In the adult industry, it goes through a few phases:
Starting out (at least these days), it's about doing grassroots marketing. Cam models are great examples of this and how they form their cult following.
Once you attract enough attention from ... consumers ... you'll start to get offers from some of the bigger companies. I worked with a few of the major studious, kink.com in particular. (disclaimer: not safe for work. at all)
Should you choose to accept the offer, you need to either do some really outlandish stuff to get the attention and go viral, or work with someone who already has a name (and still do something really noteworthy). I could go into detail but I'll try to leave this hn-worthy.
tl;dr It's not about being a star but becoming popular. I know lots of models who I'd rather not have sex with, but they're popular because they dominate a niche and they're attractive on video.
Former somewhat big-name-ish pornstar here (like most of you, I am a male):
A lot of what this doesn't talk about is the act and the physical changes that go on. Hair coloring, separating yourself big time from who you hang out with and what you do on social media. How you take pictures, stuff like that.
The dressers and makeup artists that treat you prior are fucking amazing. They do a beautiful thing, too. www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/vadim-andreev-before-after-makeup
Hopefully that doesn't kill your drive when you're whipping it out next time.
Starting out (at least these days), it's about doing grassroots marketing. Cam models are great examples of this and how they form their cult following.
Once you attract enough attention from ... consumers ... you'll start to get offers from some of the bigger companies. I worked with a few of the major studious, kink.com in particular. (disclaimer: not safe for work. at all)
Should you choose to accept the offer, you need to either do some really outlandish stuff to get the attention and go viral, or work with someone who already has a name (and still do something really noteworthy). I could go into detail but I'll try to leave this hn-worthy.
tl;dr It's not about being a star but becoming popular. I know lots of models who I'd rather not have sex with, but they're popular because they dominate a niche and they're attractive on video.