Ashton Ryan, Model Manager and Executive Officer of Film (and star!) of the one-year-old, San Diego-based twink line Eon Films, came to L.A. from Iowa (“I grew up among redneck morons”). At 18, in 1998, he made contact with director Kevin Clarke via chat lines, and got hired for a Junior Studio movie.
Part of a new generation that sees porn not as a last resort but as a desirable career-field, he got experience modeling and script-writing in four movies, his debut being in American Way 1, which portrayed elements of his life and experiences.
“My first impression of the gay XXX industry was at a GAYVN Awards ceremony where Chi Chi LaRue pinched my cheeks. I knew right then that I was safe and no one was going to hurt me. I was right.” Ryan laughs, “Contrary to the popular image of the business, no one drugged or raped me. My only bad experience was when I once naively made a verbal agreement and got gypped out of most of the money I was promised.
"Seeking ways to self-control my career, and always ambitious, I took some time off to look around for expansion opportunities. I was surprised to discover that I was a name — people asked for my autograph on the street. My friend Rocky’s Beachboi live-cam site needed stimulation, so to perk up his business and keep my hand in, I did live work for him.”
Rocky interjects: “Ashton worked for free for six months to help me get off the ground. His fame from the Kevin Clarke movies definitely gave us a shot in the arm.”
“Rocky made amateur movies under the Rainbow Chaos label," Ryan continues, "and wanted me for one, but I suggested instead we go into high-end professional stuff, so in January 2005, incorporated as Eon Films, we shot a twink caper-movie comedy on location in Las Vegas, Ashton’s Eleven, with me producing, starring, and co-writing and -directing with Rocky. We got rave reviews for the movie, but found that we had a lot to learn about distribution and promotion.” (Eon is currently seeking a new distributor.)
Building a firm economic base, Eon now has four live-cam sites, Beachboi, Hotboyhouse, Fratfoot, and Dormboys, and a staff of 22 permanent employees. “Our website, EonFilms.com, sells all of Rocky’s Rainbow Chaos amateur movies, and we’re planning to make new ones, including a solo line customers have requested," Ryan said. "We’ve also just begun handling movies from some other producers, and are making deals to handle more.”
Eon's second production, Field of Creams, was released in January. “The parody movie titles are mine, I’m afraid," laughs Ryan. "I love movies, I love comedy, and I love baseball. Right now, the market can count on us for professional and amateur twink product, but in addition to more movies, we plan to create more lines — college-age, muscleman… who knows what else? After all, you don’t stay a twink forever. We aren’t signing exclusives until we have more consistent work to offer them. In fact, I field offers to star for other lines. We haven’t switched to HD yet, and we don’t make VHS, although we might.”
Asked what he’s learned so far, the twink-turned-producer jokes, “Never make verbal deals. Never film in the mountains in winter. And don’t carry video cameras around in casinos. Vito and Louie assist you out by the arms!”
Ordering Info: 619-885-1013; EonFilms.com
Ashton Ryan photo: Jon Duede/GAYVNawards.com
