When Ela Darling began performing in porn at the tail end of the 2000s, tube sites like Pornhub were relatively new, and major studios like Vivid and Digital Playground still dominated the market. For performers, the job was straightforward: show up to set, turn in a good performance, and collect a check. Everything else - from scripting the scene to editing and marketing to makeup - was generally handled by the studio's team of professionals.
Fast forward to 2025. Vivid and Digital Playground are distant memories. Sites like OnlyFans - and competitors like JustForFans, Clips4Sale, and ManyVids - now rule the roost. And while that shift has empowered many performers to create careers that would have been unimaginable in earlier eras, it's also come with a cost. While some jobs, like broadcasting and distribution, are now handled by third-party platforms like OnlyFans, a great deal of the work that used to be handled by a studio is now the performers' responsibility. In addition, these new sites heavily encourage interaction with fans. The most successful creators aren't just turning out hot porn scenes. They're constantly chatting with their subscribers and creating custom scenes …
