Most adult films are made for mainstream audiences. Producer Sinn Sage is not mainstream, her goal is to bring new visibility to sexual preferences that were once taboo. We talk lesbian love scenes, transgender pornography and creating custom clips for every corner of the fetish world. Then, we put fries and potatoes chips against hash browns and tater tots as we count down the Top 5 Potato Foods.
Sinn Sage: 01:43ish
Pointless: 34:36ish
Top 5: 55:41ish
http://www.sinn-sage.com (Sinn Sage Website)
http://www.instagram.com/realsinnsage (Sinn Sage Instagram)
http://www.twitter.com/sinnsage (Sinn Sage Twitter)
http://www.linktr.ee/sinnsage (Sinn Sage Linktree)
Interview with Queer Erotica Producer Sinn Sage
Nick VinZant 0:12
Hey everybody, welcome to Profoundly Pointless. My name is Nick VinZant. Coming up in this episode, queer erotica, and Po, Tito's,
Sinn Sage 0:24
that's, I think, a really powerful and pervasive misconception about the creation of porn. I think a lot of people do think that it's just like two people who are hooking up and they're like, let's turn on a camera. A big part of my identity is my queerness is my attractions to multiple different types of humans. And I want to, I want to improve that like visibility. And I believe that our studio makes the best combusting videos that are available on the Internet, what makes it a good one, dedication and care to detail,
Nick VinZant 1:00
I want to thank you so much for joining us. If you get a chance, like, download, subscribe, share, leave a review, we really appreciate it really helps us out. So I think one of the most powerful things out there is seeing somebody who looks like you who represents the group that you are in, depicted in a media that you enjoy. Because not only does that bring extra visibility and awareness, but I think it also shows you that there are other people like you, and then it's okay to be who you are. Our first guest does exactly that with adult films. This is queer erotica, producer, sin, sage. So you've starred in films for about 20 years. But when did you get into producing,
Sinn Sage 1:48
so I worked in pretty much mainstream lesbian porn. At that same time, I was getting a lot of emails and people were requesting custom videos from me. So I was like, you know, I think I should start learning how to do this and see about making my own content and making these custom videos because that's money being presented to me that I'm just walking away from. So I started very simply, and I even went on my Amazon wishlist and I asked for like a little baby video camera, a basic editing program and a single light and kind of went from there. Now it's a full on production company. And we still produce high quality custom videos, very specific to what people ask for.
Nick VinZant 2:39
So when you're producing a film, right, like what goes into that? Exactly, because in my mind, right, when we're talking about these kinds of films is like you get to people and camera and you go right, but obviously, it's more complicated than that. So what kind of goes into it?
Sinn Sage 2:55
Yeah, so that's, that's, I think, a really powerful and pervasive misconception about the creation of porn. I think a lot of people do think that it's just like two people who are hooking up and they're like, let's turn on a camera or something like that. But I think it's very clear from a lot of productions, that that's not what's going on, because everything looks great. Professional, mainstream sets are very much like any other movie set. It's just that instead of, I don't know, like, being John Wick, you know, you're here, two people having sex, or eight people or 10, you know, whatever.
Nick VinZant 3:33
When you like when you contract performers. How does that like? Are you looking for somebody specific? Do they contact you? Like, how does that process kind of fill out? Do you like, do they audition? No.
Sinn Sage 3:48
Not for not for me in my little studios? And generally no, we don't do like, there's not really an audition process for this type of stuff. A lot of people have agents, that these are more mainstream, bigger production companies. And at that point, it's more just based on what you look like. And then you go and do the performance and whoever you're working for is like, they're gonna decide that's not a great performer probably won't hire them again, or they're really great. We'll help them hire them a lot. I just connect with people on Twitter, like other performers on Twitter, and then I'm like, Hey, are you in Vegas? Sometimes it's just someone I've noticed on Twitter that I find attractive. Or maybe it's someone that I've heard of as being really good, a good performer. So I'll reach out to them or vice versa. And we just are like, cool, what, what kind of stuff do you want to make and when can we get together and pick a date. Also, the testing is obviously very important. We both have to go get tested. test is valid for two for 14 days, at which point you have to get another one.
