once on set, SPs should remind models of the importance of Active Hands, especially if this is not their first shoot, as the information sessions will no longer be fresh in the model’s mind. More valuable than telling models this, is to use open ended questions to guide models to tell the SP why Active Hands are valuable and important – done this way it is more likely models will remember what we need.

Open ended questions

Making this “quiz” with both models will make the “lesson” more engaging and interesting. It’s great if the models discuss it before deciding on an answer!

  • What are some things you can do with your hands during todays shoot?
  • What else? (Continue until the models have each listed at least three things each, taking it in turns to talk)
  • What can you remember about how hands should be used from your Info Session?
  • Why is it important that you have Active Hands today?
  • What are some of the good things having Active Hands achieves?

During the lighting tests, just before shooting Stills begins, is an ideal opportunity to demonstrate to models the value of Active Hands.

  1. The models are placed side by side in the shoot space
  2. Model A  is directed to place a limp hand on the thigh of Model B – the SP takes an image
  3. Model A is then directed to add some tension into her hand, lightly pressing / gripping into her partner’s leg – an image is taken.
  4. Finally Model A is directed to deeply squeeze her partner’s thigh while a third image is taken.
  5. The SP shows the three images on the back of the Production camera to the models, asking them to nominate which image is best and why.

SPs “program” themselves to notice how much tension is in models hands throughout the shoot, offering verbal reminders ‘hands’, ‘squeeze’ as they work.

Technical considerations

ABOVE: Active Hands on set only add value if the physical effects of those hands can be clearly seen by customers. Lighting to show texture and form ensures maximum value is extracted from the Active Hands SPs direct.
ABOVE: Notice the details of Livia V’s hand, the lighting set up means that the veins, sinews and bones below the skin are all clearly visible. This allows customers to appreciate the way Livia is holding Yasmeena’s foot, it is a firm and deliberate grip, one that is generating real and positive emotions in both models. Livia’s other hand is just resting on Yasmeena’s buttocks, which is not ideal.