What is the truth about Romanian cam studios?

[giovanni0421]

Introducing myself - I am Johann from Germany and new to the forum as you all can probably see

A Romanian girls who is a good friend of mine is considering to work in a cam studio. And I wonder if this is a good decision. I searched for information on different websites and it seems that many studios are exploiting and scamming girls.

Some questions that I have in my mind are:

• Why are girls working in studios at all if they could do the same work from home and keep all money for themselves instead of sharing it with the studios?
• Does it happen that girls are forced to sex by their bosses or forced to prostitution?
• How much money are they really making in average - is it even possible that they are leaving the studios with debts?

I would really be thankful about all information about work in Romanian cam studios, not limited to the questions above.

Thanks to all!

 

[Sevrin]

Models who go to work at studios generally do so because their living arrangements don't allow them the freedom to cam. Lodging can be very expensive in major cities, and a lot of cam models still live with family.

I'd suggest that your friend does her own research about camming. Here's a Romanian message board she can start with.

http://www.adultvideochat.ro/forum/

 

[Snowie1969]

1) it is a bit of a mix of being naive at one part and circumstances on the other. A lot of studio models are being lured with the idea that they are going to do something else and that it can pay thousands of dollars.. And once they have started to work for the studio, they are kept in the dark about things.. Now, few do figure things out and leave the studio as soon as it is legally possible. And, there is, as Sevrin pointed out, the matter of not having the privacy to cam from home.

2) Whenever people do sexwork there sadly is always a chance of abuse. Now, some sites try to make this as hard as possible by not allowing males on cam etc but it does happen that a boss wants to 'test' things first etc.

3) I have heard several figures going round but expect the studio to keep about 70% of all income generated. so that is only 15% of all money on mfc for the model or 9% on a site like Streamate

I hope this helps.

 

[Phoenix4987]

Introducing myself - I am Johann from Germany and new to the forum as you all can probably see

A Romanian girls who is a good friend of mine is considering to work in a cam studio. And I wonder if this is a good decision. I searched for information on different websites and it seems that many studios are exploiting and scamming girls.

Some questions that I have in my mind are:

• Why are girls working in studios at all if they could do the same work from home and keep all money for themselves instead of sharing it with the studios?
• Does it happen that girls are forced to sex by their bosses or forced to prostitution?
• How much money are they really making in average - is it even possible that they are leaving the studios with debts?

I would really be thankful about all information about work in Romanian cam studios, not limited to the questions above.

Thanks to all!

Some begin to work in a studio because they don't have the equipment at home.

Does it happen? Probably. I've read "stories" on the internet as well. But she should research the studio she wants to work for as much as possible and ask the girls that already work there.

The studio will take its share of the earnings that will be outlined in the contract she has to sign. She'll eventually earn enough to leave the studio and go on her own. All of the ro girls I know that used to work in a studio, now work happily from home.

Not all studios are these backdoor brothels run by the mafia who mistreat the girls who work there. There are horror stories, sure, but she just has to do her research on her end and she can start her stint in camming. The studio one of my friends worked at was run by an all female staff and guys weren't allowed anywhere near the premises. So, don't let your White Knight syndrome scare the living hell out of a girl who could potentially earn a decent living, move home and save up for all the nice things girls want: car, house, etc.

 

[Ambers Troll]

I'll tell you what I have heard of Romanian studios.

I have heard that there are some pretty nasty contracts out there, especially in terms of performance goals set by some studios. They can take some pretty heavy cuts of a models earnings. If you do well they usually take a smaller share, most studio models chase this target to collect a bigger share rather than one they set for themselves. (As a guesstimate many studios take about 30% down to 10% of what a model would earn being solo. (I have heard of as high as 60%, but I think she meant off total earnings.)

They all will have contracts that last for a set period of time, where you can't work as a model if you break your contract. It used to be between 3 and 6 months. Many models have found ways to bypass their contract, so what some studios do now is to help the model transition to being able to work at home which works out better for everyone.

I know of a model who got pregnant to a studio owner, but they were close, so sex not exploitation.

Studios provide almost everything, they will usually partner you up with one or two other models to learn how to earn on cam and show you the basics. If things go wrong the studio can get you a new name and allow you to start over. It is in the studios interest to support the model as best they can but also to control costs.
There are some pretty tight rules on hygiene and behaviour. Some of the rooms are also pretty pitiful, partitioned, or lacking privacy, that must take some getting used to.

As a member I am not especially concerned about the share most studios takes from me when I spend on a model. Most models do leave the studio after they have learned/ earned what they need.
The other models they meet usually more than make up for what it cost starting at a studio. Ex-studio models rarely work alone when they go solo, they tend to bring support with them.