Nick VinZant 4:54
I've always wondered that like so if somebody gets one right, and I don't think that there should be some massive stigma behind STIs are they like, this is something that exists in a lot of society? But are they? Are they essentially done in the industry?
Sinn Sage 5:06
Oh, God, no. So, yes, if you contract HIV, I would say you are essentially done in the industry. Um, I mean, you can work for yourself, you can do solo stuff, I mean, only fans is huge, like, you can still make a pretty good living, like not performing not working with other performers. Also, I can only speak from my experience, which is mainly like, it is queer, but there is a whole other side of the industry that is gay male, that I don't know as much about, so I'm not going to speak too much on it. But when it comes to the testing protocols, you know, and I think even still today, where we're at with HIV, that is a little bit stigmatized. I mean, if you are on the medication, and your viral load is down to zero, you cannot transmit it. You can't pass it on to others. So, you know, in those cases, we might need to revisit that at some point in the future, but the way things are now. Yeah, you want to be able to perform with other people.
Nick VinZant 6:08
Yeah, you specialize in queer content? How come you ventured into that specifically?
Sinn Sage 6:14
Oh, because I'm a queer person.
Nick VinZant 6:20
Wait a minute. Wait a minute. You're telling me.
Sinn Sage 6:26
So, uh, for me, it's just that, you know, when I got into the business, I was in a relationship with a sis male person. I was also very young. I've learned a lot about myself in the past 20 years, obviously. But, um, at that time, in that relationship model I was in, it wasn't even a question to me when I was like, Hey, I'm gonna do this. I'm going to get into this this work. I had told him when we first met, this is what I want to do. So he was aware. And then when I was moving forward into it, it wasn't even a question of, well, should I do boy girl, or should I not do girl it was just like, obviously, I'm not going to because I'm with my boyfriend. I'm not gonna fuck other dudes, but I kind of made it clear that I liked women that I was, you know, at that time, I think I identified as bisexual. So I knew that about myself. And I was like this, you know, at 18 I'm like, Well, is this okay? Like, you know, can I do this? You know, this is what I want to do with my life. Yeah. And so he's like, that's fine. You know, I don't mind. If you do scenes with women, that's cool. Um, for our relationship, it was terrible, toxic relationship on so many levels. But for me that that was how I got into the business. And then, when I finally was able to exit that relationship, I had already been doing this girl girl only lesbian work for, you know, eight or nine years. So I now have this freedom, right? To where I can make decide for myself, like, do I want to work with men now. And I have been on lots of sets of men, I had shot plenty of porn that had my net, like, done camera work for it. And I just wasn't, you know, it wasn't something that was enthusiastically like, yes, now I finally get to do this, I was just kind of more like, Okay, I'm going to consider this. I'm going to give myself some space from the breakup, it was very long relationship. And in that time, period, I think I just realized that it wasn't really for me to do boy girl. I felt that that was kind of the direction I wanted to stay on the path. I wanted to continue down, I expanded into working with trans people as well. So you know, for me, that's a big part of my identity is my queerness is my attractions to multiple different types of humans. And I want to I want to improve that like visibility and like, give a bigger platform for like our differences as people and I'm just like one piece of that, but I'm
Nick VinZant 9:04
in that regard, right? Would your career have been? I'll put this in air quotes. Easier if you did boy girl from the very beginning.
Sinn Sage 9:14
So I'm not gonna say it would have been easier, in fact, have been friends with like a million other sex workers and hearing lots of stories and stuff. I honestly think it would be more difficult doing boy girl, um, and I'm not gonna say that that I'm speaking for everyone. I'm only speaking for myself, but there's a lot more you have to deal with in and um, I think that it was easier for me. I definitely would have have made and to this day make more money. No doubt about it. If I did, boy girl. I don't know. To me. That's not the most important thing. I think the most important thing is like staying true to yourself and the things you want to do and the things you want to be doing
Nick VinZant 9:59
when For your content, like when you're making your queer content, are you making it for other queer people? Or is it for straight people that maybe want to watch two girls? There's probably a better way. I should rephrase that. But you know
Sinn Sage 10:14
what I mean? Yeah, um, I think I'm just trying to make content for all types of people to enjoy. So, when we talk, especially about like, lesbian porn, especially mainstream lesbian porn, I think that we talk a lot about the male gaze. And I've been on so many different sets that like, I can tell when I'm on a set, where it's like, Hey, we're just trying to showcase like two women who are into each other having sex. Versus, hey, we need to see you penetrating her pussy with fingers or something, or hand you a dildo and say, Here, stick this in her, because we are making porn for the male gaze, and they need to see these type of actions happening. So to me, that's the difference between the content that is made for specifically like a heterosexual male to watch. And that's fine. And there's a space for those things, but I'm trying to make stuff that is like, That guy can enjoy it. But also, LGBT people can see themselves represented in that like authentic desire that authentic passion.
