Few creative partnerships in adult entertainment run as deep as this one. Siouxsie Q and Michael Vegas met on the set of a fantasy gangbang years before they’d ever run a production together, and since then, they’ve built something rare: a marriage, a business, and a body of work that spans studio features for Brazzers, Adult Time, Reality Kings, Kink.com, and Wicked, as well as their own productions under PigMachine. Between them, they carry decades of experience from nearly every corner of the industry. What emerged is a working style built on trust, consent, and a shared obsession with craft, whether that means lighting a scene to match a brand’s look book or running a fifty-person consent conversation before a single camera rolls.
In this Wet Ink spotlight, Siouxsie Q and Michael Vegas talk candidly about how they got their start, how they divide the work, the misconceptions that follow directors in this industry, and the projects — past and future — they’re proudest to call their own.
How did each of you get your start in the industry — and how did that lead to building both a life and a body of work together?
Siouxsie: My very first venture into the adult industry came from answering an ad in the back of my college newspaper in 2006. My girlfriend at the time and I ended up doing a couple shoots and I instantly liked the work. In between that first venture and my career as Siouxsie Q, I spent several years in what is now known as the “indie sleaze” music scene as a ukulele playing mermaid, merch girl, and tour manager, which is where I really honed so many of the skills I now use on set producing and directing adult films: attention to detail, time management, communication, project management, and how to work under pressure with big personalities during wild circumstances.
After college I moved to San Francisco and sought a job that would offer me the flexibility to continue regularly going on tour as a performer and tour manager, and I found the legendary worker-owned, unionized peep show, The Lusty Lady Theatre, where I began my journey as Siouxsie Q. The peep show had over 70 dancers from a variety of diverse backgrounds who rotated in and out of the club, thanks to the Lusty’s flexible schedule and cavalier/anti-establishment attitude that not only allowed but encouraged workers to pursue their passions even if it meant time away from the peep show. The Lusty Lady dressing room was a buffet of adult industry expertise— dancers there had also worked as sex toy sales associates, professional dominatrixes, escorts, happy ending girlies, and of course, in porn. Within a few months I found out who was shooting porn and found a way to get in front of a camera thanks to Pink and White Productions, Filly Films, and the infamous San Francisco Armory where the majority of high-end bondage and fetish content was filmed at the time. I was immediately in love with the genre, I met my future husband (Michael) at my first gangbang and eventually relocated down to L.A. to work in advocacy as the Director of Policy and Industry Relations for the Free Speech Coalition, leading (and winning) California’s #NoProp60 campaign in 2016.
When everything shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, studios needed performers who had the ability to produce studio level content to step up and create and that’s exactly what Michael and I did. We produced, directed, and starred in titles for Brazzers, Adult Time, Reality Kings, Kink.com, and Lust Cinema during lockdown, and when things started to open back up, we were ready with an exemplary and trusted crew (now known as PigMachine) to continue the work of making amazing content for the industry’s top brands.
Michael: Life truly is an odyssey. I find myself remarking quite frequently that life is rather unexpected. I never expected to find myself so happy and comfortable among people that many would consider outcasts. I performed in my very first adult film scene in 2004. It was a gay for pay scene for MikeHancock.com. It went all right. I loved the thrill of it but it also just felt like some random hotel sex. Very amateur stuff that didn’t titillate the cinephile within me. But it was all part of my sexual identity self discovery journey. Turns out I prefer sex with femmes. In between my stint in gay adult film and eventual success in mainstream/straight adult film, I went through the fire academy and graduated with top honors, got married and divorced, died in a motorcycle accident and discovered how to live by my terms. I never expected to come back to adult film after the first few scenes I did, yet here I am 22 years later thriving.
What was the first shoot you worked on together like? How has that creative dynamic evolved since?
Michael: Well the first shoot we were on together we were both performers. We met in a castle for Siouxsie Q’s fantasy gangbang. Things have evolved beautifully from there. Many years later, around 2017, I got my first chance to direct for Adult Time. When I was putting together my crew I knew immediately what an asset SQ would be for me. The way she thinks really helps create robust worlds that make sense end to end. She went to school for theater so having someone that can give technical language to actors is always a plus. Our creative dynamic is always evolving. We are always getting better and stronger at what we do. A dream creative partnership, that is also a romantic partnership, that is also a business partnership.
