PROVIDENCE, RI – Angie Rowntree, founder of Sssh.com, spoke at a class at Brown University last week and discussed several topics related to adult filmmaking.
This was Rowntree’s fourth appearance in the Brown classes in recent years.
Rowntree said the students in attendance led the conversation and asked pointed and pertinent questions.
As to whether porn can be considered art, Rowntree told students it was a subjective matter.
“The conversation that led to the conclusion was fascinating,” she said. “People weren’t just knee-jerk reactions or reciting preconceptions. Instead, they approached the topic with an open mind and exchanged thoughtful points.”
Other topics of discussion included the role and importance of story in Rowntree’s filmmaking, consent and communication on set, the ‘female gaze’ versus the ‘male gaze’ in adult filmmaking, what a typical shooting day for Rowntree, using scripted sex scenes versus a more organic approach, and what data from the long-running Sssh.com study reveals about the demographics and interests of site members.
The session included a screening of Rowntree’s award-winning 2015 film ‘Gone’, which prompted a discussion about the intersection of death and porn, and the film’s mixing of genres.
The conversation also touched on the artistic decisions made in Rowntree’s 2019 short film “Alla Prima,” which attendees viewed prior to Rowntree’s session.
“I loved hearing their perspectives on art, filmmaking and adult entertainment,” Rowntree said, noting that her conversations at Brown were “as educational for me as they were for the audience.”
“I’m really looking forward to going back next year,” she concluded. “Conversations like these are so valuable, they provide an opportunity to talk about adult filmmaking as an art form, as opposed to a business. It’s so refreshing to have that conversation. It reminded me of what I love about making films in the first place: the ability to tell strong stories and get a response from the viewer.”