Perhaps I should have expounded more then I did, but what we will be doing is a production company from the ground up. I am not setting up a webpage to buy other people's content, but building a restaurant to sell our own food, metaphorically if you're not with me here.

I realize that the state of legal affairs in this country is about as ripe as a freshly manured field, perhaps one with hot farmer boys scattered across, and that the fear-mongers in government are waging successful wars against our creativity, and driving us nuts about decency and the impending legal ramifications, but I respectfully disagree with some of the views here on the 2257 law. Yes, everything and everyone can construe things one way or another, it is, after all, a grey world and laws are meant to be black and white. But there is essentially only so much we can do, I can do, to protect myself (ourselves) and really what it comes down to is common sense when contracting with models (or in some people's cases, primary producers.) Be diligent with your records, check IDs, keep up to date copies, check them against ID publications, etc... If one day the FBI chooses to raid my office and search my records, it's gonna happen outside my control, one way or another. If I keep good records, then I know I'll have done the best I could.

And as far as I know the current 2257 law is dated July 2006. The text of the 2257 law is quite short, actually, I was surprised when I first read it.

My personal theory is that if someone cannot keep decent records like checkbooks, contracts, and proof of age statements, or such corresponding records filed in organized and easily accessible places, ready to be transmitted during the sale of such content to secondary producers, then perhaps they shouldn't be running a business. And obviously if someone cannot prooduce valid documentation on such produced content, why do business with them? The burden of record keeping is nothing new to businesses, and in an industry like adult film, it should be expected that there is going to need to be heightened awareness.

I have spent the past seven years working in the very highly regulated gambling industry, so I'm no foreigner to regulated oversight and mandatory reporting and record keeping procedures. Frankly, the 2257 laws seem much less burdensome than other sin industries.

Re: affiliates and "the easiest way to make some sales without really doing anything," this seems to be against every successful business plan I know of, since not "really doing anything" is antithetical to hard work. Perhaps it will take some months before I understand the benefits of an affiliate program.

I completely understand, basschick, that generalizing stats is just that. I just wanted some comfort that someone actually had more then 10 people sign up the first month. I'm trying to figure out how long I need to sustain the business before the revenue makes it self supporting, or potentially how long it could be.

Anyhow, I'm grateful for everyone's input. I may come across as over confident about all this here, but trust me, I'm still nervous about it all. Anyone would be with a substantial investment on the line...as well as the thought of 2257 jail time. Going from one sin industry to another should be easy, right? Thats what I thought too. Silly me.

-Chris