How do you prepare for a shoot — individually and as a team?
Michael: We are basically always preparing for the next shoot. Casting, props, wardrobe, locations, talent. You have to throw it all in the air and see where it lands. Take a picture of where it landed. Show everyone else that picture. Then try to repeat that again on the day of the shoot. It’s complicated. It’s hard. It’s frustrating. I love it.
Siouxsie: Production meetings are crucial— getting everyone together to talk through every component of the day and make sure we have everything we need so we can be as prepared as possible is a vital step. Sometimes we get to meet with representatives from the studio to make sure we fully understand and can execute everything they need to sell and market the scene, but huddling up with our production manager/associate producer, Pup, to create a schedule and finalize our plan, ensuring all props, wardrobe, and people are ready and accounted for, is always a must. Getting enough sleep and proper hydration/nutrition is also non-negotiable, which is why we insist that our cast and crew get a 12 hour turnaround between wrap time and call time the following day. Movie making, especially porn, should not be done with a brain and body that haven’t had enough sleep or fuel.
What’s the most challenging part of what you do that people outside the industry would never expect?
Michael: Create an environment that is supportive and safe. Advocating for performer safety in the face of adversity. Running a full production company is a lot more than just showing up on the day of the shoot and hoping things will work out.
Siouxsie: Paperwork, accounting, admin, logistics and making tough calls under pressure. Keeping a diverse group of people safe, happy, fed, and productive in this very particular way is an extremely specialized skill that is not for the faint of heart.
What do you look for in a performer when you’re casting one of your big features?
Michael: Do they fit the vibe of the character? What is their sex performance style? Are they available the days that we were able to make work for the majority of the cast, crew, and locations?
Siouxsie: Honestly, whoever pays for the movie ultimately gets to decide who stars in it, so it usually comes down to a collaborative conversation with the studio and/or executive producer. There are many factors to consider, including and especially budget, schedule, reach/following/marketability, and of course trust and talent. At the end of the day, we are going to be spending a lot of time with someone who has a large role in a feature film, so we want to be sure that we all enjoy working together and can do so efficiently and successfully.
What’s the go-to camera, lens, or piece of gear that shapes the look of your sets?
Michael: A light meter, a monitor with EL Zone, and a whole lot of Aputure lights. We shoot on RED so our raw footage quality is top tier. Our shoots are often guided by the brands we are creating for so we frequently have to match a look book for our products. When making something for Girlsway, for example, I am going to make it bright, beautiful and even. When I am creating a feature for Wicked, we are going for cinematic. Lighting and contrast ratios are going to be pushed to create that dramatic feel that matches the vibe of each scenario.
Siouxsie: You’d be amazed at what we can accomplish with our trusty iPad monitors (so I can see both Cam A and B side by side) and a pack of tube lights. The devil is in the details, as they say— so it’s not so much one particular thing but rather the commitment to choosing the best tools for the job each time, in order to create an immersive spectacle where each frame feels like a seduction. This means ensuring that nothing in the frame takes us out of the fantasy —nothing unintentional or thoughtless if we can help it— no haphazard half filled trash cans or distracting light switches, no ugly pillowcases or crumpled socks in the corner of the frame.
Movies are a director’s medium, which is why we like to have three sets of award-winning director eyeballs on set when we are creating PigMachine productions: myself, Michael, and AVN Hall of Famer Sal Genoa who operates our second camera. We are also blessed with the talents of our brilliant Gaffer— third generation pornographer Joel Sinclair, who paints with light in a way that elevates everything we do. Additionally, every word that’s being spoken on our projects is being monitored and recorded by our sound operator, Venus, who is an accomplished media maker and award winning playwright, director, and producer in her own right. It’s not the equipment; it’s the people.
What’s your relationship like with the performers you work with — how do you create a comfortable environment on set?
