Spearmint Rhino Launches New Video Production Company

NORCO, Calif. - The Spearmint Rhino gentlemen's club chain continues its move into the adult video market with the launch of Spearmint Rhino Films.

Spearmint Rhino Films is a separate venture from the Ninn Worx_SR label established last year following the Rhino's merger with director Michael Ninn's production house.

"Spearmint Rhino Films is a home for additional directors, unrelated to Michael's work," CEO John Gray told AVN. "Michael, in our opinion, is superb, and does the most unique, high-class stuff there is out there, but as such, it really doesn't fulfill the entire marketplace. We want stuff that will compete with all of the other houses out there, because we've already got the Ninn market pretty well cornered, I think. That's the sole reason for Spearmint Rhino Films."

The new division is set up as a full-scale movie factory. "We have built our own film studio, a 30,000 square-foot building, that is everything that Playboy had at their studio," said Gray. "And further, warehouse facilities for as long as the physical DVD lasts, and we have our own editors and replication and sound people, and all the rest of it."

Spearmint Rhino Films will debut later this year with two series: Unlocked, directed by 1 Down Entertainment owner Goldie DeWitt, and Sweat, from former Vivid Girl Dyanna Lauren (pictured).

The first installment of Sweat stars Lindsey Meadows, Devon Lee, Haileey James, Jack Lawrence, Marcus London, Erik Everhard and Tyler Knight, among others.

As Lauren described it to AVN's Mark Kernes, the concept of the series is, "What do the performers like to do? What makes them sweat? I remember when I was talent, and everybody wanted to tell me what they wanted me to do, so I decided to let my actors pick what they liked, what made them hot."

Spearmint Rhino Films directors are contracted as independent entities; Dyanna Lauren Productions is the sub-producer of Sweat, but Spearmint Rhino Films is the primary banner. According to Gray, Lauren has completed four videos for the company and is now working on her fifth.

Ross Yamashita, marketing manager of Spearmint Rhino Consulting Worldwide, Inc., said the new label is a natural extension for the company.

"Our clubs are so well known worldwide, and this will solidify Spearmint Rhino as the company covering all adult genres," said Yamashita.