The Video Software Dealers Association 2004 Home Entertainment convention began today with an opening ceremony and awards presentation that kicked into high gear when Bella Loves Jenna (Club Jenna/Vivid Entertainment Group) won the Adult Title of the Year and Space Nuts (Wicked Pictures) won for Best Overall Presentation - Adult Realease.
Jenna Jameson, who immediately got the news, was ecstatic. "This came as a total shocker to me," she said. "We were up against some really great movies and I felt honored just being nominated. Winning this award is a milestone for Club Jenna, and I can honestly say this one means a lot! We took a chance and did a movie that was a bit different from the norm; one where beauty and extreme meet. Fortunately it worked! I would like to thank all the retailers and distributors for the continued support and confidence in our product."
Steve Orenstein, busily taking care of last minute details at his exhibitor suite on the 28th floor of the Venetian Hotel, was shocked and ebullient. "Wicked Pictures is thrilled to see Space Nuts continue to be recognized for quality. We're very proud of the product and would like to thank all the retailers and the VSDA as well. It's a great movie and people just keep on discovering it. This will make the usually arduous first day of the show breeze by," Orenstein offered, eager to get the word out to his company as retailers began streaming into his suite.
The theme of this year's VSDA show is evolution and transformation. Considering attendance is expected to peak at somewhere around 5,000 registrants (up about 20% from last year), it is still a far cry from the glory days of the late 1980s when attendance was more than four times what it is now.
Still, adult exhibitors are coming out in force, with 20-plus top companies taking an entire wing of the 28th floor, while many more companies and industry insiders making the rounds and hosting parties and dinners all over the hotel.
David Joseph, owner of Red Light District Video, on his way to open his suite to distributors and retailers, was calm and eager to get things going. When asked what he did special for this show, he laughed, saying, "We brought order pads for 1 Night in Paris."
Joseph is expecting to do big numbers with Red Light District and Platinum X, now together and doing 16 new releases per month. "They still want Paris and now that she's back in the news again, offering some of her profits up to a 'worthy charity,' we're thinking of doing the same thing. Why not? We have to make sure the Hiltons are happy. Paris Hilton sure has made a lot of people happy and we're trying to share the wealth," Joseph laughed.
Success is a great euphoric, and the overall feeling as VSDA 2004 kicked into gear was that there's plenty of business and the party is definitely just beginning.
