Award- winning adult video director Mike Donner, shows you how to become a titan in the gay porn industry with his new book How to be a Gay Porn Star.

With tips such as, “If you’re looking for a boyfriend, try church” and “Give the best cum shot,” Donner provides readers with a humorous guide to jumpstart their potential porn careers.

His book takes a practical approach to condom use, sleeping with producers, and make up and grooming tips. “Tales from Daddy Donner,” a post-chapter wrap up, serves as comic relief – one anecdote even details a model climaxing in Donner’s eye.

While the book runs the gamut from campy to sexy, Donner has fun with the subject.

After all, he says, “You’ve got someone’s testicles in your face while you’re at work – how serious can you be?”

Gay & Lesbian Times: What is the No. 1 reason men do porn? The money? The excitement? The quasi-celebrity culture?

Mike Donner: My experience has been that guys do porn for two reasons: the perception of quick and easy money, and the thrill of performing. Porn stars are natural exhibitionists; it’s a huge turn-on for them. Many don’t even seem to realize that; it’s almost a subconscious thing.

GLT: Why did you write this book?

MD: I wanted to write something informative that was also fun. I’ve met so many young men over the years that were new to the industry but heading down the wrong path. All they really needed was some simple but honest guidance to make their career paths a lot smoother.

GLT: In the book, you discuss contract negotiations, salaries, agents, etc. You seem to be genuinely concerned for models who may be naïve about the business. Do you see too many models taken advantage of?

MD: I have seen far too many models taken advantage of. This doesn’t happen so much with the major studios; rather, it’s the small-time producer, or the new agent or filmmaker who is in this more for his jollies. Too many people think porn is a slam dunk; anyone can do it, and everyone gets rich off of it. That is so not the case. It’s a biz, and younger models who get attached to someone who isn’t a pro in the business usually end up getting screwed – in all the wrong ways.

GLT: There is a cliché in the adult film industry that you address in chapter 15: sleeping your way to the top. You say it’s not necessary to sleep with producers, directors, etc., to advance. Do most young porn stars try to sleep their way up the ladder?

MD: Not too much anymore. Today’s guys are far more savvy. The proliferation of porn on the internet has actually helped guys see that porn is an industry and business. Blowing the interview once again means you didn’t have the right things to say, and not that you didn’t put out.

GLT: You say in the book you’re a fan of writing dialogue into your films. With porn “plots” do you go for the camp factor, or do you try to veer away from scripted moments that are too cheesy?

MD: My scripts have ranged from serious to silly, depending on the project. I recently got an e-mail on Facebook from someone who said their favorite movie of all time was A Tale of Two Brothers, a film I did over 10 years ago that focused on a deaf man and his search for his lost brother. I had no humor in that one, but it obviously meant something to that viewer. Recently, I did an homage to the ’70s porn called GrindAss House – it was goofy, the dialogue was intentionally cheesy, and viewers loved it. One of my favorite shoots was doing the b-roll footage for Crossing the Line. I snuck into the Republican National Convention held in San Diego; lots of those conservative folks would have died if they had known they’ve been the background in a gay porn!

GLT: Why did you use humor in the book?

MD: Because porn should be fun, and anyone who’s done a shoot knows it’s also pretty hilarious. And hard work. Hilarious, hard work. You’ve got someone’s testicles in your face while you’re at work – how serious can you be?

GLT: You can cruise a number of online porn sites and see some very attractive men – and even quite a few not-so-hot models. Has online amateur porn made it so just about anyone can break into the business? Are models a dime a dozen?

MD: Absolutely not. Amateur anything is interesting for a little while, but it gets tiresome – it’s often faceless, with no changes in angles, lighting, plot, etc. Beauty may be in the beholder’s eye, but viewers still want to see healthy-looking guys having a good time. Online porn has opened up many more niches for guys – twinks, thin, thick, bear, hairy, etc. – that may not have been offered by mainstream studios, but the models still have to have charisma to be successful. So, though models may not be a dime-a-dozen, the opportunities for models have greatly increased.

GLT: What’s the latest, greatest trend in porn, and what models are most in demand?

MD: Trends seem to be changing weekly. You can find a studio catering to just about anything, and each of those “anythings” has a star specializing in that thing. Today’s porn is like today’s TV – there is a channel for every interest, and each of these has its own star and porn royalty. Any charismatic model with big talent – wink, wink – and a healthy attitude with sex will find an audience.

GLT: Who are some of the rising stars in gay porn, and are there any names we should look out for?

MD: The military boys, such as in Dink Flamingo’s Active Duty series, are hugely popular, and several of them are crossing over to other types of videos. One of these with potential of mega-stardom is Kaden Saylor, who has starred in the Porne Ultimatum and Porne Identity films. Another of my faves who isn’t from a military background is Brent Corrigan, who is one of the nicest guys in the world and a true pro in all his films. One thing to be on the lookout for are comeback vehicles; yesterday’s stars are finding that their audience is still interested in them and retro is in!

GLT: Who do you think the greatest gay porn star of all time is, and why? Along that line, who has been your favorite to work with?

MD: I’m into the classics. My favorites are the guys in the ’70s and ’80s videos, such as John King, Al Parker and Casey Donovan. You can’t ignore the stratospheric successes of Jeff Stryker and Mathew Rush. As for my favorite, I have so many guys that I loved working with that it is hard to name just one. If I have to choose one, it is Rod Barry. I’ve worked with him the most; he is fun, a wonderful guy and a true sexual being dedicated to his craft.