The unlikely partnership of an adult video director and an anti-porn ministry is making headlines nationwide – and both parties hope that everyone adheres to their mutual message, keeping porn away from children.
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Amongst the pillary, bondage gear, and sexual props located on the Smash Pictures studio, Jimmy D, a secular catholic who happens to be a veteran adult video director, shot four commercials for the XXXchurch.com, a non-denominational ministry that encourages people to leave pornography behind and pick up a good book – preferably the Bible.
The commercials, which star puppets, are designed to encourage parents to take steps so that their children won’t find their porn stash. They aren't exactly the type of commericals you'd expect pastors to write and perform in - one of the scenes has two porn star puppets with their pants down. Jimmy D informed the the pastors that they wouldn't be able to air footage of puppets "going at it" - the pastors replied that the scene was for the director's cut, which will be available only on the Web.
“We’re not here to shut down the industry, as much as religious people may like to see that happen,” Craig Gross, one of the founders of the XXXchurch.com ministry. “We’ve told people, ‘Good luck. This industry is worth billions of dollars – it’s not going to happen.’ So why not try to come up with solutions amongst people within the industry.”
“That doesn’t mean that we have agree with what he does or that he has to agree with what we do but we can work together on things we both agree on,” Gross added.
Jimmy D first met the XXXchurch.com during the 2003 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo. Ten month’s later Jimmy D emailed them and offered to shoot the ministry's next commercial for them for free.
Both sides were initially skeptical of each other’s intent but after just one production meeting everyone realized they were on the same page.
“Really it’s a message to parents to get the pornography cleaned up because it has an impact on your kids,” Mike Foster, also a founder of the XXXchurch.com, told AVN.com “Parents should take precautions to make sure that kids don’t find their porn stash. It happens every day and people should be aware of that.”
“They’re hopefully going to be a little offended to see the puppets and the whole children’s angle but it will hopefully drive home the message,” he said
Smash Pictures, an adult studio that often employs Jimmy D, donated the studio space for the commercial. Lewis Adams, spokesman for Smash Pictures, said, “As a parent working in the adult industry, any way to promote responsibility and taking proper care to make sure that children don’t see what we do is important - not only to myself but to Smash Pictures as well.”
Adams, who is Jewish, noted that he has another reason for being involved with the commercial. “So I can tell my mom I did a good thing today – I made money and I took porn out of children’s hands.”
The lights were donated by John Welks, whose lighting equipment is rented by just about everyone in adult, and the camera was donated by Gigi Appleton. Production and post-production services are being provided by Sinamotion, a video production and post-production company owned and operated by Jimmy D and Tyler Cash.
Not everyone seems happy with the odd collaboration. Jimmy D says that he has already lost some work because of the project has been characterized as anti-porn.
“No one is this business thinks that or hopes that porn is for children, so I don’t think this is anti-porn. In fact I think it’s pro-porn, because it shows that there is some responsibility in the industry,” Jimmy D said.
The commercials are expected to air during the latter part of March.
