How to Make a Sex Tape

You’ve seen it done in sex films a dozen times, and it couldn't be easier, right? Some guy hides a video camera in his bedroom, then in­vites a foxy date to join him for a night­cap. The end result is a sex tape portraying their lovemaking to enjoy long after they've separated, or to blackmail her into more such trysts. When our hero plays his tape back, it looks just as professional as a movie–filled with tight close-ups and dif­ferent exciting angles. This particular brand of sex flick was conceived around the impotent voyeur who got off on such footage. But like everything else you see on the screen, it's a fantasy. Good sex tapes just aren't made that way. At least, not anymore.

Until the VCR was available for mainstream purchase, only the wealthy (or very perverted) could afford a set-up adequate to produce their own X-rated tapes at home. Hugh Hefner had one built into a huge bed at his home and even featured it in a Playboy article circa the late 60s. But with the VCR, the masses got equality and with close to a million home video recorders in use around the country at last count, you can just imagine how many guys are taping a balling session while you're read­ing this!

Granted, making home sex tapes isn't everyone's cup of tea. You may be more visually inclined, preferring to observe X-­rated tapes while leaving 'the making of' to those more exhibitionist. But watching is only half the fun! Besides, putting your own sexperiences on tape isn't as nerve wracking as it seems. Fooling around for the TV camera is fun, it's a different way to spend an evening or weekend, and provides one hell of a turn­-on (both during and after), that is, if it's done right. Ever send a suggestive Snapchat or sext to a lucky lover? Well, a video recording has a similar effect, except way, way better.

The Boring Part

The first thing to understand to make a sex tape is that you don't have to have the talent of Steven Spielberg to achieve the desired cinematographic results. You can even record on your iPhone and jizz, er, jazz it up afterwards with one of many editing apps. But performance-wise, sex on camera isn't as easy as it looks. If you're a novice at taping and don't know what you're doing, you're bound to be disappointed with the results. When this happens, you'll go back to watching prerecorded sex tapes instead of taking part in the action.

First things first, build your DIY studio. Use furniture to position your cell phone/tablet or, if you're out for the highest quality, a video camera. Think of the angles you want to capture and position your recording device accordingly. You can prop a pillow on the bed to rest your phone. Think about what aspects you focus on when you watch porn, be it penetration or someone's O face. This is your chance to curate your ideal video! GoPros can be particularly useful if you're trying to get a glimpse into hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. But really, any device will do. Now, for some Sex On Camera 101. As liberating as it is to get lost in the moment and forget the camera is there, if you're hyperaware of the fact that you're being recorded you won't enjoy the sex and you'll enjoy watching it later even less.

• Never look directly at the camera while you're "on the air." This is amateurish, and when the tape is played back, it gives the im­pression that you didn't know what to do next. If you or your partner want to keep track of what's going on the tape as a means of positioning yourselves accord­ingly for the best angles, hook up your phone or camera to a live feed on a TV monitor. The screen will depict what the camera is recording, which can be a great help in making a professional-looking sex tape.
• For a good video, you'll need adequate lighting. You might usually prefer to get dirty in the dark, but you're going to want to satisfy your horny yearnings in the long run, right? Taping under such dim lighting is apt to result in muddy colors and weak con­trast, much like those vintage hardcore pornos that still pop up time and again online. For best results, I recommend getting a softbox lighting kit (like the ones they use at a photoshoot). They go for about $100, but will add a professional look to the overall scene by increasing the brightness level and reducing harsh sha­dows. But their greatest value is in pro­viding enough light to let the camera capture exactly what's going on as he pumps in and out, or as she slides up and down on your shaft. After all, isn't that what we're doing this for? If high production value is not a must for you, then just film in a well-lit room, and brighten the video up afterwards with an editing app.

To determine where the lights should be placed, imagine that your room is a clock and that the camera is at six o'clock, with the action at twelve o'clock. Put one light a few feet above the cam­era at eight o'clock, and the other at camera level in the five o'clock position. Turn each light on and off a few times to check its effect, adjusting its position if necessary until you're satisfied with what it does. These two lights will eliminate any deep shadows, but for even more pro­fessional results, add a third one at two o'clock. Called a backlight, this helps to add a third-dimensional effect to the ac­tion.

It's all about the angle.

By now, you've probably picked up on a very important point and are way ahead of me. You're right. Making a sex tape is much the same as filming any video. The camera needs an operator. Sure, you can attach it to a tripod, point it at the bed and turn it on before joining your partner for the action. But the resulting tape will be static-there are no close-ups and everything is taken from the same camera position and angle. Changes in subject position must substi­tute for different camera angles but once you've moved, there's no way of telling whether you're still in focus, or even in the picture!

Learning how to make a sex tape that resembles an adult-film will require lots of different angles; in other words, you should consider us­ing three cameras or bringing a third party into your bedroom. It also means having a partner who's will­ing to have sex for an audience, something which inhibits some partners but supercharges others. If you're into swing­ing, you can probably solve the problem easily while adding a whole new flavor to a party. But more to the point, using a third party to operate the camera gives it greater flexibility. Instead of a one-­position, one-angle tape, you can inter­mix long, medium and close shots from many different angles, with tight crotch shots of your pride and joy. To do this, however, requires a bit of pre-planning. This means knowing roughly what you're going to do, the positions you'll be in, and the type of shot you want. It doesn't mean that you have to screw by a script, but only that you have a general idea of what the cam­era should see, and in what order.

Be sure to get your equipment in order before hitting 'record.' The idea is to have every­thing ready to go at the flick of a switch; ­the emphasis should be on sex, not the taping. Believe me, there's nothing worse than having a hot snatch (or the male equivalent) waiting on the bed while you're fiddling with gadgets, lights and buttons to get things working properly. Delays like this will cool you than you can say "Cut."

Lights, Cum-era, Action!

Unless you enjoy a special relation­ship with the girl or guy of your choice before inviting them to make a sex tape with you, whether or not they'll agree may hinge on what you intend to do with it. While there's no shortage of people willing to fool around, no strings attached, the ones that want their sex­ual prowess on full display are few and far between.

If your playmate has any reservations about making it with you on tape, play up to their ego with gentle persuasion. "You're the best lay I've ever had and I want to show you why." "Wouldn't you like to see just how good you really are?" "I want to improve my technique and you can tell me how." "Come on, there isn't a porn star on the screen who can hold a candle to you." Flattery like this will usually cinch the matter, but don't force it. No means no.

After you both agree that it sounds like a fun ride, ease into it gently. Play the footage back together to see a glimpse of what the final product would look like. Such personal feedback is a power­ful psychological tool-watching yourselves onscreen is completely different from what you both see when looking in the mirror. There may be some self-consciousness watching it for the first time, although the true exhibitionist will get off on what he or she sees. Either way, you both need to validate and encourage one another through the first fleeting moments of discomfort.

Now that you have the basics under your belt, you should be able to turn out sex tapes from your bedroom that rank with almost anything you'll see on Porn Hub. But watch out–once you see how much fun it is to make a sex tape you may get hooked on it for good. In that case, you'll want to turn pro and be­fore you know it, you'll be a full-fledged adult film star having more sex than you can handle. When you stop to think about it, that's not the worst way to spend your prime years, is it?