PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sssh.com founder Angie Rowntree spoke at a Brown University class last week, discussing several topics around adult filmmaking.
This is Rowntree’s fourth appearance at Brown classes in the last few years.
Rowntree said the students in attendance led the conversation, asking incisive and pertinent questions.
Concerning whether porn can be considered art, Rowntree told the students that it was a subjective issue.
“The conversation leading to the conclusion was fascinating,” she said. “People weren’t simply offering knee-jerk reactions or reciting preconceived notions. Instead, they approached the topic with open minds and exchanged thoughtful points.”
Other subjects of discussion included the role and importance of the narrative in Rowntree’s filmmaking, the long-running Sssh.com survey and what the data reveals about the site’s member base demographics and trends in their interests, consent and communication on the set, the “female gaze” vs. the “male gaze” in adult filmmaking, what a typical day of shooting entails for Rowntree, and the use of scripted sex scenes vs. a more organic approach.
The session also included a screening of Rowntree’s award-winning 2015 film “Gone,” which prompted a discussion about the intersection of death and porn, and the blending of genres presented by the film.
The conversation also included discussion of the artistic decisions made in Rowntree’s 2019 short film “Alla Prima,” which the attendees had screened prior to Rowntree’s arrival at the session, as well as the use of foreshadowing in film.
“I loved hearing their perspectives on art, filmmaking and adult entertainment,” Rowntree said, adding that her conversations at Brown “have been every bit as educational for me as they have been for the audience.”
“I’m really looking forward to going back next year,” she concluded. “Conversations like these are so valuable, presenting 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 it is I love so much about making films in the first place, which is the opportunity to tell strong stories and draw a response from the viewer.”