Where to begin...
 

Where does it all start? There's so much about the business that I'm trying to find out about, since I have plans of entering both independent and adult film production, but at the moment I'm trying to figure out where to actually get started?

Is it that you got to go looking around for local people working on a project, join up with an amateur production crew working on a close to zero budget video, or do you have to know a guy who knows a guy to get a leg in the door? I've lost count of the number of hours I've wasted searching the web for connections and info, and though I've found some possible candidates, I've got no means of actually participating with the actual process of film making; got several books on the subject of independent film production [which would work just as well with pornographic film production], but all the knowledge of how to make films won't do me any good when I can't actually find a production to intern or participate in!

... by the way, for anyone kind enough to point me out to an ongoing production or studio, I live in the Pacific Northwest, about a hour's drive from Seattle.

Find you local access channel on cable. They will have a basic course on the use of their camera and show you how to edit it. This will be a baby step. You will need to sit down and figure out what size studio you want to be.
As joining a production company Southern California is the largest concentration of Adult film companies.
Now for the down side. There about 20 posts in services for people looking to shoot content for others. Tough market to crack

Thank you, I'll check it out!