Black also said the company will begin releasing its videos on its recently launched video-on-demand portal, ExVOD.com, up to three weeks before they are available in stores, as well as create some content exclusively for online distribution, in order to boost memberships.
“The minute the editor or the director, like Tom [Byron] for example, finishes with it and it’s out of the deck, it’s encoded that day and goes right into the VOD system,” Black said. “We’re going to do that for all of our studios — Evolution [Erotica], DNA, Phat Entertainment.”
Black said the adult Internet remains something of a mystery to him and he still has a lot to learn, but he’s making good connections and starting to figure it out. One major difference between the world he’s used to — the world of DVDs — and the online world is the numbers involved.
“As far as the DVD end of the business goes, everyone know — this is no secret — that if you sell 2,000 DVDs out the door, that’s considered doing good,” Black said. “But what is that, really? Two-thousand out of 2 million [potential customers]? In the online side, you can reach so many more people. People tell me 1,000 monthly members is a good start. The numbers are crazy.
“I look at the checks I get from AEBN; I actually look for those checks,” Black added. “I’m just starting out with them, and I’m only getting 25 percent, and it’s still a nice piece, so there’s got to be a lot of money there. I have no illusions of grandeur, but I have a unique product, and there is a lot of value in our name.”
Black added that he doesn’t think Internet porn hurts DVDs sales at all but instead helps bring adult entertainment to a broader market and introduce products to new customers.