by Part of the porn industry emerged in obscurity, with prostitution being one of the epicenters of what is now known as “adult content”. That story was described, with some fictional elements, in The Deuce, the HBO series. That could be a starting point to understand much of what is described in Deep Down: The Story of PornHub a Netflix documentary.
The title makes its intentions clear: it is about digging into the foundation of the world’s leading adult content website. That trip calls for a contrast of times. PornHub emerged in a context where porn was already on the internet, after consumers migrated to computers, gradually leaving video clubs and magazines behind.
The difference of this website was that, through its positioning in the network, it managed to stand out from the rest. Deep Down: The Story of PornHub He quickly describes that stage and goes into counting the different pulses that the brand has sustained due to its security criteria and filters. If it were a classic movie, the complaints regarding child pornography and the uploading of erotic content without the authorization of the person involved (they are usually women) would be the crux of this story.
Deep Down: The Story of PornHub
To the Bottom: The Story of PornHub is a documentary with a formal structure. In it, different people involved in the porn industry appear, from actors to screenwriters, going through the vision of businessmen related to the business. Without abusing the morbidity or being vulgar, complex issues are addressed (child pornography, for example) and there is a relevant diversity of voices. Its main value is in its narrative approach. It tells a particular case that serves to touch on other issues related to the industry, such as consent and security.
Deep Down: The Story of PornHub,
a look at the porn industry
The growth of PornHub allowed many users, anonymously, to expose content on the platform managed by the company mindgeek. Thus, it was possible for child pornography or videos recorded in an intimate context to be uploaded and then published without consent. It must be remembered that, in both cases, among the several that the documentary describes, that counts as a crime.
What happens then? Although PornHub was not directly related to that content, it was the space where it was spreading and through those views the brand generated economic income. His place in the equation seemed passive, even if it really wasn’t that much. Deep Down: The Story of PornHub describes how the platform’s security filters weren’t as effective and the steps it took after that scandal.
In the middle of that dispute, which escalated in different sectors of American society, were the actresses and actors. They found on the platform a way to generate income outside of their work with adult content studios. Deep Down: The Story of PornHub offers an industry perspective that hears multiple voices involved. That is essential in every documentary. It does so without being explicit or promoting curiosity in the viewer. It is a production about porn without abusing it or being vulgar.
Unlike another key production in this sense, Rocco (2016) —focused exclusively on the history of Rocco Siffredi—, Deep Down: The Story of PornHub add more voices to the discussion. On the other hand, the documentary Netflix is capable of looking beyond the aesthetic canon established in adult content, by adding actresses like gwen adores. Those aspects, which could be considered ‘formal’, enhance the production.
the midpoint
Although they are not the only references that can be cited on the subject, The Deuce and Rocco are two of the most recognized. Deep Down: The Story of PornHub could serve as a bridge between the series and the other documentary. In this, the narrative point from which it starts is differential. The first has fictitious details and dates back to a distant time (historical background). The second is a very personal vision of porn (egocentric, perhaps).
For his part, Deep Down: The Story of PornHub It has an investigative focus and a global intent. By linking that perspective to the rise of OnlyFans, a valuable degree of topicality is provided. The actresses and porn actors, within USAThey are other employees. In an interview for Vice, the actress Antonella Alonso said: “Just as a person goes to an office because they are a lawyer, I go to a recording set. I’m an actress, it’s a legal job, I pay taxes. They pay me in checks, not in cash.
The role of OnlyFans
Those involved in Deep Down: The Story of PornHub come back to that idea. One that describes more than just a work practice. The rise of OnlyFans, like PornHub did at the time, changed the business. Because? Because it granted a greater degree of independence to the actors. In this detail lies the importance of having extended the documentary to that other platform, without leaving aside the complaints that are exposed.
Deep Down: The Story of PornHub It has a classic structure, attached to its format. The narrative decision of not exploit the morbidity associated with porn, but to be interested in a more humane and commercial phase, is a success. It may not entertain the viewer so much that they aspire to something else, but that is already a matter of who observes it and their expectations. Without being a memorable production, it is useful in the current context, with various platforms related to sex and the cult of the image that has been lived for years.
Deep Down: The Story of PornHub is available on Netflix starting March 15.