Nick VinZant 11:33
I think like my wife would describe it as Loving versus fucking.
Sinn Sage 11:37
Haha. That's one way of putting it. Yeah, I mean, I think I love i do i make loving scenes, and I make fucking scenes. But with what you're saying is like, um, you can put it that way too. I think
Nick VinZant 11:53
it makes sense. Right? Like, okay, so for me, right, right, watching adult movies, like there's certain things that I can speak from my perspective as a straight male. Like, there's stuff that I want to see. Right? So when you make things that for, from the queer perspective, or there's those kinds of things to like, Okay, people who are queer, they want to see this, this and this. And I guess what are those things?
Sinn Sage 12:17
I don't think we can do that. With queer people. Because it's such a massive community. It's a huge portion of the population. Obviously, it's a minority, but it's still, there's so much fluctuation and nuance of what people like and what people want to see and what they enjoy. So, you know, really, I'm not trying to tick off any boxes. Here, just do it based on what I want, and what the other performers that I'm working with want, from my experience. And with my fans, like they, they like to see from over here, too, all the way over there. I mean, everything in the middle,
Nick VinZant 12:54
is there kind of right? Because, you know, the algorithm is the algorithm. Is there certain queer content that does better than other kinds?
Sinn Sage 13:05
What I know what sells for me the best is definitely my strap on content. But that's because people know me for that.
Nick VinZant 13:15
Man. Yeah, that makes sense.
Sinn Sage 13:17
Yeah. And they know that I do it very well. And I do it better than a lot of other people. So I think that they come to me for that specifically. And I will say as far as my career content, like that is what sells the best. And I won't be like trance transport is having like a huge moment right now. It's getting really big. And I'm so happy to know that because I think it's been relegated it's been sidelined for so long.
Nick VinZant 13:49
Give me some leeway asking this question. Because I'm going to try to actually ask it from like an honest place of curiosity and interest, but I feel like I'm going to phrase things the wrong way. So when we talk about like, trans porn, that's generally men in men, women in women, like, you know this better than I guess, can you explain? Right? Can you explain? Explain that to me,
Sinn Sage 14:18
so a trans trans woman, and then there's trans men. So trans just means like, opposite. So that's why we came up with the word sis for people who don't identify as trans for people that identify as the sex they were assigned at birth. Because this means same and trans means like, opposite or whatever. So.
Nick VinZant 14:43
So a trans woman may have been a assigned male first, a biological male that is identifies as a woman is that right?
Sinn Sage 14:55
Um, the word like we use the word biological like
Nick VinZant 15:00
this, yeah, it's sticky, right? Just say assists. Okay? Yeah, this where I kind of,
Sinn Sage 15:07
I'm gonna tell you. Okay, yeah, I will be someone who was assigned male at birth, or assigned female at birth. Okay. And so now they are that they're the opposite of that. So a trans woman was assigned male at birth. And now a trans man was assigned female at birth and now identifies as a man. And then of course, we have non binary people who fall somewhere in between.