For the studio option, I would suggest to your friend to read her contract, ensure that the support they offer is realistic, meet some other models, and consider how she will transition to going solo if she wants to do that. I would recommend that the goal be to transition to working solo, when you do well over 10% is a lot of money.

For the solo option, do the work, and do your research. She will have to save up to get the correct standard of setup before even considering being a model. The solo option is ultimately better, so long as you can get your investment in time and money back.

 

[Deleted member 35180]

OP I don't know about your second two questions but 3 things I haven't seen yet in response to the first; a. I'm under the impression that some studios tip the shit out of their new models to raise their camscore, thus giving them an instant advantage out of the gate. b. Even the models that can work from home might want to separate their home and work spaces. c. Girls may not want potential stalkers coming to their home, if where they were camming from/taking pictures from was tracked down, a studio would be better if this were to happen.

 

[Dan N]

Tho I am not a webcam performer I do collaborate with some studio managers from Romania.
Yes, there are bad managers and good managers, there are studios who focus on model's brand and personal needs (exemplary studios with good behavior -- which support the model and not taking advantage or exploit) and like everywhere else there are bad apples, studio managers with bad intentions taking advantage of their models in a very rude way. In my 10 years of collaboration with various studios I had never encounter (or heard of) "bosses" who exploit sex-workers like human trafficking, classic prostitution, sexual benefits for the "boss" or tech team ... I don't say it doesn't exist because it will be far from true.
Smaller affiliate studios with no legal form managed by so called studio managers are the ones to be avoid.
Now Romania has a legal-base structure for this activity and any illegal stuff or irregularities can be reported by sex-workers to certain institutions (or even the police) which act with full power of the law.
I can not suggest a certain studio but I can make the same suggestion as @Sevrin

@Ambers Troll --- lol... the sheep is not so black as you heard... Sometimes models do complain to their premiums in order to make more money (receive more tips, or even suggest to premiums other methods of payment or donations outside the camming platform), its a well known fact.
I want to give an example if I may, BlueLaguna studio was my first romanian collaboration studio, Vlad Barsan, the manager didn't took any commission from model's revenue (10 models + 1 trainer + 1 tech guy) but he's cut was from advertising ... a small "boutique" network with almost 40 websites ... from there he paid salary to non-models staff including my projects.
Bottom line, there are good guys and bad guys, good practices and bad practices and not only on Romania.
Search, inform yourself, contact, ask for as many details as possible, analyse/compare and take a decision based on what you know.

 

[mynameisbob84]

This is probably something she needs to research herself, yo.

 

[giovanni0421]

First I'd like to thank all members for the very detailed replies to a new member here I only had now the chance to log in after I opened the thread and I was really surprised by the number and quality of replies.

@Dan202: How I understood from other replies, studios are mostly providing the infrastructure (rooms, technical equipment) that models need to do their work. As you mentioned "support" - is there anything else that studios are offering to models? Means are there more benefits than the infrastructure?

There are many studios in other European countries like Russia but it seems that Romania has an exceptional high number of studios. Is this true and why?

Sexual abuse is something that can happen in all jobs especially to young and attractive women. And like in all areas it might be a sad exception also in studios. My concerns might be a bit the result of a "White Knight syndrome" as @Phoenix4987 mentioned. I read some bad stories before I opened the thread.

 

[Dan N]

@Dan202: How I understood from other replies, studios are mostly providing the infrastructure (rooms, technical equipment) that models need to do their work. As you mentioned "support" - is there anything else that studios are offering to models? Means are there more benefits than the infrastructure?

There are many studios in other European countries like Russia but it seems that Romania has an exceptional high number of studios. Is this true and why?

Sexual abuse is something that can happen in all jobs especially to young and attractive women. And like in all areas it might be a sad exception also in studios. My concerns might be a bit the result of a "White Knight syndrome" as @Phoenix4987 mentioned. I read some bad stories before I opened the thread.

Good studios offer more than tech stuff, for example training, access to fitness/gym and other stuff, but those studios are run by experienced managers with years of experience.

"There are many studios in other European countries like Russia but it seems that Romania has an exceptional high number of studios. Is this true and why?"
I don't have a 100% correct answer to this because I didn't documented myself about it, but in my opinion this happened because there was no legal base for this type of work/activity (or if it was, it was vague and interpretable) so "smart guys" took advantage of this with legal and not so legal affiliate (or non affiliate) studios.
Just now I have noticed that after so many years in this activity I don't have other friends who are not involved in a way or another with webcaming ... .... dang!

 

[Snowie1969]

First I'd like to thank all members for the very detailed replies to a new member here I only had now the chance to log in after I opened the thread and I was really surprised by the number and quality of replies.

