Site founder Abby Winters handed the CEO reins to Garion a few years ago, but she's still involved in shoots and on the boards. In this new unprecedented interview, both Abby and Garion speak up.

adultdvdtalk.com: How do you pick your models?

Garion: We interview around 30 new models a week, where we show them the site, and talk a lot about it. Because our models are all amateur and the industry has a bit of a bad rep, they are relying on us to be truthful and honest and straight up.

We allow models to choose their own level of posing - some want to keep it nice, other are bang up for everything. We do a few topless test shots of each model, and give her a booklet with more info. Around a third the models we interview end up doing shoots, and most of these will do a few shoots of different types.

ADT: Who are some of your most popular models--your crowd favourites?

Abby: A key part of the site is that it's greater than the sum of its parts. We don’t have exclusive "stars", and we're careful to never have lists on the sites of "most popular" models. Also, our models are all amateurs - none of them make a living from the modelling, and we need a constant influx of newbies on the site.

Garion: That being said, some models we have we know we can count on for an amazing shoot, and because of that we shoot them a lot. They become very popular. Julietta, Petria, Sue-Ann, Jacki, Anneke, Melita, Violet, Jilly, Marigold, Chloe B are some of these models.

Many of them are on DVD's (or will be soon), and they all have stacks of shoots on the website.

ADT: It takes an unusual kind of person to want to pose nude (or masturbate) on camera. Do your models all have something in common that's sadly lacking in most people (like say, Scarlet Johansson)?

Garion: A sense of adventure would be the main thing. Some of our models are exhibitionists - they really get off on shocking people, on getting a reaction by being sexy. But others are verrrry shy and quiet, doing modelling for a confidence booster. Some do it only for the money, some others would do it for free. Some are unemployed, some are employed in professional jobs with a planned career path.

We have really seen all types, but we always meet new models who you'd think would NEVER do this kinda thing, and they end up being amazing at it, and loving it.

ADT: The masturbation scenes have a static camera, and the girl appears to be literally alone in the room. How do these scenes work? How much input does the model have in what will be done (e.g. the setting, the technique?) Do you give them guidelines on time or content?

Garion: The model goes out with the videographer, who chooses a specific location with the model (say, a bed), and sets up any lights, and the camera on a tripod. Because the camera is alone with them, they cannot move out of the frame, so we work with the model to see where she thinks she will move when she has an orgasm (this can be an interesting conversation).

We leave the technique to the model - part of the whole "Intimate Moments"
thing is how it's fascinating to watch the different methods people use. We ask that she be open to the camera, but we don’t give too many instructions. In fact, in one of our best IMs (Toni B), you cannot see anything more revealing than her breasts because of where she has positioned herself in relation to the camera.

In terms of direction, we ask them to do what they do normally - some will not even take their underwear off, others will get it all off in the first 30 seconds. One model could only masturbate with a particular kind of shampoo bottle (she discovered when she was 16), so she brought that to the shoot (Jade T).

One of the longest ones (on DVD and coming to the website in December) is Jilly. It's the first time she has used a vibrator, and it's an amazing 45 minute journey!

ADT: How long does it take to shoot a full girl-girl scene (considering that it probably edits down to 20 minutes)?

Garion: We always shoot the videos in real time - we start rolling both cameras, and let the scene unfold. Scenes as shot go for between 40 and 60 minutes, usually around 50.

We pretty much never shoot traditionally - call a cut, stop shooting, plan the next sequence, shoot a take, shoot another take, shoot inserts, cut-aways, and closeups. Shooting like that totally breaks the passion we're renowned for... but it also results in shoots of a higher technical quality.

Abby: As you could imagine, this makes for extremely hard work - I cannot think of any other genre in media that does a 50 minute, non-stop take, and only gets one go at it - you've held the same awkward pre-orgasm shot rock solid for four minutes, you're in agony, in a small room in summer with hot lights, two girls going at it for an hour, the sweat from your foreheads drips down your nose, onto the handle of the camera making it slippery, then drips off the handle onto the LCD display making it hard to see, over the buttons, onto your foot. Then your leg cramps just as she has her third orgasm...

Our shooters are the unsung heroes, the work is really damn hard, and you put so much of yourself into the shoots, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

Garion: So, to answer your question the video shoot itself takes as long as it takes - around an hour. We shoot the "before" and "after" interviews before the shoot and after the shoot, of course.

ADT: How much input do the performers have in the girl/girl scenes? Does the director tell (or ask) them what to do, or do the girls do what they want, or some mix in-between?

Garion: On a GGT3 day (as we call it) we always shoot the stills first, which allows the photographer to work with the models on general poses, pace, and allows the models to give each other some pointers on what floats their boat.

We let the models run the show, and work hard to keep up getting the coverage! Sometimes, the photographer will set up an idea, and let the models run with it.

When the models get to the video shoot stage, they get what's going on, and have at it - it's totally up to them.

Abby: It's funny at the start of a shoot, we tell them the scene should go for around an hour, and they're all, "a WHOLE hour?!" At then at the end of the shoot, we let them bask in the afterglow, and say, "well, that's 65 minutes - we're done!" - they are always amazed that it went that quick.

Garion: We never have a plot, but we occasionally have a premise. I think plots in porn are the most absurd thing ever. Anyone who's buying porn is there for the sexy, not for porn actors reading badly written lines with excruciating technique. If you want plot, character development, story arcs and narrative, go rent a drama from the video shop.

Abby: And if you want hot sex, check out abbywinters.com!

Garion: 'zactly. Some of our models do know each other (models often refer their friends to us), and others do a lot of interacting on the forums first (they find out the day before on the phone, who their partner is). It's fascinating to watch the interaction unfold on the forums, and to have site members interact. Heh, I guess that's character development right there! Uh oh...

Thanks to Adult DVD Talk, where this interview first appeared.