Nick VinZant 15:39
Do you think that can feed that confusion about it? Yeah, does that kind of has that kept it? Like what kept it because obviously, these people, and I don't mean that in that kind of way. But obviously, trans people have been with us for a very long time. Oh, is it just now? Like, why is it just now that we can openly talk about,
Sinn Sage 16:00
oh my gosh, because, you know, even that sometimes it seems like they're like, We are now in an age where I think the internet has helped a lot with us, too. We're being made aware that people are different. And that that is okay. So, whereas in the past, I mean, God, just think about the 90s. Like, Ellen coming out was this huge fucking deal just for her to be able to say I'm gay, not gay people have always existed. But it has been demonized. villainize punishable by death. To this day, there are countries on this planet where if you are gay, and they find out you will be executed. So this thing about being different being wrong, and about not understanding someone being afraid, which turns to hate. So I think now that we're just like, we're trying to make progress. We're trying to make economic progress. We're trying to make racial progress. We're trying to make gender and sexuality like, be accepting of human beings for being who they are. And not like other them. And you know, I think that we're, it's amazing how far we've come. But anytime progress happens, there's this like, very powerful backlash. And so we're obviously seeing that too. But I think that's the reason why, like, we're talking about it now. Because it is becoming more acceptable to just be who you are, and celebrate that.
Nick VinZant 17:43
But have you do you continue to see backlash from the kind of content that you put out there? Right, are there still you go to you go to John Smith, the head of a major porn company? And he says, None in my watch?
Sinn Sage 18:01
Oh, no, because the thing about porn is they follow the money, and they don't give a fuck what it is as long as it's profitable. So, I mean, I think when it comes to transforming the issue, previously, in past times, has been more along the lines of just fetishizing it and making it like, this is the little area for like the weirdos. Whereas now we're just like, No, these are actual human beings, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Because now we have, like, even just look at the awards show categories, like trans awards are being added as categories in places where they weren't before. And trans people are kind of demanding representation in this industry in a way that they never had before. So this is a big shift that's happening here in this industry. And I hope that it's like spreading out into the world, because that's the bigger goal. And that's kind of like what I want to be using my platform to do is, you know, yeah, I'm using porn to, like, hopefully help make the world a better place.
Nick VinZant 19:10
No matter what, no matter what somebody says, right, those two kind of statements is like, you follow the money. There's a there's a level of honesty there at the very least, right? And
Sinn Sage 19:23
a positive side effects.
Nick VinZant 19:25
Right, right. Yeah. And everybody, you know, people could say like, well, is adult films, the best way to spread the message while everybody watches them?
Sinn Sage 19:35
If I can explain to you like, the types of emails that I get from people. It's Yes, of course, there are times that people are like, Oh, hot mama with amazing ass. I love to watch you fuck. Cool. Thank you so much. That's awesome. But then I get I mean, over the past, you know, 15 years or so like these emails that I get from a lot from women who are just like I never watched porn. because it all looked like it was made for guys, and all it's fake, then I found your work. And I can't tell you how you have made me feel more empowered and free to truly express myself and come out of the cloud, how people told me to come out of the closet from watching my work, and that they're like, on their way to a better life for themselves, just from like, following me and the things I do and say, on the internet. And so, to me, that's like, the most fulfilling part, like, the money is good, because it's nice to be able to feed myself and have a house and stuff, but but the part that like, nourishes my soul, is this kind of feedback from people. And they're just like, you know, it might seem like it's nothing or like, it's just entertainment to get off to or whatever. And, you know, there's a lot of that. But at the same time, there are some people who are connecting with it on a deeper level, and it's very, very meaningful for them. And it just bothers me that so many people in the world can just discount that experience that real experiences some people have,
Nick VinZant 21:10
are you ready for some harder slash listener submitted questions? Oh, yes. Love that. When as a producer, where do you generally make most of the money off of a film, I
Sinn Sage 21:21
mean, my main places where I sell my content are actually clip stores. So I sell them as like, it's, it's funny, just like, the terminology is weird. Like, so there's a film, when I hear film, I think of like a four scene movie, like, you put four scenes together, you call that a film, call that a movie. And I do make those, I sell them on my website. And I, you know, money's, okay, it's like a bit of extra every month, but like, most of my income comes from selling the scenes that I make, like individually in clip stores. And if you don't make the money off of like just the scene, really, it's the fact that I have, you know, like 800 clips in my stores. And so every month that adds up to like, a good amount, and I produce custom videos. So I would say that's maybe like a third of the income, just like so the customer paying me directly to produce the same for them of what they want. I also then sell those on my club stores. And then the fan sites, so the only fans, that would be the other place? I guess the answer that question is really like, there is not one place where I make the most money. My income comes from having my hand in like several different pots
Nick VinZant 22:49
for a clip, right, like a good selling clip, that would sell how many?
