SHL – Updates
June Update
I don’t know how long I will leave this update on the front page of this website. It’s a complicated business running this new site, promoting my own work without that derailing anyone else’s new film releases or bumping them down on the front page. I have to make sure I am a good captain and make sure I don’t prioritize my own belly. Maybe I should add a drop down menu on the navigation bar for this kind of information to declutter the front page so that new film releases are prioritized over ‘blog’ entries. But its been a minute since I have updated you folk on whats going on with the business, so lets get to it…
Wonder Woman vs Ares
Oh… Ares film how you have cursed me…
My original intent was to have an explosive close to last year and a great opening to 2024 with a big Supergirl film back to back with a big Wonder Woman film. If things had gone my way – that is exactly how things would have played out, but they didn’t. The Supergirl shoot went off as good as I could hope that it would – the Wonder Woman shoot was a bit more complicated.
I loved everything I shot for the Ares film but – I ran out of time during the production of Supergirl and Wonder Woman. The two films were shot back to back and I figured – the couple last things I needed for Wonder Woman I would simply pick back up later… and well, God laughs when you make plans.
While I could go into detail about the specifics of what occurred, that would make this news update way too long for anyone to care to read. I already feel like this is longer than most will read… so any longer would lose many of you! So I will try to break everything down in the best summary I can muster tonight.
I began editing Supergirl: Generation Zod and Wonder vs Ares in tandem. This process can and has slowed me down in the past but after editing for so many years – sometimes it’s the only way I can get a project moving. Whenever I burn out on one edit I simply switch over to the other to keep everything feeling fresh and moving. Sometimes starring at the same footage too long can cause you to start hitting weird walls with the ability to focus and your attention span. As I edited both films in tandem – comparison can be the theft of joy – I started to feel like… Ares could use a reshoot to ‘beef’ things up a bit. In hindsight, I think that may have been short sighted for me – both films are very different and comparing how much meat Generation Zod had in it to Ares, I think I simply grew concerned that you, the royal ‘you’ aka the viewers, might feel like Ares was coming in short in expectations. I no longer feel that way as time has passed but – at the beginning of this year the idea of a reshoot was a massive setback.
I spent a lot of money on the Zod and Ares shoots. Enough that – when I was considering doing a reshoot – I literally couldn’t afford it. But I figured – Generation Zod would do well! And all the profits from that film could bankroll the Ares reshoot and then BAM… I could make good in the profits of Ares film release. But – thats not what happened. Generation Zod did not do poorly, but it did not do what I had expected it too. So by the time profits started coming in, well, so did the bills! And monthly bills have to be paid, monthly film releases… on my track record… don’t happen! To break it down simply – by the time I had enough money to do the reshoot – the actress had scheduled a surgery! And reshoots wouldn’t be an option before her surgery and well – she would look different after her surgery, so by the end of March – any idea I had of delaying the film to get a reshoot done had backfired but…
It didn’t really matter. I was able to edit through most of what I had already shot for the Ares film and when the film was further along in editing – I loved it a lot more and my concerns about needing a reshoot to beef up the film were mostly subsiding. But – parts of the film didn’t work or make sense with the missing pieces – as small as they were – were the glue to the story making sense. Luckily these small parts don’t involve the main actress, so – a quick trip to California, shooting a day of pickup shots, easy peasy, wrap the film up and release it! Right? Right? Wrong!
Death Blow
I try not to be the kind of person that lets shitty people make me jaded but this year has been a struggle. This next part of the story I know sounds made up, but just understand that it is very real and its complicated to the degree that I have been flirting with the idea of leaving the business entirely. But – here is how things played out.
I found an actress that I thought would be perfect for the pickup shots in the Ares film. I reached out and she was interested. I looked at the calendar and started to reach out – to male talent, studio bookings, makeup artist etc. I had a fire under my ass – I need to get this fucking film done… it’s like months late! I began making a costume for the actress – I found where her schedule and the male talents overlapped – I am waiting to hear back from the studio…
I am waiting to hear back from the studio…
I am waiting to hear back from the studio…
The studio has a new owner? Who won’t respond back to my emails? The previous owner owed me… let’s just say – the previous studio owner was in dire straits. I helped out – I prepaid for studio time and figured I then burn it through it as I shoot films in a year. And he owed me a lot of days for booking the studio. But – he sold the studio, without telling me, and ran for the hills. Now, before you go worrying about little ol me – just know I will be pursuing it legally. But – it was a setback because I spent two weeks trying to get in touch with the studio that owed me money so I could book the studio to fly to LA and complete the insert work for the Ares film, only to find out that wasn’t really an option cause the place was sold back in February. Yikes!