@Dan202: How I understood from other replies, studios are mostly providing the infrastructure (rooms, technical equipment) that models need to do their work. As you mentioned "support" - is there anything else that studios are offering to models? Means are there more benefits than the infrastructure?

Quite common for good studios is to have regular professional photo shoots with the models so they can spice up their profiles. And I wouldn't be surprised if some studios have professional make-up people ready for the models etc. Not to mention things like lunch/ dinner and drinks (mostly coffee/ tea/ water, alcoholic beverages are usually on the model herself).

But yeah, let her do research.. talk with the other models and all...

 

[giovanni0421]

It's really great to hear that some good studios care so well about their models. In the meantime my friend did some research and she found an average studio and talked to a few models that actually want to become independent but don't know how to do ...

So she had another idea: Help the models to help themselves and make it possible for them to open a kind of "self organized mini-studio". But this costs money to start and so I opened a fundraising campaign at https://gogetfunding.com/help-romanian-webcam-workers on her behalf.

Could this be a good idea? Maybe it will help more models in the future that want to work independently.

 

[Sevrin]

Your crowd-funding platform, like most crowd-funding platforms, doesn't allow adult services.

I think that you are getting too involved in this, especially for someone who lives in another country and knows so little about the business. This is white-knightery of the highest order. It would be better for the models to organize this kind of thing for themselves. Not only are they capable, but they will have a greater personal stake in its success if they alone are responsible and reap all the benefits.

 

[Gen]

Your crowd-funding platform, like most crowd-funding platforms, doesn't allow adult services.

I think that you are getting too involved in this, especially for someone who lives in another country and knows so little about the business. This is white-knightery of the highest order. It would be better for the models to organize this kind of thing for themselves. Not only are they capable, but they will have a greater personal stake in its success if they alone are responsible and reap all the benefits.

I wish I could hit "agree" like fifty more times but since I can't, I'm quoting to emphasize how right @Sevrin is.

Also your line about Mafia-owned studios is kind of obnoxious considering you had to start a thread this week to learn what studios even do, and you have no direct experience with even one of the 2,000+ you say exist.

 

[mynameisbob84]

You seem well-meaning but this is an awful idea, as has been pointed out to you. Being a cam girl is her job. Not yours. All you have to do is watch her shows, contribute to the chat in her room, and tip when you can. All this energy would be much, much better spent by joining a dating site and redirecting your efforts towards someone who, at the very least, lives in the same country as you and likes you enough to at least see if you're worth dating.

 

[justjoinedtopost]

Spoiler: The crowd-funding pitch

Fact 1: Many women in poor European countries like Romania hardly have the chance to make their living with regular work
Fact 2: It’s a profitable business that women show their bodies on webcam sites

But is this profitable for women too?
Short answer: for the large majority it is not. And worse … many of them are exploited financially by Mafia-owned “webcam studios”.

Andreea (I have changed her name) is a 21 years old Romanian student and a good friend of mine. She is a young woman who - like many others of her age - is learning hard to pass exams and enjoys to spend time with her friends and boyfriend.

But she also needs to eat, pay rent and bills, … So she was working part time as waitress - without a contract and for 200 Euro per month. This salary could only pay her rent.

After several months she decided to start as webcam worker in one of about 2000 studios that are located in Romania with the hope to earn more - 6 nights per week and 8 hours per night. From 8:00 PM to 4:00 AM because US based male website members are online at European night time.

After sleeping 3-4 hours she has to go to university, home to learn for her next exams, is sleeping a bit and then back to the studio … no more time for friends and her relationship was about to break.

And she still has troubles to cover her living costs because the studio cuts off 60% of her earnings and she receives about 300 Euro every month.

Andreea and some of her colleagues now want to leave the studio and continue their work without depending on the studio. But why continue this kind of work at all?

The hard facts:

• In a poor country it’s an illusion that every woman finds a decent job anytime, so many will still have to rely on webcam work for a while.
• Women will never have the chance to quit this kind of work if they don’t leave their studios behind.
• The only reasons why women are not working from their homes are family conditions (they are not living alone) or lack of simple technical equipment like laptops.

But it will at least be possible to improve the women’s working condition until they might one day be lucky to change their lives completely.

Andreea and her colleagues have the idea to work in their self-organized mini “studios” - and to help many other women to do the same. To rent a flat or small house where they can work at times they prefer and keep all earnings for themselves. The women want to share the necessary costs of rent, bills, technical equipment, ...

However it will take some time until they will be able to earn those costs - and how to start if they can’t even afford a laptop or webcam?

This is the reason why I opened this campaign in behalf of Andreea - to help women through the first months until they will be able to earn enough so they can cover the costs. And independent webcam work will be their first step to a better life without the need to show their bodies on cam.

The more donations you give - the more “studios” can be opened - and the more women can make a first step to a better life.

