Tucked away in a sleepy town in the mountains outside of San Diego, Calif., renowned French photographer Jean Rougeron is embarking on what is surely one of the greatest adventures yet in his illustrious career: the Internet.
That Rougeron is a native of Cannes, France is fitting; his style as a photographer is as glamorous as the city itself, which is known to cinephiles as home to the celebrated film festival. His road from youthful prodigy to international acclaim is extensive and intriguing, with enough jet-set exploits to fill a novel.
"My mother gave me my first camera," says Rougeron, who is most charming, with a pronounced French brogue. "I was 13 years old, and I decided I would like to do movies and take pictures."
Rougeron's formal training in photography began at film school in Switzerland; upon graduation he opened a studio in Paris, France to work in the advertising and fashion industries. Later, Rougeron joined the newspaper France Soir as a photojournalist. There, he was connected to French press agency Sygma and accepted an assignment to Ethiopia to cover the civil war of 1978. His images were published worldwide, including Time magazine.
Rougeron's introduction to artistic nude photography came as the result of a chance encounter with Lisette Malidor, a famous French model/actress whose photo session with Rougeron ultimately sold to a European-based edition of Playboy. As it states in his bio, "Mr. Rougeron discovered that the combination of work and pleasure would become his career built on his love of women." With that, Rougeron began a visual odyssey, one that lead him around the world photographing beautiful women. It is a journey that continues today.
His work has appeared in countless international editions of Penthouse, Oui, and Playboy, and he was once publisher of Spanish Playboy, as well as another Spanish men's magazine, Numero Uno. Rougeron also produced/directed a variety of erotic videos and feature films like Police des Moeurs, St. Tropez Vice, and Charmes. There have also been six books published of his work, Collection of Nudes and Phantasmes being two of the most popular.
D'Amour et D'Art
It's a possibility that none of Rougeron's success would be quite so special if not for his wife, Dawn. For insight into the man, one need look no further.
Dawn notes Jean's attention to detail and that he's a wonderful communicator, "especially in his native French," she says. "You will always know what he is thinking, you don't have to guess. It makes life a lot easier."
Married on Valentine's Day '88 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jean first met Dawn in 1982. As Dawn puts it, "I am Jean's partner in life and business."
It's this life-business dynamic that makes this artist's story so compelling. "Working together and living together is not easy for any couple," says Dawn, "but I think it works well for us. I think with his artistic talent and my ability to negotiate with all types of people and translate when needed have created a solid partnership in both senses of the word."
She adds, "We are one solid block. Our priority has always been our child, and we have made many sacrifices so that we can be near her and involved in her life as much as possible. Jean has always had his office/studio in his home so that he could be near his family as much as possible."
Rougeron is also a perfectionist, according to Dawn. However, "I think the best word to describe Jean is ?passionate, I do not know anyone who is as passionate about his work, and life for that matter. That is why we are still together. He is one of the only people I have met that is so passionate about life. He makes every moment exciting. What ever you can dream up ... he'll make it happen.
He loves to please his friends and family and goes out of his way constantly to make them happy."
It's that exuberance that underscores his photographic style. Rougeron's art is like a dance; a rumba, perhaps, of lucid color and coquettish sexuality, a slow burn between the impulsive and the genteel.
"Women can seduce, stimulate, and overpower us through our imaginations," says Jean. "Through photographs, we can contain these women, tame them, keep them forever in images that give men the world's greatest pleasure - pure sexual fantasy."
The Web Riviera
The Internet story begins with JeanRougeron.com. Launched in 2001 (through JR Productions) to spotlight Rougeron's films and photography, the Website is a collection of popular images, biographical information, limited-edition photo books, framed photography (including the famous "American Dream" poster) and exclusive photo slide sets for purchase.
"Everyone would say, ?Why are you not on the Net with all your videos, pictures, and content?'" says Rougeron. "For me, it was not necessary. I already had a good life."
But a year later, with the investiture of Smilax LLC (Rougeron's Internet company), the team was ready to launch an Internet business.
"I have always been in charge of the management side of both JR Productions and Smilax LLC," says Dawn. "Everything from answering the phone and correspondence, to finding talent and conducting interviews."
Lovingly referred to as "the captain of the boat" by Rougeron, multimedia whiz Chris Spoto is technical director for Smilax LLC. He has been an integral part of the Rougeron's Net endeavor for close to a year. "The best way to describe my job would be to call myself the coordinator of daily operations," says Spoto. "I am in direct control of all Smilax LLC matters of business, including model casting, photo and video production, network administration, and varied tasks that relate to driving the sites. Every day is a busy one, to say the least."
Joining Spoto and Dawn at Smilax LLC headquarters is assistant manager Tara George, Johnny Decker and, says Spoto, "a pool of consultants experienced within the adult entertainment industry that help with such issues as advanced networking, site design, Web promotion, and various forms of technical support."