Sinn Sage 22:54
If I sell maybe, you know, 20 or more of a clip, I would say it's sold pretty well. But it depends on the price of the clip too. So for example, I have this one clip that I made when I was first making clips, and it's my cheapest clip ever I think I sold for I think the lowest you can charge is like 399. Um, and it's a very niche sort of fetish. And I've sold like, maybe 500 copies of that, maybe more, I don't even know. But I think that's because it was so accessible and cheap. But then I have a clip, you know, that's maybe like 30 bucks, because it's like a 40 minute like lesbian clip with all different sex acts and stuff like that. You know, and so, if I only sell five of those, well, that's okay. Because it was more expensive clip.
Nick VinZant 23:48
It's a numbers game at the end. Yeah.
Sinn Sage 23:52
It's like this gaping hole. It's like a sarlacc pit if you know Star Wars, and you just have to, like throw content into it. And it is hungry, and it needs to be fed multiple times a week, and you just do it. You just gotta keep pumping out the content. And that's how you make a sustainable living.
Nick VinZant 24:13
Do you ever feel like oh my god, I can't have sex anymore though.
Sinn Sage 24:17
I think I'm just excited to be having sex with someone.
Nick VinZant 24:23
I think we all feel like that at the end of the day, no matter what your gender or sexuality or just all excited to be having sex with you and we all have that in common and we can cherish that and move forward as society a favorite type of scene.
Sinn Sage 24:41
My favorite type of scene is really just working is when the other performer is as into me as I am into them. So I like oh, and other performers like enthusiastic when they're like excited to be working with me. Man, especially when they just like say one nice thing about me being because listen, every time I approach a scene with a with another performer, I'm like, Oh my God, I hope they think I'm like pretty enough to be having sex with or I hope they think I'm, you know, like, hot enough or whatever. Like, I always still feel like shit, man, I can't believe I get to do this, like, so. Anytime they can give me a little a little nugget that says it like they want to be doing this with me, then I'm like, Yes. And those are my favorite types of
Nick VinZant 25:37
men most What is your most frequent request? Oh,
Sinn Sage 25:42
like strap on? For sure. Yeah, okay, that's probably it.
Nick VinZant 25:47
I think this for the same person to your most interesting request.
Sinn Sage 25:51
I've done a lot of really weird and interesting customs. Um, one of them, for example, was this German fellow, and he wanted another girl and myself in lingerie, and we put on rubber dish gloves. And we have like a bucket of soapy water. And then we have these little Monster High dolls are kind of like, like mini Barbie kind of dolls. And we like punch and slap the dolls. And when we twist their hair, the dolls are like, that's how they get off sexually. And we're also dunking them in the water. And like abusing them kind of. And that was like a 30 minute video. And then the second one he got was basically the same thing. But then he also wanted us to cook eggs on the stove. And I guess, like taught the dolls that they didn't get to have any of the eggs.
Nick VinZant 26:55
There is no limit to my personal opinion. As long as you're not hurting people against their will, however you get down is however you get down
Sinn Sage 27:04
100% As long as everyone consents to it, I don't. Yeah, I really don't care. As long as it's all consenting adults, you go ahead and do it. And you asked me to make a custom. And I have no problem doing that.
Nick VinZant 27:18
Well, I guess when was the last time though, that you like you were surprised? Like who? I had never heard of that before?
Sinn Sage 27:24
10 or 10 years ago?
Nick VinZant 27:27
Oh, good. Point, right. Yeah,
Sinn Sage 27:29
I would say that that. Just what the dish glove one that I just described described to you. I had never heard of that before. So that was maybe five years ago. But at the same time, too. There are like little fetishes within that video that I did. I have heard of and made lots of like, you know, I kind of figured it's all psychological, right? So in in my head, I'm like, Okay, this guy's mom used to do dishes with these rubber dish gloves. And so that's why he likes the squeaky sound. And he wanted us to use Monster High dolls because he wants to pretend like we're giant Tess's. And that's like a very common fetish. So you know, I'm just kind of piecing together a little things to sort of understand what we're making. So even though it's not, for me, um, I think that's why we make pretty good custom videos is because we try to understand like, what it is that the fan is asking for, sometimes the quote unquote normal customs are like the most boring ones for me to make, or just not interesting. You know, a Goi is like a jerk off instruction. And I made so many of those and they're very tedious and they're all the same and that's boring.
