In Romania, thousands of women are working as webcam girls from studio or from their homes. Most of their clients are from North America or Western Europe. 
On the sidewalk outside a large apartment building in the heart of Bucharest, a group of young women are talking and laughing. Except that, at this early morning hour, their makeup, high heels and sexy outfits contrast with the outfits of passers-by.

Inside Studio 20 – a closed door indicates that a girl is performing live. 

Inside the building, Studio 20 occupies the first two floors. There are 40 rooms connected to blank white corridors, with walls adorned with pictures of glamorous women. A closed door means that a woman is performing live via webcam for international clients, and that she must not be disturbed. In this world of virtual relationships and cybersex, those in front of the camera are the “models” and the men watching the performance are the “members”.

Lana works in room 8
A circular bed with cushions dominates the room. There is a wardrobe containing some of her clothing. 
– Normally I go into room for dresses, lingerie or leather, she said.
 In a corner of the room, there is a large computer screen and an expensive, state-of-the-art camera – behind them, there is professional-grade lighting for better image quality. Dozens of clients can watch Lana in her online room, in real time, via adult sites dedicated to webcam girls.

Lana makes money only when a member takes her into a “private”, exclusive webcam session. 
She works eight hours a day, and earns an average of 4000 euros per month, which is almost 8 times the average salary in Romania.
Lana is a graduate who had worked in real estate until the 20008 global economic crash, which plunged Romania into a recession. This is when she made a career change and got into video chat.

She still remembers her first day in front of the camera as if it were yesterday.
– I was alone in the room, and it seemed like there were hundreds of people looking at me. I was unable to follow everything that they were saying in the chat or everything they were asking me for. But little by little, I learned how to recognize which member was a potential paying client and how not to spend time on those members who would waste a lot of your time yet never spend a dime.

Lana explains what happens during her private sessions:
 – A lot of members are looking for love, they want to create an intimate connection with a woman, and some want you to call them by their name. Mostly, it’s just conversation, and the rest of the time its nudity and masturbation. Sometimes I play role-playing games like I’m their girlfriend, a secretary or a nurse.

Studio 20 employs trainers, a psychologist and an English teacher so that the models can communicate with their clients. The trainers are also required to teach the girls about fetishes, where fantasies come from, as well as geography courses to better understand where the members come from, etc. 
– We study Freud and a lot of psychology, a model tells us. But also a book about gestures and body language, because the women must be sensual, intelligent and beautiful.
 – It’s not just a sexual activity like some people may think, said the Manager of Studio 20. The models must talk to a member as if they were in a normal relationship. Being able to discuss many subjects makes both parties more comfortable.”