AEE Day 2: Studios Discuss Future of Adult

LAS VEGAS – Exhibitors started to settle into their surroundings just hours before a horde of fans descended on the Sands Expo Center for the second day of the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE). The morning hours of industry-only access allowed for some discussion about the future of the adult business.

“Our biggest challenge is with DVDs right now and all of the competition that we’re receiving from the internet…the free stuff and the peer-to-peer stuff,” said Pure Play National Sales Manager Bill Rix. “It’s similar to the stuff that has gone on in the music business. Amateur content is really doing well for us and we’re going to keep on doing it. We have Homegrown Video, and some of our other studios with similar amateur styles; that seems to be doing really well for us. Most people are asking for a little less of the ‘glam’ porn star look. It’s what people seem to be demanding, and that’s funneling back up from the consumer to the wholesalers to the retailers. Business is good…we’re fortunate with the way we are structured and all of the great studios and so we’re a little bit ahead of the game compared to other studios.”

Another company that has always looked to diversify is Hustler Video, which had its mammoth booth just along the front entrance.

“I think everybody is being affected by the slow decline of the DVD,” said Hustler Sales Manager David Diamond. “But the great thing about Hustler is we’re not just heading in one direction, we have tons of other avenues. I’ve been in this game long enough a started out in DVDs when VHS was king. But then slowly you started to see the rise of the DVD. I think that the DVD has longer staying power than VHS and I really don’t think that HD or Blu-Ray are going to be making that big of an impact. I have all of this equipment, and to be honest with you, I don’t see that big of difference, when it comes to porn. Sports and HD broadcasting might be a different story, but not porn.”

Diamond said he sees the Expo as a great chance to annually check the direction of the industry.

“I could talk to all the people I do here over the phone, but the Expo is a really great way to see everybody in one place and see all of the new products,” said Diamond. “I think there reason a lot of people come here is to get their name out there. For example, last year we have the Not the Bradys XXX trailer playing on a loop at the booth. Do you know how many people asked me about that movie until it came out until is finally came out in September? It was non-stop. It’s sold like fifteen thousand copies and it’s still selling every day.”

Not The Bradys XXX director Will Ryder said he’s seen a difference in his recognition at this year’s show. “Being a director that not has a hit movie out there, it’s great," he said. "People here recognize that.”

Vivid's national sales manager David Peskin said the company’s sales have stayed strong. He pointed to the company's bigger-than-life presence at AEE as evidence.

“Everybody seems to be upbeat," Peskin said. "The first day of the show exceeded my expectations. I might not have seen as many buyers as I would have liked between appointments, but the orders that we have been receiving have been large orders. I think we came up with the right show specials at the right prices, and the right products on top of that.”

Peskin said he’s undeterred by the threat of internet content, and the company is fully supporting high definition technology.

“We just came out with Sunny Experiment, and haven’t decided on a format, whether it’s going to be HD or Blu-Ray. We have two Blu-Ray titles coming out currently including the third Teradise Island coming soon. And we have a couple of HD DVD titles as well. I’m finding that I receive more orders for the Blu-ray but when it comes to retail stores, people are wanting HD DVD. There’s no question that increased internet content, some of it for free, has affected the industry as a whole, but we’ll keep doing features, in addition to our couples-friendly, virtual titles, Vivid educational line, celebrity lines, Teravision, Vivid-Alt…we’re always trying to diversify ourselves as well. We’re really clicking on all cylinders in a changing market.”

European production company Daring Media made its AEE debut this year with a slate of big-budget features directed by acclaimed porn auteurs Antonio Adamo, Christophe Mourthé and Kendo. A subsidiary of Euro retail chain Beate Uhse, the company is seeking directors to shoot content for the U.S. market and quickly signed up Supercore madman Otto Bauer to an exclusive production deal.

“Industry trends in Europe and in the United States are very similar,” said Daring Media’s Jonas Ramirez. “We do really big features because we believe that quality is the most important factors. We think there’s huge value to being able to having feature movies that you can sit down on your sofa with a watch on a wide screen…something you can collect and put on your shelf.”

Ramirez said that the company’s time at AEE so far has been a success: “We work with some of the best directors and talent in Europe which provides us with great content, but right now we’re also on the hunt for some American models as well. We also want to find American people to get involved in our productions, in general. It’s been really positive so far…the look of the booth and the girls signing, it’s been great.”

Eli Cross, director of SexZ Pictures' Corruption, and Upload, said there will always be an audience for quality features.

“Our stuff is not going to really work out there in an internet-only form; you need the whole movie," said Cross. "Mid-range features, in my opinion, are a bit of a sucker's bet, in today’s climate. I don’t understand how those companies are staying in business. But for the big splashy stuff, like that kind of stuff we’re doing at SexZ, they’re making money. I mean, Corruption has made more money than all of SexZ’s movies combined that that’s huge. Somebody is buying, so obviously there’s a market. Obviously it’s not going to go on forever.”

Ninn Worx_SR photographer/director Chris King also feels that features like the company’s upcoming The Four will always have a strong audience. “Without being aloof or arrogant, this is educated porn," he said. "I don’t see the internet and the gonzo format as a threat, in the same way that Toyota is not a threat to Ferrari. One gets you there, that’s gonzo. If you’re there to jerk off, that’s fine. But with us, it’s all about hearing a story and being romanticized a little bit.”

This year’s AEE has seen some companies moving their booths to different locations, to suit their business needs. Pure Play Media, who used to have a booth on the main floor, moved their operation down to B2B. “For us, as Pure Play, we’re not a brand name to the consumer and the fans, so it makes more sense for us to be down here,” said Rix. “Some of our studios get to be upstairs to represent themselves to the fans, and we’re down here…but we seen no lack of foot traffic, business has been great.”

Shane’s World and its newly acquired partner Hush Hush booked a suite to do business, and a giant RV for talent signing.

“So we have a suite downstairs to have some time to talk with clients and get out of the noise of upstairs and then the RV upstairs to showcase our talent,” said Shane’s World sales VP Megan Stokes. “And we also wanted to show everybody that Shane’s World and Hush-Hush Entertainment are together.”


“By doing both, it’s been very effective for us…we hit the fan side and we hit the business side, it accomplishes both for us.”

“We know we’re good at reality, we know we’re good amateur, and so we’re sticking to it. I would consider Shane’s World stuff reality porn, but we don’t really compete with anyone in the reality market…there’s nothing else really like it.”

Stokes also pointed to some upcoming, innovative series such as My College Porno, where a real college student guy gets to pick his porn star, design the scene and then act it out. “This is an opportunity for people to actually go and live out their porno fantasies," she said.

Shane’s World also recently signed a distribution deal with the creators of Porn Week to bring the company's unique adult vacations to DVD for the first time. The first offering is set for Feb. 14. “It’s College Invasion for people who have gotten out of college.”

The starlets who were on signing duty also seemed to enjoying themselves. “I just got in, but it looks really great," Wicked contract girl Jessica Drake. "I’m looking forward to two more great days. Last night we had a big party at Rain at the Palms and it got pretty crazy. The show gives me a chance to get personal with all my fans…and this is Vegas so they come from all over the world…and that’s what makes AEE stand out, the diversity of the people. We’re all in one place at one time, and it’s really hard to rank porn stars.”

And Drake soon met all the fans she could handle as they started to rush in and clog the floor. AEE now begins to take on an entirely new makeup...one less concerned with media formats and more concerned with “Show us your tits!”