Nick VinZant 28:48
This one, okay, I don't know if you do this or not, but this person send this thing in. What's better? Okay. I was raised not to say this word. So I can literally not get this word out of my mouth. But it starts with See, there's
Sinn Sage 29:04
always a concern. Yes. My favorite word.
Cancer. I was like,
Nick VinZant 29:11
I wonder where's that? But that kind of busting or ball busting?
Sinn Sage 29:18
Well, I so I don't make ballbusting videos because I don't have a model. So I would need a male model who was okay with getting kicked in the balls. But I don't get asked for that either. So it's not like I don't make them because I have a problem with it. I've done it. I've performed in ballbusting videos before spine. And it's wild. Like to me that is wild. Like man, I keep this guy and he's like, Do it harder. Do her. I'm like, okay, and I keep him so hard in the balls. Like he started bleeding. He's like, you're fine. You're fine. You're fine. I was just like, fucking Wow, this is insane. But I'm like, as I want to come back the videos we make. I mean I believe that our studio makes the best combusting videos that are available on the internet.
Nick VinZant 30:07
How do you make what makes it a good one?
Sinn Sage 30:12
A dedication and care to detail, we do close ups of the the action. And we get facial reactions, we add in sound effects. So like so my husband is my editor, a lot of combusting companies like leave one of these things out. But we do it all. So we get several angles of a particular kick or punch. And then we have facial reactions. So there's a lot of action is very dynamic. And then takes my husband anywhere from three to six hours to edit one of those because he is literally sitting there going like frame by frame for each connection that happens. And putting in like different kickin punch sound effects, like they're all different. And it just, it makes it look like a real movie, you're getting that real experience out of it. And then like when we we do the kicks, it's always barefoot. And we do make connection. But it's there's like, it's basically, I also produce a lot of like a wrestling and fighting type of content as well. And you just learn. It's like doing stunt work. It's like being a stunt worker, or whatever. So you learn techniques and ways of pulling your punches, pulling your kicks. So it's like they do make contact, but you're not going like full force. So it just looks really real. And I got in that sound effect. That sounds really real, the reactions are really real. And so yeah.
Nick VinZant 31:57
Is it from it now? Who's wanting to see it? Or the men wanting to see it? Or do the women want? Like good? Is it for men or for women?
Sinn Sage 32:05
We're talking about a very specific fetish. So the people who, like I'm not producing this for myself, and I'm not producing this like to be like, hey here for mass consumption, I guess, right? I'm producing for people who specifically go to a site like clips for sale, and they type in the search bar cut bussing, and that is what they want to see. I would say, if I were to guess it's 99.5%. A male audience.
Nick VinZant 32:41
That's honestly pretty much all the questions that I have is kind of what's what's coming up next for you.
Sinn Sage 32:47
Yeah, so Okay, so my studio produced a trans lesbian movie called sins, trans lesbian lovers. And that came out, I want to say like September, and that got nominated for an AVN award. So that was very exciting. Um, I will say that is my first production of a film that I made, that has gotten nominated for an avian award. I've won two avian awards, but that was my work as a performer. So do not think I have a chance of winning because I'm up against, you know, studios that have $20,000 cameras and shit, but just the fact that like, I'm getting that recognition as a creator and a performer for that film is very special to me. So that's very exciting. Those awards take place at the end of January. Um, and beyond that, I don't know. Whatever. I got my only fans going on, I put content on there every single day. I'm producing content and clips all the time for my many vids store, and my clips for sale store. And my website is sin dash sage calm. And that is where you can go and inquire about custom videos. I have an FAQ. It's very extensive answers all the questions about customs and a form you can fill out. There's information about all the films that I've been there, too. And, um, yeah, I think that's it.