Well – its a setback but, I still had to get shit done. So – I found a new location! But, as weeks had passed at this point – the new actresses personal life went into a blender. I wish I could explain how bad it got, but thats her story to tell and not mine, but it’s like everything that could go wrong, did. And here is the comedy and tragedy of how this shit played out for me – I had given her a big deposit to book her for the shoot, I had made a costume that fit her (and isn’t super compatible with other body types) and she was no longer in a place mentality, financially, physically – to shoot (Nor is she capable of repaying me back for the deposit, because of course not).
So – I spent money for a studio that vanished into thin air. I spent money to book an actress that became unbookable. I held back all these shoots to do reshoots with another actress who got surgery and changed her appearance. And
The fucking… film… doesn’t… work… cause of a couple minutes… of goddamn… back… story
Aftermath
Are you still reading? What are you a sadist?
I had someone reach out to me a couple weeks ago complaining, about various things, but one of the things he mentioned was that I – ‘No longer prioritized shooting hardcore work! You only make LoFi films! And PG13 movies with Russians! Fuck you! What about the Black Label films! You CON MAN!’
I thought it was an interesting criticism, cause from afar, I agree. I agree that from anyone else perspective – In the last 6 months – I have only been making everything BUT SHX/Hardcore SHIP films. But I do think there is some clarity that needs to be addressed, at least so that I know I tried to explain it, wether or not anyone cares about the explanation
- I have a lot of unreleased LoFi films. Most of them were shot before I ever made Generation Zod / Ares.
- Editing and releasing LoFi films is one of the only reasons I can keep up with bills and not quit the business altogether.
- The duration of the last 6 months has been me editing Generation Zod and Ares. Or making costumes in preparation for my Black Label films. The majority of the time and work I have put into SHIP in the last 6 months – has been exclusively in regards to my hardcore work.
- And last but not least – I cannot financially make this SHIP thing work by making LoFi films. If thats a concern of yours know that – I literally would retire from this business and go flip burgers cause that would be a better use of my time. And to be honest, it probably be more mentally beneficial
But – and I am going to be dramatically honest with you here in a way that may not serve me – I don’t know how long I can keep this up.
The sheer amount of talent I have contacted in the last couple years who ghost me when it comes time to book dates is head spinning. The inconsistency in customer spending when it comes to what films sell and why has become so unpredictable I think I have better odds gambling my life savings in Vegas. The cruelty of people, like the studio owner, who fuck me out of hard earned money – is devastating. The unpredictability of having my money and work rely on the good fortune of others (not breaking bones, losing housing, death in the family) is nerve racking. Having $20,000 worth of film gear locked in a storage unit across the country from me, in a city where there are hundreds of reports of storage lockers being robbed every month, is beating whatever mental health I have left into smithereens!
If I didn’t love SHIP – the money is literally… just… not… worth it.
So, I am going to start behaving like a man who is on his way out. I think I am turning the ship (pun intended) and aiming towards sunsetting promises made / and I am going to stop making new plans. Because at the very least if the tide doesn’t turn in my favor (and if I am being honest in the last year it has not been in my favor) then I need to make sure I close out whatever promises I have made to be the kind of guy who keeps promises and delivers on them. So what does that look like for you – the audience who cares about the work that I make.
Action Plan
- Complete Ares
- Complete two customs I have booked (if you think I am talking about you, then I am talking about you)
- Complete Black Label films
Those are the promises, preorders and customs I have too and will fulfill – even if it kills me. And if I can manage to wrap all those things up – and the tide doesn’t turn – then I am peacing the fuck out of this businessssss
Now – for context, over the next 4-5 months – you will see me drop a lot of LoFi films I have already shot and haven’t edited through. You might see me drop a couple SHX films in hopes of generating enough profit to be able to afford to make my Black Label projects. But – outside of that – as of now – my only future plan with SHIP thats a guarantee will be running and maintaining this site so that all other SHIP producers can thrive and this audience has a stable, bot free, spam free, and mostly asshole free place to get updated on your SHIP.
