Below are the most common questions I've been asked by e-mail, in forum posts, or in the chat room. If there's a question that you have that you'd like to see answered here, just
drop me an e-mail. If it's a question of general interest, I'll post the Q&A here.
General FAQs
Are you a porn star?
Do you work in the adult business?
How many adult videos have you watched?
How many adult DVDs do you own?
What was the first porno you ever watched?
Have you ever been on a porn set?
Review FAQs
What is your home theater setup?
Why do you rarely give low scores?
Why did you give [title] a rating of [1-5] when it deserved a [1-5]?
How do you rate DVDs?
Do you actually watch the DVDs you review?
Do you purchase the DVDs you review?
Are you paid by anyone to write the reviews?
Why is there an 8-month gap in reviews in 2000-2001?
Which DVDs are the best?
AdultDVDTalk.com FAQs
Is SakiVision.com associated or owned by
AdultDVDTalk.com?
Are you an employee of AdultDVDTalk.com?
What does a forum moderator do?
So how do I become a forum moderator?
Why was my topic or post locked, edited, or moved?
My post isn't nonsense! So why was it moved to the
World News & Nonsense forum?
What is the chat room all about?
What is the discussion topic in the chat room?
Why am I ignored sometimes when I go into the chat room?
Can I use another chat program here instead of the Java client?
What are some of the commands I can use in the chat room?
Why are the names of some
chatters in different colors or why do they start with a character such as
@ or +?
Why would I get kicked out
of or banned from the chat room?
GENERAL FAQs
Q. Are you a porn star?
A. This is probably the most frequently asked question that I get. There's a long time adult actress that goes by the name of Saki St. Jermaine (aka Saki) who's appeared in over 350 movies. That's not me, especially since I'm a guy and she's almost as old as my mom. Saki is a nickname that I've had all my life, so it was natural to use it as my avatar online. Some of the confusion probably comes from the fact that Evil_Rip (another AdultDVDTalk.com moderator) posted this fake picture of me that he created. I'm not a porn star, I really don't have a desire to be one, because I wouldn't pay money to see me in a porno, nor would very many other people. ;-)
Q. Do you work in the adult business?
A. That's the second most asked question. People assume since I know so much about porn, that I must work in the industry. Nope, never have, and never will. I'm just a guy who's seen more than his share of adult videos and DVDs.
Q. How many adult videos have you watched?
A. I have no idea--a lot, I'm sure. Probably well over 1,500. But I didn't "watch" all of those from start to finish...I've worn out three VCRs with all of the fast forwarding I've had to do!
Q. How many adult DVDs do you own?
A. It fluctuates, but around 100. However, most of those are not "keepers" in my opinion--they're just waiting for me to find the time to review them. The number of discs that are "keepers" is much smaller, around 20.
Q. What was the first porno you ever watched?
A. The first one I watched was the classic film "Insatiable" with Marilyn Chambers, and it's probably the reason why I like porn so much. I can't imagine seeing "Ranch-o-Rama #10000" as my first and having a healthy view of what porn is about. For the record, the second one was another classic, "Debbie Does Dallas," and the third was "On White Satin" with Seka. After that, it's all a blur! ;-)
Q. Have you ever been on a porn set? What was it like?
A. Yes, thanks to AdultDVDTalk.com and VCA Pictures, I visited the set of Stupid Cupid on Valentine's Day 2000 and the set of Unreal in 2001. I wrote about my experiences in the Stupid Cupid "On the Set" report and the SakiVision feature report on Unreal.
REVIEW FAQs
Q. What is your home theater setup?
A. Reviews before 2001 were done using either a Panasonic A-310 or a Toshiba SD-1200 DVD player. Then I got a Sony DVP-C670D 5-disc carousel DVD changer. In August 2002, I upgraded to a Sony DVP-NC655P changer. My television is a 27" Sony FD Trinitron Wega (4:3 CRT), my A/V receiver is a JVC RX-884VBK (Dolby Digital), and my theater speakers are Bose Acoustimass-15's (5 channels plus subwoofer). The DVD player is connected directly to the TV using a Monster Cable 3 S-Video cable. For DVD-ROM features and video captures, I use computers equipped with CyberLink's PowerDVD software and 8X Samsung DVD-ROM drives.
Q. Why do you rarely give low scores? Looking at your reviews, it seems that you give mostly "average" and higher overall reviews. It seems to me that with so many bad DVDs out there that you should have more poor ratings than good.