Michael: Rule number one is protect the vibe. We have a special kinship with the performers because we are performers ourselves. We know what it is like to do their job so we have that compassion for models that not every director is capable of. These models will take it to the limits and often further on our behalf. We are there to make sure they don’t get hurt and always feel the respect they deserve. Consent forward practices on set always. We are good friends with the performer pool. We have done scenes with them. We have directed scenes for them. We are also in the trenches with them.
Siouxsie: Honoring the work that performers do, and providing them comfort, resources, and protection while they do it is nothing short of holy work to me. Our goal is to ensure that each performer who steps onto our set is supported in a way that allows them to bring their best selves to their work that day. Consent is not just a conversation between performers before the scene, it is at the center of everything that we do and that culture of consent fuels our ability to create and document magnificent moments of exploration, intimacy, and artistic expression.
With the two of you often running a set together, how do you divide the work without stepping on each other’s toes?
Michael: This job requires you to drop the ego. We are here to make it work and get it done. Neither of us puts our ego first when we are on set. When we don’t lead with egotism our undertakings unfurl much smoother.
Siouxsie: Directing and producing is a huge job, I have no idea how people do it solo. There is so much work to do, especially since Michael is generally also serving as our Director of Photography, and occasionally one or both of us is also performing as either an actor or even occasionally a sex performer. The division of labor is usually something like this: Michael handles camera/lights/equipment, and I focus on story, schedule, working with actors, blocking, accounting, and big picture. We collaborate on writing, casting, accounting and set decoration and our Associate Producer, Pup, handles paperwork, booking communications, logistics, and often most of the props/wardrobe as well. There is so much to do and so many things to keep track of when making movies and running a production company that even between Michael, myself, and our associate producer/production manager, there are barely enough hands to get everything done smoothly. Due to the sheer amount of work, we rarely step on each other’s toes, but if it ever does happen, we talk about it privately, listen to each other’s perspectives without getting defensive and find the best way to move forward. We also are blessed with an incredible couples therapist who is adult industry friendly, so we have a place to work through anything that gets sticky during our sessions with her too.
Who in the industry — director, performer, or otherwise — has influenced or inspired each of you the most?
Michael: The series Anal Acrobats really shaped my love of adult films. Evan Stone, Nick Manning, Manuel Ferrara, Mick Blue, Small Hands, Xander Corvus, Seth Gamble, Tommy Pistol, Danny D, Ricky Johnson, Cherie DeVille, Angela White, Lexi Belle, Aiden Starr— all-star legends that have shaped who I am as Michael Vegas and contributed to my success in one way or another.
Dana Vespoli, Ricky Greenwood, Casey Calvert, Bree Mills, Kayden Kross, James Avalon— all directors I watched closely and learned from firsthand. Steve Mathews, Matt Holder, James Avalon, Sal Genoa— all camera legends I have tried to emulate. John Frad, Joel Sinclair, Rick Rodney, Shawn Rivera— all gaffers who have shaped my philosophy on light and given me their secrets to add to my collection of tricks that make our movies great.
Siouxsie: I saw the stage show of John Stagliano’s Fashionistas in Vegas when I was barely 21 years old and it changed my life forever. So much of what I love and yearn to create within this genre is inspired by that show—especially and obviously The Bottom Floor. Carol Queen’s book, Real Live Nude Girl, which I checked out from the University of Oregon Knight Library during my senior year of college led me to this life and I will forever be grateful for her work. Annie Sprinkle’s early performance art work is also a huge inspiration for me, especially Public Cervix Announcement. I have always been, and continue to be incredibly inspired by my peers and contemporaries. The queer and kink performers of my early career in San Francisco; my first “Sir” the late, great Jack Hammer who was the first person to put me in shibari rope; legendary non binary performer Jiz Lee, who was there for my very first shoot as Siouxsie Q; Mickey Mod who basically saved BDSM studio content during the pandemic by facilitating self shot content for kink dot com and now is creating art house punk rock smut with Collective Corruption; my dearest Chelsea Poe, the Taylor Swift of Trans erotica; and Penny Fucking Barber, the queen of all things taboo; all still inspire me daily. Casey Calvert, Aiden Starr, and Beau Donovan are my production siblings— I look up to them as professionals, and I respect and admire their competence in deep and profound ways.