The photo has been borrowed from this article that offers much useful information about the Romanian studio “business”.

So Andreea wants to open a Romanian webcam studio? With the end goal in mind of removing "the need to show their bodies on cam"?

What the hell is in this for me?

 

[Pure_emotion]

OK so all these stories are 100% true. I worked in a studio in the beginning and I know how it is. They set impossible targets so they take lot more than 50% of you rmoney. As a model you use same toys as everyone else after you clean them but well....also, same lingerie and shoes, same bed sheets , etc. If one of the members wants to meet the model, owner of the studio tells her she can do what she wants but would be smart to ask him for money , and he wants his share. Models are taught that a girl who doesnt have a sad story doesnt get money from members- a form of begging. Thats why so many models have stories like ...mom in the hospital, dad has operation, kid is sick ,bla bla....meanwhile members send money - tokens and via western union and models and studio owners share them. Prostitution is Romania is not legal but its everywhere- cam studios, massage places, "beauty"salons, you name it. Of course when they hire you as model they dont tell you this BUT you find out soon enough ! And yea, boss of the studio fucks with models to "cool them down" after a shift or before a shift to"warm them up" . Wanna know more? Its horrific. Why so many girls work in studio? Because Romania is a poor country , many girls live with parents/ husbands/kids and they cant afford buy whole equipment, plus they dont want family to know what they doing. If would be a clean job, like it is in the US, wouldnt have such a bad reputation here.

 

[Deleted member 35180]

OK so all these stories are 100% true. I worked in a studio in the beginning and I know how it is. They set impossible targets so they take lot more than 50% of you rmoney. As a model you use same toys as everyone else after you clean them but well....also, same lingerie and shoes, same bed sheets , etc. If one of the members wants to meet the model, owner of the studio tells her she can do what she wants but would be smart to ask him for money , and he wants his share. Models are taught that a girl who doesnt have a sad story doesnt get money from members- a form of begging. Thats why so many models have stories like ...mom in the hospital, dad has operation, kid is sick ,bla bla....meanwhile members send money - tokens and via western union and models and studio owners share them. Prostitution is Romania is not legal but its everywhere- cam studios, massage places, "beauty"salons, you name it. Of course when they hire you as model they dont tell you this BUT you find out soon enough ! And yea, boss of the studio fucks with models to "cool them down" after a shift or before a shift to"warm them up" . Wanna know more? Its horrific. Why so many girls work in studio? Because Romania is a poor country , many girls live with parents/ husbands/kids and they cant afford buy whole equipment, plus they dont want family to know what they doing. If would be a clean job, like it is in the US, wouldnt have such a bad reputation here.

I know MFC bans certain countries that are known as horrific like this, why haven't they banned Romania?

 

[Pure_emotion]

because 50% of models are romanian/??

 

[Pure_emotion]

and anyway is not a general situation. it happens mostly in small cities and obscure studios.

 

[Deleted member 35180]

because 50% of models are romanian/??

 

[justjoinedtopost]

Post #1 of this thread: "Andreaa" is considering going to work for a RO studio. OP wonders aloud if this is a wise decision...
Post #12 of this thread: A link is posted to a crowd-funding site, which shares the touching story of "Andreaa's" struggles, apparently already working for a studio...

So which is it Johann? Let's get our bullshit sorted out here.

 

[Peekabooh]

Get yourself an i7 with decent setup, lightning, good Internet, connections on some sites, some administration and without investment. Maintenance and a chat before and after work with other girls.

I sincerely believe some women are exploited everywhere world wide. A choice to work for a studio can also be a rational one.

 

[Dan N]

Edit: to much info. Sorry / post deleted. Thank you

 

[giovanni0421]

So which is it Johann? Let's get our bullshit sorted out here.

The answer is in my post #12. BTW you are reacting as if I had attacked you personally.

@Pure_emotion: Many thanks for your unvarnished words. It's great that a woman - and insider - was replying here.

 

[Deleted member 35180]

The answer is in my post #12. BTW you are reacting as if I had attacked you personally.

@Pure_emotion: Many thanks for your unvarnished words. It's great that a woman - and insider - was replying here.

People can get riled up when they disagree with your opinions/point of view/logic/whatever. It's not personal, it's discourse.

Agree on the @Pure_emotion

 

[giovanni0421]

People can get riled up when they disagree with your opinions/point of view/whatever. It's not personal, it's discourse.

Ok thanks you are right of course

 

[AudriTwo]

 

[aussie_aussie]

i have seen 3 different girls in the same romanian studio who had the same members and basics in all three rooms at the same time,i assume it is to boost the room count so other people see them higher on list and join the room.

 

[justjoinedtopost]

The answer is in my post #12. BTW you are reacting as if I had attacked you personally.