Ask producers about what new projects they have coming down the pike for 2013 and one of two things will happen: they’ll either clam up with a knowing smirk or boast like a proud papa. It’s understandable. No one wants a leak, but buzz is always welcomed. Knowing when to make an official announcement is the key.
XBIZ caught up with some of the industry’s most prolific producers to get a heads-up on their upcoming endeavors. It wasn’t an easy thing to do, but what was revealed should excite consumers and retailers alike.
The industry’s future lies in interactivity, and cams are just one part of it. -Peter Acworth, Kink.com founder.
DreamZone Entertainment found success in 2012 with the release of Jordan Septo’s fetishized spoof “Hairy Twatter” and Lee Roy Myers’ critically acclaimed hits “Romeo & Juliet” and “The Godfather XXX.” This month, the studio will street “MacGyver XXX,” a parody of the classic ‘80s action-adventure show, starring Richie Calhoun as the secret U.S. government agent known for using everyday items to execute dangerous assignments.
“Barbed Wire,” a spoof based on the movie adaptation of the Dark Horse Comics series, starring Pamela Anderson, will follow in March. The titles are the first of six major parody features to be produced in 2013.
DreamZone Entertainment Vice President Adam Hasner said the parodies would be released every other month, and that two new projects are already in post production. Though he wouldn’t disclose what they were called, he did say one was based on a ‘70s television program and another on a ‘80s blockbuster film.
“DreamZone had an incredibly successful year in 2012. We are fortunate to work with the industry’s best directors and performers who continue to deliver hit after hit for us,” Hasner said.
“Our plan is to follow the same marketing efforts that delivered results for [our] titles. Our team works very hard to keep the movies visible to retailers and consumers alike. Title websites, web galleries, review sites, social media, print advertising and magazine exposure are all components that help to drive interest and sales in turn. We’re really looking forward to 2013.”
Veteran director and geek messiah Axel Braun brought superhero and sci-fi fantasies to life in 2012 with big-budget takes on “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Avengers” and “Star Wars.” The New Year will once again find Braun working his inner fan-boy mojo for a number of major studios.
“Just when I thought 2012 had been a busy year... looks like 2013 is gonna be absolutely insane,” Braun said. “Lots of superhero parodies for Vivid... ‘Iron Man,’ ‘Thor,’ ‘X-Men,’ ‘Wolverine,’ ‘She-Hulk,’ ‘Avengers vs. X-Men,’ ‘Catwoman’ and finally the much-delayed sequel to ‘Batman XXX.’’
Braun will also helm for Vivid new volumes of his European-based gonzo series “Anal Teen Dreams” and three new “Star Wars” sequels, one of which will spoof Disney and Lucasfilm’s recently announced “Star Wars: Episode VII,” slated to hit theaters in 2015. Braun also revealed plans for a send-up of the 1978 musical “Grease” for Adam & Eve, four 3D features for Hustler Video and an original feature film yet to be announced.
New Sensations is set to produce an epic parody of its own, based on Lionsgate’s big screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger Games,” a dystopian tale about kids fighting to the death on a televised program for the rich. The film, which starred Jennifer Lawrence as protagonist Katniss Everdeen, was box office juggernaut praised by fans and critics alike, a fact noted by the studio as it contemplates the budget for its “Hunger Games” spoof and its future in the parody market.
“We are working on a ‘Hunger Games’ parody but gauging the parody market closely, given the budget planned for this movie,” New Sensations President Scott Taylor. “We have been away from the parody market for a while and are being very selective about the projects we will undertake.”
New Sensations in 2013 will also launch The Erotic Stories Collection, a new line of kink-fueled films for couples, debuting with “The Submission of Emma Marx.”
“This is a great feature in the ‘Fifty Shades [of Grey]’ genre,” Taylor said. “It is the first on what we call The Erotic Stories Collection. This follows the Romance Series, Swinger Series and Couples Series as the latest in genre-specific features from New Sensations. You will see more of each of these series over the course of the year.”