A. Great question! The answer is pretty simple: I don't buy crappy DVDs. I try to do my research before I buy any DVD, often looking to see if it's gotten good reviews from other reviewers. I also have seen a lot of videos on VHS, so I know what to expect in terms of content as they are released on DVD. I'm not like a film critic that screens every movie that comes out and sees his share of awful flicks. It's a bummer to spend money on a dud, and it's even worse to have to review it. So I try to avoid bad DVDs as much as possible. I suppose that makes me a pretty selective reviewer, but until I have an infinite amount of time and money to throw away on lousy discs, I'll live with that.
Q. Why did you give [title] a rating of [1-5] when it deserved a [1-5]? I thought this movie [was great/sucked]! I thought you were a good reviewer--until you screwed up on this movie...
A. Well, the only things I can say in response are that reviewing porn isn't an exact science and that porn is very subjective. Just like one critic will love or hate a given mainstream film, while another one may have the opposite opinion, adult is the same way. It depends on so many variables (was the audio or video poor? did I like the plot? did it star someone I can't stand? was the type of sex not my cup of tea? did it have a lot of extras that rescued an otherwise average movie? etc...). So it's likely that I judged the movie with different standards than you might, which accounts for the opposite reactions.
The other important thing to consider is that pornography is a highly personal and subjective subject. People's tastes and fetishes (or lack thereof) are different from one person to the next. For instance, some people just love seeing lesbian sex, while others are completely revolted. The best advice I can give is to read my profile to see whether our porn tastes are similar. If we are alike, then chances are you'll tend to agree with my reviews; if not, at least you'll know where I'm coming from.
Q. How do you rate DVDs? I mean, what weight do you put on each of the categories to come up with your overall rating?
A. Again, it's not an exact science, but the categories I put the most emphasis on are "Sex" and "Extras." The first is pretty self-explanatory--if the sex is boring or simply not what I like to see, it's going to have a major impact on whether I recommend the DVD or not. Extras are extremely important to me since I'm also a mainstream DVD enthusiast and I just love extra features such as commentaries, deleted scenes, and so forth. To me, it's a waste of the technology and of my money to release a no-frills disc at premium prices.
I recognize that there are a lot of people who could care less about extras and would much rather see the best possible audio and video mastering instead. I completely agree, but I think that high quality A/V should be expected on every single disc, special edition or not. Many adult studios have state-of-the art mastering equipment or outsource to professional authoring companies, so the only excuse for poor quality is simply that they don't care enough to put out a quality product.
So, yes, A/V is important (and if it's bad, I'll bitch about it for sure). So are the "looks" categories, but they are less important in my book than the other categories that speak directly to the value for the money that the DVD offers.
Finally, I don't do what some reviewers do and simply take an average of the individual categories to come up with my overall rating. Just crunching the numbers doesn't tell the complete story about a DVD, since you can have one category that's completely lousy but still have a high average. Or you could have a DVD that rates low in most of the categories but has some intangible quality that will boost its overall appeal. It's subjective, but I do my best weigh all of the categories to come up with the final verdict.
Q. Do you actually watch the DVDs you review? Or do you just screen them at high speed?
A. Absolutely...I do my best to honestly evaluate every disc I review, and the only way to do that is to watch it. That includes supplemental features such as audio commentary tracks, deleted scenes, trailers, etc. I try to demonstrate in my reviews that I've actually seen the DVD in question, including information that you can't glean from the preview or off the back cover. When possible, I include plot and character information, as well as performer names. With that said, I'd be lying if I claimed that I watch every single second of every single DVD I review. Let's face it, when you're confronted with a boring, repetitive sex scene that goes on forever, it's pretty natural to fast forward through it. But I don't chapter skip or play the entire disc on search.
Q. Do you purchase the DVDs you review or are they given to you by a studio?
A. I purchase or trade a majority of the DVDs that I review, however, I do receive complementary copies via AdultDVDTalk to review on occasion. I never accept comps offered by studio in exchange for reviews as a matter of principle. Although many studios are good about not exerting pressure on reviewers to give a positive review, some definitely do. I'm never so desperate for free porn that I'm willing to sell out and not give my honest opinion on a disc. The screeners I receive from AdultDVDTalk come with no strings attached (other than completing a review on the disc) the owners have been very insistent that the reviews be as honest as possible. I've never received ANY pressure from AdultDVDTalk to slant or edit my reviews--favorably or unfavorably. If I get pressure from anyone, I just ignore it -- I'm doing this for fun and can walk away any time, so I have no positions to protect.
