When one hears the term “third world” it usually conjures images of economically depressed and backwards environments — often populated by impoverished people just scraping by.
Not so in the porn world. The term takes on new meaning when Third World Media is discussed, where being backward and downtrodden is the furthest thing from the truth.
You may never see our talent in another movie or even from us more than once. —Steve Scott, President, Third World Media
Having carved out a niche centering on foreign and transsexual content, the Chatsworth, Calif.- based studio has been slowly building its own adult empire since 1999 despite tough economic times and an industry battered by free content.
With titles such as “Shemale .XXX Goes to Bangkok 2” in conjunction with transsexual website Grooby (a partnership that began in 2010), “Little Brown Fucking Machines,” “Tight Asian Manholes,” and “Latin Hoodrat Auditions” to name just a few, the company has produced unique content along with creative titling and colorful descriptions that have set it apart from its competitors.
An exemplary description for title “Miss Big Ass Brazil 10” reads: “Cibelle Mancinni is built like a semi truck. Her center of gravity is low and large and everything around this blonde centers on her massive ass. Her giant tits are worth noting as well but her ass is her charm point. It leads to two massive thunder thighs and two short legs and stubby feet. This girl is hungry and can eat anything, including 11 inches of pure Brazilian BBQ we have prepared for her. It rides in and out of her mouth, and then in and out of her giant tits, before making its way in and out of hairless hole and cock gobbling anus. Lots of ATM and a watery deposit on her tits finish this Brazilian bimbo off. She showers all the cum away.”
XBIZ sat down with president Steve Scott, the architect and co-owner of Third World Media, to get a first-hand view of how some savvy planning, a feel for the market and good timing have helped position the studio as one of today’s most progressive and popular adult companies.
How and when was the company created?
The company was created in 1999 when Steve Scott and Ed Hunter joined forces to bring a new face to some common genres and to introduce some new ones ourselves.
Were you the founder? Any others?
Yes, both Ed Hunter and myself founded the company. My international background and Ed’s domestic market understanding were a good fit to get things going. We both like things authentic and it was both of our pledges to make Third World Media about authentic ethnic talent from all corners of the earth.
Did you begin your career in adult? If not, what was your mainstream background?
My career started overseas; particularly in Japan with major players there in the adult industry. I was licensing American movies for the Japanese market and also producing and licensing Japanese movies for outside of Japan. At that time, I was producing some of the best porn to ever come out of Japan.
What is your adult expertise?
Eighteen years in this industry, with vast experience throughout Asia and Europe. Not only on the production end but also on the international licensing side as well.
What is your vision for the company?
We always want to be different than others. Even if the genres are the same or overlap, we want our international flavor to be associated with it. Foreign girls or shemales that are not seen every day. Our ethnic performers are unique, real and may never be seen on film again. We like to bring culture and local customs and trends into our filming. We like being niche and we will continue to be a niche company long into the future.
Are you involved with producing/directing?
Yes, we oversee everything throughout our worldwide network
What do you feel makes Third World unique?
No one has the kinds of talent we have. No one else focuses mainly on girls and she-males and guys from other countries to the extent that we do. You may never see our talent in another movie or even from us more than once. We catch amateurs and first-timers around the world and present them in a way that advertises their ethnicity and uniqueness.
Are you affiliated with other studios/websites? If yes, how?
We work very closely with Grooby Productions. We have just opened a site together with Grooby called ThirdWorldSheMales.com. We distribute all of Grooby’s she-male DVDs and will be doing even more with them in the future.
How much is shot outside of the U.S.?
Nearly all – 95 percent.
What are the company’s annual gross earnings?
$2 million.
How many titles are shipped per month?vWe ship anywhere between four to six titles per month. Usually two to three boy/girl and one to two she-male. The releases are almost always from different countries so we balance our offerings to our customers to keep things fresh.
What are your feelings concerning Los Angeles’s proposed mandatory condom laws?
People in this business and performing in movies are adults. With proper STD testing I think two consulting adults can make a decision on condoms for themselves without the government imposing its will on them or us as studios.
What’s in store for Third World in the near future?
We will keep doing what we have been doing for 13 years now... bringing fresh faces and different ethnicities to our offerings. We are also excited about our new Hairy line-up called ‘Hairy in America.’ This is a project we have been working on for a while. We also look to expand into even more gay and bi-sexual titles using ethnic performers located here in the U.S.A.
What are the biggest challenges facing adult executives today?
How to stay relevant in a changing world. How to convince people to spend money on what we make as opposed to stealing it. Also, exploiting as many markets and sales formats as we can in order to maximize profit potential.