And of course, my beautiful, talented, exquisitely perverted husband Michael inspires me beyond any words. While we are compatible on so many levels, the way we can relate to each other when it comes to art is the type of love I have always dreamt of finding. To me, artistic collaboration is the most sacred and intimate of love languages and we get to speak it to each other basically all day, every day. It’s heaven.
Is there a project you’re most proud of, and why does it stand out to you above the rest?
Michael: The Bottom Floor is my favorite world and project we have ever created. An intensive BDSM play party experience where the viewer is invited into the underground world of kinky sex parties. A 50 person exclusive play party that gives adult performers the place to unleash their deepest sexual fantasies and live out their wildest dreams. It is a communal space. It is a healing space. It is a sacred space where sex magic exists and we let you get a glimpse of what adult film stars really do when they get together on their own terms.
Siouxsie: Yes, The Bottom Floor is hands down our favorite creation, and facilitating a 50 person, 69 minute consent talk is surely one of the highlights of my career in this space.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about the two of you personally — or about directors in this industry in general?
Michael: I think a big misconception about adult film stars is that we are broken, irresponsible people. While we are on the fringes of society, we are also responsible for running a business with lots of money exchanging hands. We pay taxes. We follow rules. We help shape laws. Our community relies on its sexual health to be able to make money so we take care of it in a way that most people have never even considered.
Siouxsie: I would imagine people think that there’s a lot more money, power, or glamour somehow involved in directing and producing adult film, and maybe there is for those who don’t care about others and choose to exploit the opportunity, but for me, just like my first job in this industry as a unionized peep show worker. This is a largely working class job on the margins. We act as a buffer between the corporations that fund content and the workers that create it, and we do our very best to negotiate the best pay and working conditions possible for all involved, but just like so many in media production right now, we are all making an average day rate, for a very demanding day of work. It’s super fun and it’s deeply fulfilling, but at the end of the day, we all need more money and better working conditions because the economy is in shambles.
You’re both among the most prolific people working today. How do you avoid burning out, individually and as a couple who works together?
Michael: Gratitude above all else. Also, slow and steady wins the race. Preserving energy and setting clear boundaries to make sure we have what we need to do the job and recover is vital to success.
Siouxsie: We protect our peace as much as we can and spend time with our friends, family, and animal companions as much as possible in between production runs. I also take a writing class with my mentor, Francesca Lia Block, as often as I can. We also top up our creative spirit by taking several trips to Disneyland and other places that inspire and delight us throughout the year. Additionally, we try to be silly, in earnest, and have fun each and every day, all the time, no matter what we are doing, so that certainly helps.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to do what you do?
Siouxsie: In the immortal words of our dearly departed but forever potent Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, “Don’t dream it, Be it.”
In this economy there is no barrier to entry, you can put your movies on the internet and people can buy them on a hundred and one different platforms. Start. Do it. Find out what the audience that you can attract likes and give them more of what they want in a way that lights you up creatively. Invest that money back into your productions and make them better, bolder and brighter. Keep doing that until you scratch that itch. Don’t stop until you’re satisfied.
Michael: Put in the work. Nobody is just going to hand it to you. Set a clear vision of what you want and start talking about it. Put yourself near what you want and align with others doing the job already. Speak it into existence. Manifest your dreams.
Looking ahead, is there a project, genre, or format the two of you haven’t tackled yet, but want to?
Michael: I have always wanted to make an action movie. The time it takes for stunt coordination to do it properly is not something I have been afforded yet. I also just completed my non-adult mainstream horror movie which I am looking forward to tackling. Also in the works is a movie from SQ’s favorite author that I can’t say much more about at this moment.
Siouxsie: There’s so much I want to do. Mainstream horror and Christmas movies are always at the top of my list, but I also want to create a mainstream short, a grip of documentaries, a whimsical coming of age story, something in the reality television and/or documentary genre, and I really don’t think I should go through my life without creating a movie musical at some point.