Q. Are you paid by anyone to write the reviews?
A. No. AdultDVDTalk does not offer compensation for reviews. Nor do any of the stores or studios pay for reviews that appear on this site. As I mentioned in the previous question, I occasionally get screeners from AdultDVDTalk, which I can keep after the review is posted.
Q. Why is there an 8-month gap between reviews in 2000-2001? Where did you go?
A. I was on assignment with the CIA during that time...or was it that the government censored those reviews...no, actually I'm going to release those as extras in a special edition boxed set. :-)
The real answer is that I was really busy with my day job (which required a lot of out-of-town travel), I was enjoying my relationship with my then-fiancee, -lunacy-, and I was burned out with porn. It took me quite a while until I again had the free time to start reviewing again. I'm still somewhat burned out and don't think I'll be reviewing at the rate of 8-10 DVDs per month like in early 2000.
Q. Which DVDs are the best?
A. Porn is so subjective that unless you are exactly like me, you probably won't agree with my recommendations. Having said that, if you've read my profile and think that we're on the same page, check out my Visionary Award winners, followed by my reviews that scored three stars or higher.
ADULTDVDTALK.COM FAQs
Q. Is SakiVision.com associated or owned by AdultDVDTalk.com?
A. Yes and no. SakiVision uses webspace generously provided for free by AdultDVDTalk.com, just as many other reviewer websites given to those who contribute information or reviews to AdultDVDTalk. However, the owners of AdultDVDTalk do not monitor, approve, or necessarily agree with the information presented on SakiVision.com. I'm responsible for the content presented here alone.
Q. Are you an employee of AdultDVDTalk.com?
A. No. I'm a volunteer forum moderator and an unpaid contributing reviewer. As discussed in the AdultDVDTalk FAQ, there are no employees of AdultDVDTalk.com; I'm happy to volunteer my time because it's a hobby that I enjoy, the site is truly unique in the adult world.
Q. What does a forum moderator do?
A. The only real "powers" that forum moderators have are to delete spam, to move off-topic threads to the appropriate forum, to lock topics that are inappropriate or have exhausted reasonable discussion, and to correct errors in posts (such as incorrect hyperlinks). The moderator position is not like those at other sites, which might require a moderator to approve posts before they will appear. In general, it's a pretty "hands-off," administrative position. All of the moderators are long time members of AdultDVDTalk who have been extremely helpful to the forum community and who are able to point people in the right direction if they need information.
Q. So how do I become a forum moderator?
A. Because the forum is pretty stable and the workload is very minor, there isn't a need for additional moderators. Occasionally, as moderators decide to step down, they will usually ask a helpful member to volunteer for the job. Your best bet is to be involved in the forum, taking the time to help new visitors and being an asset to AdultDVDTalk. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to drop an e-mail to the webmaster (webmaster@adultdvdtalk.com) and let her know you are interested in a position if it became available.
Q. Why was my topic or post locked,
edited, or moved?
A. Usually, a topic is moved to another forum because it belongs somewhere else. For example, a shopping question is more suited for the Shopping Info forum rather than the Adult DVD Talk forum. Don't be offended if your topic is moved -- the moderators know best where your topic will get the attention it deserves. Also, just because a topic is moved doesn't mean that others can't read or respond to it. Every moved topic has a link to its new home.
If your thread or post was locked or edited, it may have little to do with your topic: perhaps a recent topic addressed your very question or maybe one of the web links you posted is incorrect. On the other hand, editing or closure may directly relate to the content of your post. Things that will attract negative attention from a moderator include: posting blatant advertisements (spam), shilling (businesses posing as consumers), discussing methods/tools to copy DVDs or defeat copy protection, posting hateful or insensitive messages, post padding (posting for the sole purpose of increasing post count), continuing behavior when asked specifically by a moderator or administrator to stop, posting large images or pictures that you do not have permission to use, flaming (making personal attacks), trolling/baiting (intentionally making provocative statements knowing others will react to them), etc.
If you have a problem or question regarding a moderating decision, you can always e-mail the moderator in question for an explanation. Or you can e-mail webmaster@adultdvdtalk.com to lodge a complaint. However, keep in mind that moderators are like judges: they keep the order by enforcing rules, and sometimes there's a judgment call when interpreting the rules or the situation. Sending hate mail or posting on the forum about dictatorial moderators will almost always fall on deaf ears. Further, since AdultDVDTalk is not a democracy or subject to free speech guarantees, ranting about First Amendment rights will probably just get you banned from the site.
