Veteran performer and cam model Lauren Phillips is no stranger to moviemaking. Well before she began sharpening her directorial instincts, as a prolific performer she worked alongside Gamma Entertainment's award-winning teams to bring their various studio brands to life.
“My performance background started well before Adult Time was even created,” she reflects, remarking on the now-ubiquitous multichannel umbrella under which most Gamma-affiliated works are released amid a Netflix-style smorgasbord of content.
I like to listen to others’ ideas or approaches to bring the scene to life. I check in on my team, just like checking in on my performers. Everyone is important to me.
“I think my first scene was actually with Girlsway,” Phillips recalls. “My co-star Sasha Heart and I were bringing to life a fan fiction story.”
She points out that Girlsway has a forum where fans can submit their stories to be developed into movies.
“Everything just grows from there,” she says, noting the power of engaging an audience so directly. “I also love performing in complex stories such as the ones on their Pure Taboo channel, and Adult Time audiences seem to love me. It’s a win/win, don’t you think?”
Starring in everything from lighthearted Sapphic fare to darkly dramatic series, Phillips strengthened her acting skills. This would later prove useful when she found herself directing other performers.
“I had been taking acting classes and wanted to show the adult industry what I had been training for,” she explains. “I like creating characters and the backstory for them. I love to be challenged, and Adult Time gave me the chance. I didn’t want to be known as just a gonzo performer.”
Despite her popularity, Phillips steered clear of the temptation to become a diva, instead maintaining a reputation for being easy to work with.
“My goal is to be the solution, not the problem,” Phillips explains. “I’m always professional and prepared for my scenes, on top of being bubbly and energetic on set. I’m here to be helpful and enjoy the company of my performers and the crew.”
Phillips makes is habit to be 15 minutes early. She sees it as a sign of her success that crews are excited to see her name on the call sheet.
Now, she is taking on behind-the-camera duties, with the new series “Switch” serving as a vehicle for bringing her own real-life experiences and dynamics to the screen with authentic flair.
“‘Switch’ came to be after I was brainstorming with Bree Mills,” she remembers. “I love BDSM, but I had noticed that females were only being portrayed as either dominant or submissive. What if you are both? I’m a switch and want to introduce other switches to society.”
She describes “Switch” as a series where females can play with their dominant and submissive sides, providing a space to experience power exchange and a truthful depiction of inhabiting a switch’s headspace.
When it comes to casting and handling shoots, Phillips underscores that she is still learning and being mentored by Adult Time’s chief creative officer, award-winning director Bree Mills.
“In most of the stories that Bree and I have collaborated on, we already had performers who would be perfect for the characters,” she says. “As the stories developed, I would ask new performers if they were a switch and their thoughts on it. Creative ideas would start to develop with what the new performer wants to experience. On-set shooting is teamwork, and everyone has a role to play.”
Targeting the right audiences for the new series entailed a lot of discussion with the Adult Time marketing team in Canada, and analysis of their viewer statistics.
“Analytics are important to me, and I wanted to ensure their current audiences would love this new series,” Phillips shares. “I also wanted to bring in a new audience that loved light BDSM and girl/girl action — Adult Time told me about what their viewers love and what was currently trending on their site.”
To maximize eyeballs, there are also promotions planned with performers and Phillips herself, ranging from social media takeovers to “ask me anything” convos on Adult Time. Of course, Phillips hopes that the uniqueness of the series will market itself.
“Based on my knowledge and research, there hasn’t been a switch BDSM series enhancing women’s empowerment and explaining the world of BDSM,” she explains. “That makes ‘Switch’ stand out. There are all different styles and types of BDSM, but I wanted ‘Switch’ to start with the basics. My series is pleasurable BDSM that educates the audience too.”
As she explores working behind the camera, Phillips finds herself experimenting and discovering her directorial style. She defines her management approach as being centered on appreciating teamwork.
“The Adult Time crew is my team, and we must work as a team,” she explains. “I like to listen to others’ ideas or approaches to bring the scene to life. I check in on my team, just like checking in on my performers. Everyone is important to me. And their experience on my set is important.”
As part of her collaboration with the Gamma team, she meets with Mills before a shoot to brainstorm ideas and casting.
“Once we have an outline, the casting, location and scheduling begin the process,” she says. “I also have biweekly meetings with the Adult Time crew in Canada to discuss upcoming releases, marketing, experiences on set and any conventions and/or expos. Adult Time is like a family to me, and I love how they check in on me.”
Even as she continues her Adult Time contract with another episode of “Switch,” there has been discussion about making it into a full-fledged vignette-style feature movie.
“I have a lot of dreams of growing with Adult Time, and I hope our brands can expand together,” she affirms. “It’s just about planting seeds. I’m excited to see how Adult Time and I intertwine together over five to 10 years.”
