How can explicit sex drive and enhance storytelling? Why is incorporating sex with high production values important? These questions and more will be discussed during SXSW 2018 — but the proposed panel “Using Explicit Sex as a Storytelling Element,” currently in the midst of the conference’s PanelPicker process, needs your support on or before August 25th.

Highly respected women directors Angie Rowntree (Sssh.com), Dee Severe (Severe Sex Films), and Shine Louise Houston (Pink & White Productions) represent various corners of professional erotica production. Their collective aim here is to discuss the importance of intertwining explicit sex with high production values and immersive narratives for total audience engagement. They will also discuss various social and cultural issues impacting adult content production today.

Up-vote “Using Explicit Sex as a Storytelling Element” via SXSW’s PanelPicker site right here: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/76021.

“Porn is constantly engaged as a clickbait device, but very rarely do those invoking porn as an edgy proxy actually understand the intricacies of adult content production,” explained Angie Rowntree. “This is especially egregious when we’re talking about content made by women.”

Rowntree elaborated, “I decided to move forward with organizing this panel in the hopes of bringing an informed realistic perspectives to one of the most prestigious conference spaces around — ideally showing that erotic filmmaking is not ‘easy’ or a ‘sensation.’ In fact, it’s an art like every other form of media.”

Dee Severe echoed Rowntree’s sentiments. “Directing porn has been one of the best creative experiences of my life. It’s a medium where you can have nearly complete control of your project and where female directors are welcomed,” she shared. “Comedies elicit laughter, horror movies elicit fear — why should sexual pleasure be any less valid as a creative goal?”

Regarding porn’s position in the greater filmmaking world, “I think people don’t take erotic films or porn or whatever you want to call it seriously. Even though we’ve been in film fests all over the country, people’s reactions are too often a pat on the head, like ‘Oh cute, you’re just making porn,’” Shine Louise Houston explained.

The proposed panel is currently in the midst of SXSW’s PanelPicker process. A modified approach to crowdsourcing, PanelPicker lets people up-vote the ideas they like as a way to gauge public interest in proposed topics. This feedback informs the SXSW staff’s final roster selection.

To support “Using Explicit Sex as a Storytelling Element,” please take the following steps on or before August 25th, when voting closes.

First register to vote (it’s easy and free) via SXSW’s PanelPicker site: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/76021.

Click on the SIGN IN button, where there will be an option for CREATE ACCOUNT.

The SXSW system will send you a confirmation email. Confirm your account, then you’re ready to go.

Place your up-vote, leave a supportive comment, and share on social media. Please include panelists’ and conference handles and relevant hashtags — @AngieRowntree @SevereSociety @ShineLouise @sxsw and #SXSW.