As for me – I need a vacation. But I can’t afford one! (Puts gun in mouth)
Release Schedule
June
- LoFi Film (Most likely starring Constance)
- Another Super Remote film
Ares
- 95 percent complete
- Requires a trip to LA to actually finish
- Requires me finding a new actress to fit an already made costume or by some kind of miracle for things to pan out with the actress originally intended for said film
- When will this happen? God knows, cause if he would have allowed it, it already be done by now
- Actress reveal? Does anyone care anymore? Hahahahahahahahahahaha
Final Thoughts
To everyone who has preordered and been kind to me in the last 6 months – thank you from the bottom of my heart. To everyone who hasn’t been kind – I get it. I am trying my hardest to make this all work out and I am not going to lie, it’s really burned me out. The sheer amount of setbacks is maddening. But I will make sure one way or another this shit gets done as soon as it can, without compromises that affect the viewing experience.
Love yah guys,
DW
(Preordered). As an office labour in Toronto financial industry, I’ll say it’s a very challenging macroeconomic environment operating any real business this year (and 99% likely next year). Like you said, the cash flow is getting unpredictable. That’s too true when everyone is tightening all non-essential spendings. Yeah I know it sounds like some cliche but I don’t know what to say… Fingers crossed for your productions!
SHIP films are definitely essential spendings 😉
Although I’m not SHL’s target customer, you are truly the GOAT of the SHIP community. You literally save the community from dying through this amazing website. we owe you an appreciation
I appreciate the positive affirmations. I have been a part of the SHIP community since I was like 14-15ish? And despite whether or not someone likes me (or hates me) I do believe in being an active participant to keep this community moving, thriving and functional. Wether or not anyone appreciates it, but I do prefer appreciation vs death threats to my inbox LOL
Personally, I prefer PG13 movies so I’m very happy that Damien decided to produce label like Super Remote.
Of course, I enjoyed a lot Supergirl Generation Zod but for me it’s a good thing that Wonder Woman Vs Ares wasn’t released at the same time because financially, I couldn’t afford to it. PG-13 movies are cheaper and it’s perfectly fine for me. What I love with Damien, it’s he makes movies for everyone. Despite his recent difficulties, I hope he will keep going this way.
Thank you Damien for helping talented actresses like Anastasia and Yellozzi. I follow their Boosty and they are both lovely girls. So thanks for helping them to continue to do what they like 🙂
I HATE that this has happened, you are literally the best producer in SHIP in my opinion. I really hope everything works out for you and that you can continue your art, but also don’t want you to be driven into the ground. I will absolutely buy every hard-core film that you put out to do my part to help. I know this is probably bad timing on this question but I am super curious if there is still a possibility that you make that catwoman film that you teased about in an earlier post? I know you said there was an actress that was seriously interested in doing it and was hoping that was still the case. If this is to stressful to answer I understand. Thank you again for all the kick ass films you have put out over the years.
I appreciate the sentiment but to be clear: I don’t want anyone buying anything they don’t want. This wasn’t suppose to be taken as a “please buy my films post” more so just the state of being stuck in an un-winnable position in a complicated business
The possibility of a Catwoman film at this point is leaning towards – no. Ares has to be finished, and it would need to be a best seller for me to even consider taking on the risk of making a catwoman film. The only other option would be to crowdfund and at this point – I am not comfortable doing that as I have so many projects in preproduction – the last thing I need is another “promise” where people start to complain that I have their money and no visible movement on the project
Hence the post – I’m going to try to wrap up my open obligations and am no longer in the mood or the position to be starting up any more potential big projects. Those are lofty goals for someone who isn’t looking into the suing a studio that recently fucked them
I think that being on the other side of the country from your equipment, shoot locations, and talent pool is probably the biggest problem. I doubt that you would have gotten robbed out of studio time if you had been closer to the situation on the ground. And the need to plan multiple people’s schedules around your cross-country travel is a savage beating. And I can well imagine that the anxiety of having $20k worth of equipment in such a precarious situation must be eating you alive.
