Porn Studios Suspend Production

Source: XBiz.com

LOS ANGELES — Several adult studios suspended production on Monday following the Free Speech Coaltion's call for an industry-wide moratorium until more information is gathered about a potential HIV case among the active performer pool.

Evil Angel, Hustler Video, Digital Playground, Wicked Pictures, Zero Tolerance Entertainment, Third Degree and Black Ice were among the companies indefinitely on hold from shooting. In addition, West Coast Productions and numerous other producers at post time had also either postponed or cancelled shoots.

"We are waiting for more information," said Drew Rosenfeld, creative director for Hustler Video.

"No production is scheduled for this week," said Guyleen Rose, director of marketing for Digital Playground.

Third Degree Films producer/director Miles Long told XBIZ, "We have suspended production and cancelled our scheduled shoots for Thursday and Friday."

The industry trade group Free Speech Coalition early Monday asked for a halt on porn productions after reports indicated that an active performer may have tested positive for HIV. The performer in question reportedly tested at a facility outside the state of California.

The FSC, as well as its performer testing unit, Adult Production Health & Safety Services Program (APHSS.org), said that a moratorium should be "instituted immediately and continued for a time period until the primary reports are confirmed."

The moratorium would continue until possible first and second-generation exposures have been identified. A quarantine could be extended after that point, if necessary, FSC said.

The FSC said it was made aware of a "purported incident" on Saturday by a "reliable" industry source.

"According to the information that is available, the performer in question may have tested positive for HIV at a testing facility that does not appear to have protocols or procedures in place for medical follow-up (including generational testing)," the FSC said in a statement.