Soho’s ‘other’ film industry: Researching Hidden Screen Economies

Abstract

This article examines the concept of ‘hidden screen economies’ – economic activities related to screen media that occur outside formal structures, often involving concealment to evade legal and regulatory frameworks. Drawing on the author's ethnohistorical research into Britain's trade in hardcore pornographic films from 1960-1972, the article applies Actor-Network Theory to demonstrate how we might research hidden screen economies. The study reveals how a system of human and non-human actors, including corrupt police, pornographers, distributors, criminal networks, semi-professional film production technologies and the law collectively intertwined to preserve this hidden economy for over a decade. By tracing the production, distribution, and regulation of pornographic ‘rollers’ (short 8mm films), the article illustrates the intricate network of relationships and processes that allowed this hidden economy to function and prosper, despite the sale of hardcore films being criminalised under the Obscene Publications Act 1959. By examining this historical case study, the article draws parallels to contemporary hidden screen economies like illicit IPTV services, demonstrating the persistent drive to evade legal frameworks for economic gain. The author suggests that insights gained from such analyses can inform our understanding of emerging hidden screen economies and their relationship to the formal screen industry.