Wow, I didn't expect so many replies to my question. Thanks to all who've replied, and to others who will (I hope) in the future. This feedback is great research for me.
I guess I should try to reply to some of the replies, huh? That's fine, this is a lot of fun. I just hope I don't look like I'm hogging the thread if I post several times. I won't reply to each and every message, as I don't have enough inspiration, don't have relevant replies to everything, and not all posts refer to me anyway. But I'll do my part. It might take some time, though. I must admit I'm kind of tired right now and will have to do most of the job some other time.
Anyway, let's start with Tkltime,
Tkltime said:
Thank you, I thought so too. But I must confess it's mostly to guide my hiring strategy, though I do find the replies very interesting in and of themselves.
In my opinion it's the playfullness of the tickler and reaction of the ticklee that makes the big difference.
I agree with that, and that's what I try to get out of my models, though I do understand that most people prefer models they find attractive. Determining what "attractive" means to different people is the problem.
how many times have you seen posts deriding one of the video companies for using models who were beatiful, but appeared to be faking their laughter?
I've certainly read my share of such complaints in the past. Frankly, I don't see what's the point of having models fake. It's not so hard to find genuinely ticklish and willing models (though it is a challenge for me), it's boring, and people will notice anyway, which is bad for a company's reputation.
It's actually something that worries me a bit: that one day some people will think one of my models is faking, even though I know full well she's not.
You know, I recently did an audition with a model who was really easy to tickle with just about any technique I used (including simple light feathering), no matter where and how long I tickled her. Her reactions were constant and always intense. Sounds great on paper. But I'm really hesitant to hire her, because:
1-The type and level of her laughter were always exactly the same, like it was pre-recorded and looped laughter on tape. Fun for a while, but it gets old very quickly. Too regular to be believable;
2-While her stamina was impressive, it also got somewhat boring, because she never, ever asked me to stop or ease up, not even close, and didn't say a single word except when I asked her direct questions. Totally focused on her laughter, no interaction at all. Having a model lose it for some time while still showing good stamina is fun, but there has to be some level of exchange. Have her pass comments, complain a bit, ask me to stop from time to time, insult me, whatever. I just want something to vary the constant, never-changing laughter;
3-Her reactions to any type of tickling on any body part for any length of time were way too intense and unvarying to be credible. I know she was genuinely ticklish and wasn't faking at all, but I couldn't blame someone for thinking she was faking.
So basically, the reactions were pretty neat for a while, but for a while even I had trouble convincing myself it was real. It was fun, but I don't see how I could do more than a short scene with her (a very intense one, of course), and even then I'd be afraid people would accuse me/her of fakeness. Unfair, but understandable.