Derek Kage: How I Got Into the Business

Derek Kage: How I Got Into the Business Pt.1

Derek Kage didn't waste any time becoming a big name in the business. In his short time in the business, Derek has filmed with just about every major studio, filmed with all the big names in the biz, has traveled the globe to collab, and has swept up the adult industry award scene, including Fleshbot's Best New Star of the Year. How did he do it?

In our ongoing coverage of the business side of the adult industry, we are getting the go-getters in the industry to share their advice and experience. Last month, ASGmax's Jeremy Babcock shared with us how to submit to a studio. We sat with Derek and talked about how he got into the industry and what advice he has for a potential newbie. He also talks intimately about how the adult industry has changed his life for the better.

Part 1:

Before getting into the industry, how were you accessing your porn (what sites,) and what kind of stuff were you looking at?

I mostly accessed porn through Twitter/X. It was the easiest and most economical for what I needed. All I need is a little inspiration and then it’s off to the races. I had subscribed to a couple of creator’s fan sites before but did not subscribe to porn studio sites. There was something about the “amateur” quality of fan content that drew me in more than studio production—so more of my money went to creator’s fan sites.

Before actually getting into the industry, what appealed to you about getting into the industry – was it the prospect of fame, money, what exactly? What exactly did you want for Derek Kage?

Believe it or not, I always had aspirations to be an actor when I was younger and when I was a teenager. I didn’t think it was possible and gave up on the idea when I went to college. It’s funny that my dream to be an actor came true in a special way. The true appeal of the adult industry to me was the promise of doing something I actually enjoyed. The adult industry offered me a chance at a happier life. I hated my previous career and the situation there had become terribly toxic. I was truly suffering there. The adult industry was a place I felt genuinely safe and respected for the first time in my life.

What was the final trigger to inspire you to reach out and start a career in porn?

This might be a bit shocking to know, but I actually attempted suicide in late April/early May of 2022. I don’t remember the exact day. My marriage had recently ended in an awful way, my day job was unbearable, and I was in the throes of a deep depression. My suicide attempt, which I thankfully survived, made me realize I had to make a drastic change in my life or I was going to die. Shortly after my attempt, I was in Palm Springs with quite a few other creators. Grant Ducati was there and asked if I wanted to shoot a studio scene with him for a studio managed by Trenton Ducati. I said yes. I’m so glad I did because I felt right at home in front of the camera. I had found a career that I could genuinely thrive in. Porn quite literally saved my life.

Once you decided to get into the biz, what was your very first step?

My first step was to resign from my previous career position. I wanted to be free to do what I needed to do in the world of porn. I then began reaching out to all the major studios so I could find work. I completely threw myself into the industry. I knew I didn’t want an exclusive contract with any one studio. I wanted to, forgive the phrase, spread my seed to as many studios that would cast me. This proved to be quite a successful strategy as I worked for some of the biggest studios right off the bat.

You submitted to studios first, do you remember what studios you reached out to first and why?

I had met Ben Rush with Falcon/Raging Stallion Studios and developed a professional relationship with him. Through Ben and Trenton Ducati I was able to get my name in the hat for casting with Raging Stallion. It was when I filmed a scene with Beau Butler in the feature “Guilty as Sin” that I got my first big break with Raging Stallion. In that same week, someone had to drop out of a Falcon scene in “Give and Take” where I was cast with Ethan Sinns. In that short period of time I was able to work with some of the major directors for my first scenes and performed well.

I also reached out to NextDoor Studios (now ASGMax) and found major success with them. I first filmed a scene directed by Big Mike for Active Duty. This was kind of a trial run to see how well I could perform. Needless to say, I did very well and began to get cast more with the other major brands of ASGMax shortly after.

I also got work with KinkMen after Christian Wilde suggested I work with the studio. He gave me a recommendation after filming fan content with him and let’s just say I have thrived with that studio since the day I set foot in their dungeon. I also found work and international success with a studio that shan’t be named anymore.

Have you heard Derek Kage's erotica, talking about his sexual experiences?

What did your first submissions consist of?

I took unedited, full-frontal nude photos with a piece of paper that listed the date the photos were taken. I made sure the lighting was good and had a clean, plain background behind me. This is the standard for photo submissions to studios. The front picture is very important because I also took a photo with my erection on display. I also took fully nude back photos as well as a headshot photo to send to the studios. They don’t have to be anything truly special and definitely shouldn’t be edited. These pictures just give the casting directors an idea of what you look like and what kind of scenes they can cast you in.

From the first few submissions, what was the response? Did you get any critiques you’d like to share?

I always do my homework and think through a process before doing anything like submitting photos to studios. I wanted to put my best foot forward so I reached out to my friend, Isaac X, and asked his opinion on what I should do when submitting photos. He told me exactly what I needed to do and what angles showed me off the best. I honestly didn’t get any critiques from the studios as I had already figured out how to put my best foot forward. This would be some advice I would give to models potentially submitting applications to studios.

 

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How strong was your social media before submitting to studios? What tips do you have on what your social media should look like to be more attractive to studios?

My social media was nearing around 100K total followers when I first reached out to studios. I had curated quite a good amount of fan content and had plenty of pictures/videos of myself prior to reaching out to studios. I also followed and engaged with all the studios and directors I wanted to work with in an effort to stay on top of their minds. I still do that even to this day.

It needs to feature YOU. Your content. Your brand. I have a natural reaction to creator’s profiles (Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, etc.) where if I can’t get a good idea of who they are within the first five posts, then I move on from the profile. It is a really bad look for any creator to have mostly retweets of other creator’s content on their Twitter/X profiles rather than their own. This advice isn’t just for how to advertise to studios. It’s also bad marketing to consumers when they can’t see what you are offering. They will be turned away from you if you only show retweets of other creator’s content on your page.

How strong was your OnlyFans before submitting to studios? What tips do you have on what your Fans sites should look like/have to be more attractive to studios?

My fan content was getting better and more refined when I reached out to studios. Most studios will not look at your fan sites to get a gauge of how you perform. It would not be very cost-effective. As far as advice on what your fan sites should include in your subscription price?

I have quite a bit of advice that I will happily share:

For content creators featuring gay content: your fan site content should include the vast majority of your content in the subscription price. I have seen tons of negative subscriber feedback against having your content behind a paywall after someone has subscribed. Subscribers *do not* like it. You must also post multiple times a week with at least one video.

Subscribers also love consistency. I have video posts every Friday and Sunday that feature a similar style of content that is specific to those days. Every other Tuesday I also release another collaboration video. This means there is a guaranteed 10 videos per month (4 solo and 6 collaboration videos) on my fan sites per month. This is also in addition to the multiple pictures I post on my sites every month. Every now and then I’ll post special videos at random just as a little surprise.

Some of this content, usually ones that are particularly hot or with a very popular creator—I will presale for a small fee to anyone who wants to view it prior to releasing it to my main page. The overwhelming majority of my content is eventually included in the subscription price though.

 

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In your opinion, what are some of the big “no’s” in submitting to a studio?

There are plenty of things to avoid when submitting applications to studios. Do not edit or adjust the photos you send. The studio will see that you’ve edited pictures and it’s frowned upon. You’ll also be filmed in at least 4K so editing your pictures will do you no justice in the big picture of studio work.

Do not apply to studios with the intention of working with specific models. When it comes to studio porn you will be paired with who the studio thinks will be a good fit for a scene/feature. If you limit yourself to only certain models, then you won’t be cast very often—if at all.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Derek's chat with more advice on how to stand out in the biz, tips on submitting to a studio, and more!

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