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Putting Ellie Idol On A Pedestal: Cosplay, Compelling Content and Clips
Posted On 26 Jul 2019
Ellie Idol is an indie clip artist who produces and edits all her own content.
“I got my start [in the industry] in 2006, with the help of an acquaintance, modeling for an amateur porn site, which led to me getting an agent and filming for the ‘big guys,’” she shared with YNOT.
In 2007, Idol “retired” from the business – but not for long.
“[I]n 2010, I was talking to an old industry friend… This friend mentioned Clips4Sale and told me the type of content he was creating for it and that ‘anyone could do it,’” she recounted. Jumping in, Idol borrowed a camcorder from a relative and started filming all sorts of fetish videos in secret — solo clips and others made with her close friends.
Eventually, in mid-2012, she’d made enough money to buy her own camera and launched her own personal clip store, “My Little Princess Ellie.” It was a “female domination”-focused store with the POV angle.
“Let me say, life was forever changed and I felt I was on the right path for myself, finally,” Idol said.
Today, when it comes to production, Idol does it all. “I am the camera operator for almost all of my solo videos, which I also edit myself,” she explained. “Wearing all the hats is common when indie production is becoming so popular, and luckily I enjoy it!”
“Being an established store, I now experiment and create content that I myself enjoy and feel passionate about instead of trying to fit some sort of mold,” she explained. “I now produce a lot of roleplay, taboo and — my favorite — cosplay clips! Heck, I even mix genres now, for example, femdom with cosplay.”
Idol estimates she’s been in around 2,000 clips in her lifetime, with 1,700 of those for her current store. This figure doesn’t include clips she’s produced for or of other models, which would bump her overall credit count up much higher.
“I try to update every single day, but… life can get in the way or certain clips can take up more time than others, like my special effects videos,” she said.
When considering the pace Idol keeps up, as well as the demands certain pieces of content can put on her overall operation, it’s interesting to consider what efforts she must put forth to keep it all fresh and compelling. Idol took some time out to explain exactly that.
YNOT: So, why clips?
Ellie Idol: Producing clips from home gives me a lot of freedom that cam, dancing or filming for mainstream porn companies wouldn’t give me. Being able to film whenever I want without scheduling it with fans is the perfect fit for me as of this moment. I was on MyFreeCams in 2011 and 2012 doing shows on weekends. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t give me any residuals as clips do.
Since then, I’ve done Skype shows when possible and have appeared with AstroDomina on her MFC stream occasionally but, as of right now, camming requires just a little more than I can give. Though I intend to pick it back up, perhaps even in the next year or so, I just haven’t decided which site I’ll go through. I’ve also considered Twitch or Plexstorm since I’m a huge gamer. We’ll see where life takes me!
In your view, what makes compelling content?
Since I’ve been doing a lot of cosplay and roleplay content, I think it’s important to pick ideas I feel passionate about. The more I know the source material, the better content I’ll make and the better it will be received. I try to only cosplay characters I know very well or, at the very least, have researched thoroughly. Not that I always have the time to do this, but keeping up with media trends is pretty important. The [producers] who are able to drop a new vid of, say, Bowsette — those [models] would see a lot of interest and likely make a lot of sales on this particular character’s clips.
When making cosplay content, I think it’s important to get as in-character as you can with acting, costumes and settings. You want this to be immersive, as it will typically translate to more sales. Of course, there are [models] out there who just throw on cosplay and do nothing to act like the character, nor do they have a plotline, and will do just fine in sales.
I think the most important part is just making the content you enjoy and would be proud of. You clients can see when you’re having fun. It shows on screen.
In your view, is it effective to keep up with “trend” content? Or, is it better to just make what you want and if trends happen to correspond, then that’s great too?
I think following trends can really help a model makes sales, while I also feel it can saturate a market. As a content creator, I feel it’s important to create in areas you feel passionate about as your customers can tell when you’re not having fun or that you know nothing about the topic. Taking the time to research the categories you want to dip your toes into makes all the difference. I see some stores with hundreds to thousands of clips not even make it into the top 50 for that category, while other stores will have a handful and be in the top 5. They understand something, and their customers can see and appreciate that.
Following trends can be important, but keep in mind also that trends are constantly changing. If you build a store around something, let’s say financial domination, and that category sees a ton of saturation with fewer clients, your clip sales might fall drastically and you’ll essentially have to start over in another category if you want to keep earning.
Most models have rebranded at least once to meet the demands of the everchanging market. You have to be prepared for this if you’re only following trends. That’s why I think it’s best to just do what you love and establish yourself there. If it becomes a hot topic, you’re already at the top and have your fanbase. It’s the new ones jumping in only because it’s a trend and not a passion that likely won’t see the same reward.
Keep in mind, this is just my perspective based on what I have observed or experienced, so don’t let my words keep you from experimenting if you’re a producer. I think we need to find our own way to succeed — no two paths will be exactly the same!
What industry-specific limitations must you consider when producing and editing clips?
When producing content, one has to adhere to site rules if you don’t want to land yourself or the clip site in trouble with the credit card processors. This can be difficult, as every site can have their own personal ban list on top of the ones that make sense that is there to prevent anything illegal. Some sites completely ban taboo fantasy content, others only allow step-relations, while others you completely have the green light to post as much freaky-fun fauxcest as you like! Some sites have completely banned words like “humiliation” or “diaper,” so when making clips or custom videos, we have to keep this in mind.
What about personal limitations — and also, opportunities?
As for personal limitations, I suppose editing can put a cap on my creativity. While I’ve come a long way with my editing, I still have so much to learn. I get custom requests all the time requiring my skills, and I use that time to perfect. This sometimes means a clip will take a week or more to finish, so I have to jump around and work on something else if I get stuck or frustrated. Of course, there’s always something to keep busy with when you’re an indie artist.
When working for yourself, you can be as creative as you like and I think that’s what really draws me into this lifestyle. If you take a look at just the categories listed on clip sites, you’ll realize there is so much you can do. The sky is kind of the limit, isn’t it?
Finally, what do you think other artists and would-be producers need to about know clips creation?
If you’re just starting out as a clip artist and feel discouraged, don’t give up! It took me years of persistence to finally find my place in this evergrowing, everchanging industry.
Visit Ellie Idol via her iWantClips store here.