ADT is quite unique as a place where adult stars, producers, industry insiders, stores, reviewers, and consumers have an opportunity to interact. If it weren't for the moderators keeping things orderly and friendly, most of these people would choose not to participate. We welcome and value everyone's participation, but when push comes to shove, we'll place the good of the community over any one person's right to express himself or herself.
Q. My post isn't nonsense! So why
was it moved to the World News & Nonsense forum?
A. The World News and Nonsense forum is the home of any topic that doesn't fit in one of the other forums. Don't let the title "Nonsense" fool you -- if your thread is moved there, it doesn't mean we think it's nonsense (we could have called the forum "Etc.," "The Kitchen Sink," "Miscellaneous," "Everything Else," and so on). Finally, WN&N is where AdultDVDTalk.com site suggestions and problems should be posted (unless they relate to shopping or search engine features, in which case you should report them in the Shopping Forum).
Q. What is the chat room all about?
A. In case you don't know, a chat room is an online meeting place where multiple people can get together and "talk" by typing in responses that everyone sees. If you are familiar with instant messaging, it's like that but with more people involved. AdultDVDTalk's chat room operates on the same principle as other chat rooms except that the subject of conversation tends to be about porn and the adult industry. It's also the place where special chat events are held, such as the regular chat nights (weekly, at 7 p.m. USA Pacific Time every Wednesday) and chats with special guests. The chat room is open 24 hours a day, and you never know who will be there (porn stars, studio reps, well-known reviewers, and store owners have been known to pop in without notice).
Q. What is the topic of discussion in the chat room?
A. In other chat rooms, there's often a designated topic that everyone agrees to talk about and bringing up other subjects is considered rude. That's not the case in the AdultDVDTalk chat room. Although the conversation tends to be adult in nature, we talk about almost anything, from what's for dinner to what's on TV right now. Some visitors who are expecting only a lively discussion on the latest hardcore releases or celebrity gossip are disappointed that the AdultDVDTalk chat room isn't more focused. At times, the chat room is very on-topic, but that really depends on the event (such as a chat with an adult star) and who's in the room at the time.
Q. Why am I ignored sometimes when I enter the chat room?
A. It's probably because the room is too empty or too full. In the too empty case, even if there are usernames listed in the right hand column of the chat window, they are probably not at their keyboard. With the advent of cable modems and DSL, some people stay logged in all of the time, even when they are away. If you don't receive a response in a couple of minutes after you say hello, your best bet is to try again later, especially during a special chat event (advertised on the home page).
On the other hand, if the room is too busy, you might have slipped in unnoticed with all of the activity. Don't get discouraged that your comments aren't being acknowledged. Everyone on the chat is friendly and will engage you in conversation if they can. Just continue to listen and talk, and I'm sure you won't feel ignored for long!
Q. Can I use another chat program here instead of the Java client?
A. Yes, you can! You can use any Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client with the AdultDVDTalk chat server, such as mIRC. These software programs allow you to customize your chat settings, such as changing fonts or colors. A sample screenshot of mIRC shows what the chat room looks like from that program. Personally, I like to use mIRC, which is probably the most popular IRC client out there.
To configure your chat program to access the AdultDVDTalk chat room, you need to set the IRC server to irc.adultdvdtalk.com on port 6667. The room name is #adt.
Of course, you don't need any special software to access the chat room, just go to http://www.adultdvdtalk.com/chat/chat.asp. The directions above are only if you want to try using another program to access the chat room.
Q. What are some of the commands I can use in the chat room?
A. Since the chat room is IRC-based, many of the commands that work in other IRC chat rooms will work here. Rather than go into them, I'll point you to a couple of excellent new user tutorials for IRC: The IRC Beginner's Reference and the newircusers.com FAQ. Keep in mind that some IRC commands will not work without using an IRC client and others are restricted commands that are reserved for the chat room administrators or are not implemented on this chat server.
Q. Why are the names of some people in different colors or why do they start with a character such as @ or +?
A. These people are operators (similar to moderators in the discussion forum) or special guests. Other than the ability to kick people out who are misbehaving or changing some of the chat room settings, they are essentially the same as everyone else.
Q. Why would I get kicked out of or banned from the chat room?
A. Think of any "real life" scenario where you would be asked to leave a conversation: unwanted sexual advances, questions of a personal nature, immature behavior (such as name calling, inciting arguments, or asking the same question over and over again), illegal activity, flooding the chat room with garbage or spam, or returning when asked to leave by an operator are all grounds for getting kicked out (temporarily) or banned (permanently) from the chat room. Repeated violations will get you completely blocked from reaching any AdultDVDTalk servers, and illegal activities will be reported to the authorities.
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