Dan G writes on XPT:
The industry needs to crack down on pirates and filesharing in a big way. If people can get it for free, then they are not going to pay for it. When the only way to see something is to pay for it, then you’ll get your sale.
I see Justin Slayer has some sort of feature-type deal coming out called ‘Merc’. Might do well at the awards shows, but who knows about sales when it will be ripped and ready on either Nigger Worship, Mr. Marcus’ forum, or both, within a week of streeting.
When the industry starts taking it seriously and cracking a few heads, then the profits will return…unless somebody seriously believes that people are watching less porn all of a sudden?
F—Whore writes: "With the music industry’s billions of dollars and high power attorneys, they can’t even stop piracy. What makes you think these porners can stop piracy? Piracy is here. It is like HIV and AIDS. There is no cure but there are solutions to live with it. Porners will have to live with piracy. They must learn to adapt to it and change their business plan accordingly. If they don’t they will be driven to oblivion. You think DVD companies have problems? It’s worst for internet porn companies but they manage to stay in business."
XVOD writes:
If I were running some big companys distribution I would follow a hybrid Hollywood/cable network distribution model. First I would terminate all VOD/online contracts. Then I would create various web "channels" based on the type of product and I would distribute to retail first (since porn has no real theatrical release), then I would use the web channels to pump the living shit out of the retail releases for the first 30 days with massive teaser "infomercial" play along with "the making of" videos. Next, I would integrate in programming to sell direct to consumer and full length movies after they have been on the shelf for 60-90 days.
Here’s the logic. You ship to retail first, pump releases (with full disclosure to retailers as to what you are doing) to get customers into retail. Moving more product at retail gets you bigger orders AND better shelf space, which in turn helps you move more product. Once retail sales start to drop on a product, you go direct to consumer online to make your library keep paying. The online releases, months after they hit the retail shelf, just extend library sales. You remove the middle man doing VOD, stop cannibalizing your retail and direct to consumer sales, and you start making a hell of a lot more money because your product is controlled.
Tricia Devereaux from Evil Angel posts:
We’ve been paying a lot of attention to illegal copies of movie files online. Whenever we’re able, we locate file hosts, domain hosts, whatever we can. Usually SOMETHING is located in the US and we’ve able to have it removed. The link will often still exist, and often the person who originally uploaded the file isn’t even aware that the file was deleted.
We always do really well with features and mini-features at Evil, because the sex stays super hot and appeals to our regular fans, and we also appeal to the people who enjoy some story with their porn.
As far as our sales in general, we’ve felt a small fraction of what I’ve been hearing about from my friends at other companies. As we’re building our new VOD network, we’re examining ways to keep online piracy of our files to a minimum. xvod- you’ve made some excellent points.
Belladonna received a call from Paul Thomas earlier this year to star in a Vivid film which will release next year. The contract and financial negotiations for her were handled through us and our lawyers, and the deal (and this specific movie) were too fabulous for her to pass up. She hasn’t done a movie for another company since the year that she did Bella Loves Jenna. We don’t make our directors that are also performers stay exclusive to Evil Angel with their performing, but in Bella’s case, she understands that unless the project was huge, it just wouldn’t make sense to do it.
As for Jonni and Jake, I am well aware that in the days that each of them was starting out at Evil, they also did other camerawork on the side. Hell – Jonni was one of my camera guys on Vault of Whores. I know what these guys make, and there’s noone in the world who would know that number and then think that any of our directors are anywhere near ‘broke’ or have to do other stuff. If they choose to, then that’s their choice.
I’m not privy to what every director in the adult business makes, but from what I hear, it sounds like directors at other companies (who don’t own their own distribution house) don’t make anything in the same ballpark as our directors.