Unfortunately, apart from packing up and moving yourself to the West Coast, there’s not much you can do about it, and I assume that moving cross country is a complete non-starter, otherwise you would probably have already done it. However, if the need to travel cross-country to shoot content is the biggest problem, leading to a host of other problems, then perhaps your Super Remote series could provide you with a less-than-ideal, but workable solution.
Since you don’t have to store the equipment for those shoots, and you don’t have to hammer out all of the shoot schedules, and are still able to produce a product which you find satisfactory, perhaps you could shut down your West Coast productions, and place a higher emphasis on Super Remote and LoFi (Since you can shoot LoFi in your home town, or at conventions, without all of the hassle you’ve had on cross-country shoots.).
If Super Remote and LoFi did well enough for you, and if it took some of this unreasonable pressure off of your business, perhaps you could schedule one West Coast shoot per year, as an annual Black Label film, or something like that.
But, if you truly do have to give up your career in SHIP, at least you already have an impressive body of work of which you can be proud.
‘Super Remote’ was never meant to be profitable and I know that sounds complicated. LOL. The two actresses I have promoted on HM a year ago (Yellozzi and Anastasia) took a hit to their Boosty pages when Boosty lost the ability to process PayPal. A year ago when I helped promote their work – at least for one of them it really helped a lot to establish a decent side gig for them to rely on for income. ‘Super Remote’ was mostly intended to keep them afloat, or at least help in the interim before they could reestablish their accounts to have more subscribers since they lost a lot of them when the payment options shrank.
I have no interest in making LoFi content primarily. It was intended to be a low cost option and an experiment for customers who often complained by $60 dollar films were too expensive for them to even consider. It also was a quick and fast way to develop new working relationships with talent I had not shot bigger projects with (Sage first shooting a LoFi Film with me and then I hired her for TKJ months later)
Moving to the West Coast isn’t an option for me. And having to travel there and all that comes with it – is sustainable when you have business relationships you can trust. But as those have degraded, I need to reconsider what my objective is and how to navigate it. But often that requires resources – which I do not have.
If I was richer – I would just establish my own studio in LA and hire people to manage it, keep the bills paid with renting the studio for other film projects. But the rent on a property in LA that would be big enough to function in that way would run me like $70,000 annually, and thats just the rent, it need to also be profitable to build sets and hire people to manage it. And for full transparency – I don’t have $100,000 sitting in a bank to bleed through to attempt to run and manage my own studio, and then also make SHIP films on the side.
It wouldn’t be as big of a problem if I had a plethora of studios in LA that could work for SHIP films that were adult friendly, but most studios are not adult friendly. And how I shoot my films requires almost 2 SUV sized vehicles worth of gear to make them look the way they do, hence why I have a storage unit with tons of gear in it. Back in the old days – I just have a couple bags I would bring to the airport – that isn’t how I am operating anymore
I think it all comes down to a simpler math though – if the economy tightens up – so do customers wallets – and making expensive SHIP films become less and less possible as peoples spend decreases. Hollywood is currently suffering too with a lot of crew and actors no longer able to get jobs from shrinking amounts of productions. So even if I could afford to set up my own studio – the economy tightening up would probably also make the studio become a financial disaster from lack of bookings
All of this is TMI!
The only reason I bothered to explain any of it at all – is because I can’t wrap up Ares despite my best efforts. And the only way I can explain that to my audience who deserves a reason why it isnt done – is to be fully transparent about it all, because without all the information it doesnt make any sense why I cant finish it
I apologize for being ignorant but what are the black label films? Is that a category or videos to be purchased outside of this genre?
‘Black Label’ films are when I like 5X the budget to make a really big film, that tries to create a bigger story with bigger production value. The Killing Joke is my first Black Label film. And I have begun preproduction on 3 more Black Label films – article linked below (originally posted on HM, so the repost here has no comments logged)
https://heroinenews.com/black-label/
Just to be clear – this isn’t a “give me more money” kind of situation, I see a lot of comments suggesting starting a Patreon or some monthly subscription – which I have no interest in, as I couldn’t keep up with monthly releases and IMO you should buy the films you want, not pay me blindly just because. And in the end I believe – you should hunt for your dinner, just being paid to exist is probably a quick way for me to lose all sense of urgency
This is more of a – “I can’t get the talent I want easily anymore and while I’m trying to work that out I am being robbed, and while I’m being robbed I live across the country from where I’m trying to operate a business, which leaves me at the peril of being robbed more and the people I hire are humans who have real problems and I can’t afford anymore runway with things going sideways – cause I’m at wits end with effort and money as is”
It’s a stressful business to try to operate, month after month, year after year. And it’s an expensive one. Add to the chaos that I want the luxury of making costumes skin tight for the individual wearing it and having to trust that person won’t ghost me after the suit is made – I’ve lost that battle more times than I care to count
I don’t think it’s an issue that money can fix. I think it’s just the reality of the business is that – you have to be flexible to the point that it becomes inhuman to bend that much, that far, that often. And, I dunno I see the value in that pursuit as of right now.