The gonzo fan has plenty to look forward to from New Sensations as well. “The Gangbang of Bonnie Rotten” is set to street in January, marking the first volume in an all-new gangbang series from sister studio Digital Sin.
“We will continue to support proven series as well as try new things throughout the year. Often times, current events or definable trends influence our decisions,” Taylor told XBIZ.
“Given the nature of the video industry, I think it is important to stay flexible and take some risks on occasion. This is what has helped us remain one of the top companies in the industry. It certainly isn’t getting any easier. We just try to stay ahead of the game.”
Wicked Pictures plans to stay ahead of the game in 2013 with Wicked Pictures: Cosplay, a new and authentic line inspired by the cosplay subculture that finds people dressing up as their favorite video game, comic book, anime and manga characters.
Veteran director and cosplay enthusiast Barrett Blade will helm the premiere volume, set to star Wicked exclusive Alektra Blue, Alexis Monroe, Annika Albright, Eva Lovia, Molly Bennett, Tommy Gunn, Michael Vegas and Mischa Brooks, performing her first on-camera anal sex scene.
“Barrett Blade has had more experience with this white-hot genre than most, having worked in Japan and experienced firsthand the broad range of influences — including hentai, manga, anime, J-rock, comic books, video games, films and even Japanese street fashion — that have helped fans and players alike create subcultures devoted to XXX role play,” Wicked Pictures said in a statement.
Elegant Angel sales manager and director Graham Travis said plans were afoot for new “top secret” projects that he could not comment on, but did reveal that there will be more of the studio’s signature single girl offerings, and a second helping of Lexi Belle butt-sex in the upcoming “Big Wet Asses 22.” Specialty studio Third World Media said it would book more American-born ethnic models in 2013 for its ongoing series “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Hairy In America.”
“Using ethnic, USA-based models we retain our same ‘flava,’ but bring some popular names into the mix as well. The reception so far has been good,” Third World Media owner Steve Scott said.
Girlfriends Films continued to grow in 2012. The studio, which produces and distributes up to six new lesbian-themed releases a month, in addition to distributing titles from other studios such as Viv Thomas, kicks off 2013 in a new office and warehouse located in Valencia, Calif. The move, according to Girlfriends Films owner Dan O’Connell, was necessary due to the company’s “continuous expansion over the past five years.”
“Six years ago our office consisted of one-half of a one-bedroom apartment,” O’Connell recalled. “Thanks to a good product and terrific marketing team, we may be the fastest growing studio in the adult industry. Our new building houses nearly all of our activities, including warehousing, shipping, post-production, sales and marketing, and our business office.”
Girlfriends Films’ success also allowed for it to provide support for one of its own, performer and director Elexis Monroe, who is currently undergoing a series of surgeries to repair the aftermath of a life-threatening dental abscess. A “Lesbian Sex” benefit volume will go on sale in January to raise money for Monroe’s medical expenses.
“The eight performers in the movie will donate half their fees toward Elexis’ medical bills and living expenses, and Girlfriends Films will match those donations,” O’Connell explained. “We have also made her the recipient of Girlfriends Films’ regular $1,000 monthly charity donation.”
Fetish and BDSM studio Kink.com is setting its efforts towards interactive adult entertainment in 2013.
“Our major push for 2013 is Kink Live, our live cam business. We’re now running two cam studios — one in San Francisco and one in LA, and outfitting more and more models to work from home,” Kink.com founder Peter Acworth said.
“The industry’s future lies in interactivity, and cams are just one part of it. Even as we expand our traditional recorded content, we’re going to bringing the models more to the forefront more often, using live productions and increasing their presence in social spaces, where fans can engage.
Acworth went on to stress that Kink would move aggressively “into off-line arenas,” such as it has with its Armory tours, Armory Club Bar and fetish workshops.
“This past year it feels like we’ve tapped into a real need for direct experiences, and we’ll be expanding it,” Acworth said. “That could mean dungeon play, live events, possibly a fetish awards show.
“People don’t want to just watch porn; they want to be a part of it.”