The first chapter of Rougeron's adult Net foray is the glitzy, live chat/sexy content domain known as DreamSexVilla.com; "dedicated to bridging the gap between the artistic sexual message, and the uninspired ?chat factory' atmosphere and dialogue," as reads the site profile.
DreamSexVilla.com is unique in that it possesses Rougeron's immense catalog of work, notably 700 original young and mature women picture sets and videos, which will also be available for purchase. The membership site is also one of the only authorized providers of exclusive Real Doll pictures, videos, and live interaction worldwide.
"For $20 a month, subscribers receive access to DV video streams where they can chat live, one-on-one, with the girls as they rotate throughout eight different locations every day," says Spoto. "Members can follow the girls as they go through the villa and lounge at the pool, take a shower, or relax in the Jacuzzi. Live Real Doll and girl-on-girl interaction can be witnessed in the bedrooms and living room, and user sessions in the private gym offer a very unique perspective."
Also debuting is SafeErotica.com, a Webmaster rights-to-content site, which offers the rights to thousands of photo sets and videos of exclusive content.
La Re'volution Francaise d'Affaires
Even with the jazzy content and pretty girls, forming a Website isn't easy, although Smilax LLC appears primed for the challenge. "I'd say, first and foremost, accessibility is critical for success with any Web-based venture," says Spoto. "If for some reason your site is inaccessible to any group of potential customers, then you are truly shooting yourself in the foot."
For example, the team seeks out models that do not fit into a specific casting pattern, but rather "individuals that emanate their own personal sexuality and charm, which carries over quite nicely through the film, video, and the live streams," says Spoto. "The focus of Team Smilax has been to produce hot, high-quality content through the means given to us by Jean. It is why we are here, and it is what we do."
It's not that Rougeron is late to the game; it's just that the playing field is so damn crowded. This is where developing the "brand" is vital. "Our most viable asset is one that is truly unique to our company," says Spoto, "and that is Jean's reputation, notoriety, and just his flat-out connections in the adult entertainment world.
"Proper promotion is vital, and we are working towards making ourselves as visible and accommodating to our potential customer base as we possibly can."
One such promotion is a partnership with Abyss Creations, the makers of Real Doll, which grants DreamSexVilla.com exclusivity to produce live Real Doll sex scenes online. Smilax LLC also offers what they believe is a unique experience in the live chat milieu: live one-on-one interaction, billed by the minute, with members able to view live chats in a voyeur capacity.
Because Spoto has worked with various Websites, both in mainstream media and adult, the goal of tracking Webmaster trends is always on his agenda. "This is an area that we are calling upon the expertise of an outside consultant to help steer us in the proper direction with regards to properly promoting our sites," says Spoto. "The creativity housed here at Smilax is already very evident; the trick now lies in the ability to stay on the crest, and to never become complacent."
French Twist
Rougeron's importance as an artist in the adult medium prior to the Internet boom is well chronicled. Now, a new chapter is being written. Present at the adult genre's parturition, he must embrace that very same adult genre, which is now older, more complex, and wired for a generation that understands Maxim, not Playboy; XXX Websites, not cartoons.
"As far as what he has done in the adult entertainment industry prior to the advent of the Internet," says Spoto, "it is my opinion that the adult publications and videos upon which he built his considerable reputation were merely the early iteration of what the Internet has now become."
The success of DreamSexVilla.com and SafeErotica.com will be measured like all Websites - traffic, retention, revenue, and so on. While not all start-ups are blessed with decades worth of content by an artist synonymous with erotic/glamour photography, Webmasters and Internet denizens are a fickle lot, and triumph is never guaranteed.
"[Jean's] work has already stood the test of extremely successful and vast exposure over a career spanning three decades," says Spoto, "and it makes perfect sense that the Internet will further the exposure of his work to new and wider audiences. The means by which his creativity can now be put forth has increased tenfold. It is his formula for success that has remained steadfast."
And there's no letup for Rougeron; he still shoots two and sometimes three girls a week for both the Web and print publications. Rougeron has met the challenge of building a Web brand with the same vigor he worked with as a young photographer. And though his passion for the daily headaches that come with online endeavors might be considerably less than for photographing gorgeous women, he remains persistent. "It has taken me two years to arrive at this point," says Rougeron of the DreamSexVilla launch.
From a generation not familiar with Palm Pilots, Rougeron isn't likely to be surfing for stock prices or baseball scores anytime soon; he understands the Net, he just prefers to be riding his bike, playing golf, or reading a book. "But it's good for the e-mail," he concedes.
Styles have changed, the girls have changed, and tastes have changed, but Rougeron remains a scholar of beauty and the practice for which to capture the female form.
Perhaps Dawn summarizes his talent best: "Any photographer can take a beautiful model and make her look beautiful, but even when we cannot find that ?Perfect 10,' he can always make her look fantastic." She adds, "It's all Jean."