Put a number on the rest of the lofi releases and I’ll send you the cash. The big ones are great but the little ones fill the space nicely. The last one with Claire was really creative.
Is there any way to help out from afar? No cost to you, more a thanks for the years of crushing work. I’m east coast.
You could just… release Ares. Drop some text in, apologise, whatever.
The relentless pursuit for perfection might be biting you in the ass here. I for one really wouldn’t mind tbh.
I rather die first
I honestly gotta respect the need for perfection. Im the same way and it is a double edged sword.
Maybe perhaps you just need a break to relax and recharge the creative juices. The choice is yours if you want to leave everything behind and drive off into the sunset, as you have made brilliant work in the past whilst for me upping the quality of the SHIP industry altogether. Hang in there bud, we will be there if you decide to have a break and I will continue to support.
Most of the things you discussed the SHIP community can’t help with, but one comment you made we can help with: “The inconsistency in customer spending when it comes to what films sell and why has become so unpredictable I think I have better odds gambling my life savings in Vegas.” We (the community) don’t really know which films have been the big sellers, and which ones were the most profitable. But if you query the community, I bet you can figure out what we’re most willing to spend on.
I know for me personally, I purchased the Uninvited series, Zatanna, The Prison, The Killing Joke, and Generation Zod because they had elements I wanted to see. But I feel that the peak was The Prison, and the newer works have not been as compelling. I haven’t bought any of the recent works, and the LoFi stuff doesn’t interest me at all. The biggest elements for me are the actress and the sex scenes; if the actress isn’t someone I find attractive, I don’t want to buy the video. And if the sex is too vanilla, consensual, or uses rubber dicks I don’t want to buy the video. The Prison was amazing because there was nothing like it–but plenty of directors make stuff like the LoFi works.
My suggestion is that instead of choosing what will be in the next videos and keeping it a surprise, take feedback from the community into consideration before making it. Ask the question explicitly: what would have to be in the video for you to actually buy it?
I appreciate the effort and thought you put into this comment but I think it’s misguided.
You feel the peak as the Prison but when I pitched that film and did a preorder on it – it was the worse preorder campaign I ever launched. That film was based on a community survey, which had a lot of responses – and the amount of responses it received did not align with sales.
I think like 10 people preordered the Prison? Which again I’ll remind you – was based on a customer survey and the content depicted was based on what was most voted on:
And the only reason that film got made (which at the time was one of the more expensive things I ever made) was because I took a loan from my 401k to make it, because… I’ll say it again: it was the worse preorder campaign I have ever launched
I know hindsight makes things blurry. But there was a big push in the comment community (which isn’t the buying community) hoping that the Prison was a failure.
Also – rubber dicks have never affected the popularity of any film I have made. And films with fake dicks have outsold other films with real ones.
I feel like the peak was The Prison because…I commissioned it. You may not remember, but I invested $1300 into The Prison because I wanted themes that weren’t going to be particularly popular.
Obviously my preferences are just that–mine, not anyone else’s. My point is that if you’re not going to rely on customs, then you’re going to have to rely on the community. And there’s a difference between asking ‘what do you want to see in a film’ and ‘what would you be willing to pay for in a film’.
I didn’t forget and you contribute money for a couple extra scenes to be included doesn’t mean you ‘commissioned’ it, but contributed to it.
If you want to double down on your point I will counter you with it – the above post isn’t focused on ‘the community’ and how much money I make. Its focus was that for 6 months I have failed to complete a single film – because I was robbed, talent drop outs and not having enough money to move fast enough on doing reshoots.
