Pornography is struggling in California. Since the passage of Measure B in 2012, which strictly imposes the use of condoms on all porn sets in Los Angeles, triple-x movie production has largely begun to move out of the San Fernando Valley. However, gay porn company Falcon Studios is now attempting to hearken back to the days before the measure was passed. In their latest release California Dreamin' 1, the studio filmed all its scenes with condoms but managed to digitally remove the prophylactics in post-production.

"I felt that condoms need to be addressed."

Director Tony DiMarco stated on the Falcon Studio blog (which has some graphic content) that the film is meant to tap into fantasies of bareback sex in the 1970s and 80s, while also aligning with the safe sex ethos that is currently being enforced in LA. "With this movie I really wanted to capture the essence of that time, when life seemed more carefree and spontaneous," said Dimarco. "In keeping with this concept, I felt that condoms need to be addressed." The decision to go with this technique appears to strike a middle ground between Measure B and the porn industry's belief that scenes without condoms are a better sell with consumers.

Nevertheless, while Falcon Studios seems committed to their new style of filming, it's unclear if it will catch on. The company doesn't make clear how expensive it is to painstakingly remove condoms during sex scenes — a luxury that the porn industry, already culturally disinclined to use condoms in lieu of other modes of safe sex, may not be able to afford. Indeed, in the midst of rampant piracy on top of Measure B, many studios have relocated to Las Vegas, where filmmaking is cheaper and regulations are more lax.