What goes into filming an immersive and solo adult video?

I met adult actress Casey Calvert in a hotel room in Las Vegas. She along with the other big names in adult entertainment had gathered at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for the yearly AVN Adult Entertainment Expo held each January.

The week of the adult expo, which leads up to the AVN Awards ceremony (aka the “Oscars of Porn”), brings together fans, stars, as well as film crews and directors. With her virtual reality site HoloGirlsVR [NSFW] up for three awards, Anna Lee, Executive Producer at Holofilm Productions, also took the opportunity to book the nearby talent.

Thanks to Lee, I was invited to sit in during a VR shoot of Casey Calvert for an “upskirt scene.” Despite any voyeurism the subgenre’s name might suggest, the storyline for the video was consensual. It was also immersive and fan-oriented, with Calvert speaking to the camera as if it were a sexy fan she’d met at an expo booth.

The tech

Shooting a solo VR sex scene such as this one is simple compared to ones with multiple actors, explained HoloGirlsVR cinematographer George He. He gives me the rundown of his equipment before Calvert arrived.

A single lighting panel rests angled against the bottom of a sofa. On the floor where the actress would eventually stand, lie two GoPro cameras side by side, each with a 220-degree lens. He added the lenses himself after cracking open the cameras and rearranging their insides.

‘It sees itself, the camera, it’s so wide,” he said.

High-end virtual reality camera rigs will cost six figures. But He, who’s been a VR technician for two years, prefers to save money and create custom equipment to suit his needs. He modifies cameras and works with existing tech in order to “Macgyver it.”

The camera recordings feed into his Samsung Galaxy smartphone, allowing him to monitor filming away from the action. That way he isn’t picked up by the VR cameras when filming. He also doesn’t need to lie in an awkward position under Calvert.

The filming

When Casey Calvert shows up for the shoot, the slim brunette is dressed in a short pink skirt and a maroon tank top. Lee often likes to film actresses in the clothing they arrive in, and today is no different. But before that happens, Calvert fills out the necessary paperwork, gets a picture taken with her ID to prove her age, and gives me permission to stick around.

I ask Calvert if she enjoys performing in virtual reality porn more than 2D content. Quick to the point, she tells me she’s involved in the making all of kinds of content and that VR is “just different.”

Director Anna Lee steps in to set up the scene, telling me and the other two film crew members we’ll need to hide behind a wall so we aren’t filmed. Those lenses, remember, don’t miss much. So we will be able to hear what’s going on, but not actually see it.

When it’s go-time, Lee lies on the floor in the camera’s only blind spot. He, myself, and the other guy on set huddle close together in the adjoining room. We listen to Calvert as she starts talking to the camera as if it were the viewer.

After a long, stressful day at the expo, Calvert’s thinking of an attractive fan who stopped by for an autograph. Alone and hovering over the lenses, I’ll leave it to you to imagine how she chooses to unwind. The video will be available to view on the HoloGirlsVR site [NSFW] in the coming weeks.

It’s a wrap

Twenty minutes later, the shoot is over and Calvert takes a quick look at what her work on a Samsung GearVR. The star actress reclines in bed in order to get the correct “upskirt” view.

When I get the chance to see for myself, Casey Calvert’s skin appears silky and golden. As I lay back it is like she is standing right over my head—and I’m thinking I really need to get myself a better VR headset.

Calvert, who was also part of two sex scenes nominated for 2018 AVN Awards, gets ready to leave. Lee asks her if she wants anyone to escort and out of the building. Calvert says she’s OK, but Lee tells a crew member to go with her anyway. The place is crawling with fans and making sure performers are safe is a priority.

Being part of the VR porn shoot was an incredible experience. Maybe I’ll be so lucky next year to go behind the scenes of one with more elaborate camera rigs and with more performers.

Thanks again to Anna Lee of HoloGirlsVR and Casey Calvert for welcoming me into the shoot!

Image sources: Jenna Owsianik/Future of Sex