AKA What is the point of asking the community what they want or what they are willing to pay for WHEN you give me HALF A YEAR and I am FLOUNDERING
It’s not about a single thing. Its the fact that everything, all at once, is making it impossible to function properly when shooting hardcore films means I have to travel to the other side of the country to make it happen, while being fucked over by people, and not being able to get the talent I want to be willing to respond to booking emails
Etc etc etc
Most of your content has not been to my taste anyway so I cannot call you leaving that much of a loss at least for me but good luck to whatever you do in the future.
Why did you feel this comment was necessary? You feel proud of yourself?
Oh, that’s just Andy being Andy lol
Thanks for being a shit bag,
You getting screwed by the previous studio owner reminds me of the quote ‘No good deed goes unpunished’. It sounds like you got clobbered by bad luck this year. Hang in there, try and take some non-movie breaks and relax a bit ( if possible). All the best, keep up the good work and looking forward to all of the future vids from you ! 🙂
If I take a break – that would mean making the majority of my money outside of this business which would require a massive gear shift for me and if I do that, I’m definitely never coming back
I can’t casually just 180 into and out of this business. Hence – me planning on heading out of it in a less destructive way
Honestly, yours are more severe, but I’ve had similar struggles.
I’ve had 2 shoots fall through this year for talent whom I’d already bought airline tickets for and couldn’t get refunded. Talent is at an all time low in terms of reliability. And the fight for new and interesting spaces to shoot is always a pain in the ass, and super expensive to boot.
Sorry you’ve had to go through this.
If it was easy everyone would do it right?
I think everyone in SHIP is on the edge of being upside down because there is always only “couple bad moves” that you have until the plank comes out from under you
Long term lurker first time commenting, i absolutely love the Superheroine community ive been a HUGE fan of the Superheroine genre since ’98, that being said I own businesses in North Carolina that I’m in the process of selling, short staffed over working (7 days a week) and maybe we can help each other out after I sell and im flushed with time and money if your interested we should definitely chat …keep up the good work boss man!
We can always chat but if your looking to make money, this (as per the blog post) business is probably the worse way to do it
It’s okay for your time and Stress words but it’s understandable and fair enough that takes lots of money just take care yourself and encourage your work.
I can’t wait for the new Super Remote film. Is it still with Yellozzi? Personally, I love this project. Russian movies and russian actresses, it’s very refreshing.
The next one is with Anastasia
I love her too 🙂 She is great as Spider Girl and especially as Silk. But I’m sure she can play other characters too.
Really hope you don’t quit, but after what you just described I would be in no position to judge. I’m sure this is a stupid question, but have you considered starting some sort of alternative funding option, like a Patreon or something that can provide something monthly? As you know the SHIP community is small but dedicated, I’m sure there are many, myself included, that would happily pay a modest amount monthly if it meant keeping your studio alive. But your mental health should take priority, hope this second half of the year goes much smoother man.
Yeah I think this would be a good idea setting up a Patreon maybe to get exclusive benefits to early teasers or directions on where the film could go.
Hey man just want you to know your work is what got me into this genre and I want to take it to the level of me producing my own stuff someday. For whats its worth that technically makes you a role model and an inspiration. None of this money stuff matters so much as do you have the resources to make what your creatively happy with and can you afford a well deserved vacation. As far as what you’ll have in production for the future. Your name is one I trust to make quality work even if it looks like something I wouldnt normally be into. Your a great chef in thay way. I’ll make a point to buy some of your newest and oldest work in the next 48 hours. One final thought maybe get yourself a cofi or patreon or something to get you a tip system. I work customer service my dude trust me its negative voices that stick out most often but complements to men are just rare that way.
I know this sounds like a clichés, but don’t hang your head! I know you and your work have a huge fanbase here in our nerdy little corner of the internet. I wish you all the best for your personally, and THANK YOU for maintaiing this website, it is a gift for all us SHIP-Fans. Don’t give up hope, I’m sure you have survived the worst and the fucking studio owner will get what he deserves!
Dude that fucking sucks. I’m sorry all that happened to you. Hopefully the rest of the year goes a lot smoother. We appreciate what you do but don’t burn yourself out either. Looking forward to ares and future black label films! Also
“Actress reveal? Does anyone care anymore?” Yes. Yes we do lol
exactly, we still wanna know!
Love you Damien. Hope the rest of your year goes smoother.