In the gay porn
wars, San Francisco beats Los Angeles

Los Angeles's entertainment industry is constantly under threat from runaway production--films and programs packing up from Southern California studios and moving to cheaper locales in Canada or Europe. But now L.A.'s hold on the gay porn industry is ceding to a much closer neighbor--San Francisco.

The City by the Bay has recently become the hub of the gay porn industry, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday. While Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley used to be the epicenter of gay porn, many gay studios, like Titan, Raging Stallion, and Hot House, are now based in San Francisco's Potrero Hill and South of Market neighborhoods.

"Now that a critical mass of companies can be found here in San Francisco, more outside companies find it beneficial to relocate here to take advantage of the porn-friendly climate," Chris Ward, cofounder and president of Raging Stallion, told the Chronicle.

San Francisco's influence will be acknowledged on Saturday when the Kathy Griffin-hosted GAYVN Awards--the gay porn honors--are held at the Castro Theatre. Previously the GAYVN Awards were held at L.A. nightclubs.

While the gay porn industry, which constitutes about 5% to 10% of the entire pornography industry, may be heading north, straight porn still reliably powers the L.A. economy. (The Advocate)