Page 41 - AVN February 2016

We still make romance movies but the audience hasn’t grown in
numbers to support a constant stream of releases.
—Scott Taylor, owner, New Sensations/Digital Sin
Singling out Wicked Passions, an imprint slanted toward
the same audience as Fifty Shades of Grey (although created
before that craze happened), she calls it “erotica that
departs from the traditional adult film format. Releases
focus on the chemistry between the characters with a
pronounced emphasis on romance, kissing and foreplay.
The packaging is soft, the movies have earned excellent
reviews, and many stores are marketing these titles
outside of their DVD section.”
Veteran industry executive Jeff Dillon, now a consultant
for GameLink.com, agrees that RomPorn is not about to
disappear. “For us couples porn opens up the market to
new customers and creates new experiences for couples.
This is a growing market as more and more couples are
open to ‘sexploring’ new things with their partner to
improve their love life. Gonzo porn tends to cater to the
same customers, but their taste for porn evolves over time
as does the content.”
On board with that is Megan Wozniak, director of
marketing for Adult Empire. “We’ve observed in general
just an over-all growing demand for a higher end product
with top production. The porn industry has stepped up its
game in respect to high-end adult filmmaking. Studios like
Erotica X, Blacked and X-Art are shot with an emphasis
on sensuality, exotic locations and high-end aesthetics.
Capturing intense, hardcore sexual encounters filled
with raw passion and emotion will always resonate with
audiences.”
Mention couples porn and the company that
immediately comes to mind is Adam & Eve, where for
years it as been a favorite with their huge mail-order base.
“Couples movies have always been a significant amount
of activity for [us],” says vice president Bob Christian.
“Adam & Eve, in both the catalog and online, has long
carried a connotation of high-quality movies for couples—
movies that have stories and high production value. While
we sell a wide variety of genres, our brand image carries
the couples connection, and this is serving us very well
during the current popularity of the romantic adult movie.
“Story-oriented content is definitely holding its own
against the shorter clips that are so readily available online.
And viewership online is increasing. We think this is simply
because of the very fact that there is a story going on which
affords the pleasure of getting mentally and emotionally, as
well as physically, into the on-screen action.”
Christian says the company is relying on two marketing
trends for romance features. The first is to include movies
along with pleasure product sales. “This is not a new idea,
but it is working well, and there is an increase in doing it.”
The second is “releasing movies
episodically online, on our digital streaming
sites. This brings the viewer back in. Those
movies are doing well.”
At Girlfriends Films owner Moose has his
own ideas about how to hold and enlarge the
RomPorn audience. “In regards to whether
romance porn is holding its own against
gonzo, I think it’s important to look at the
movies B. Skow is directing and producing
for Skow for Girlfriends Films. He doesn’t
allow a single genre to define the movies he
makes, and consumers are responding well.
“The movies he creates are what some
are calling the start of the Progressive
Porn movement. They are hybrid films—a
romantic feature with hardcore sex; a gonzo
with rom-com plot lines or more sensual sex
scenes.
“We as an industry so often try to
pigeonhole consumers, but this is a
disservice to everyone. Women and couples
don’t necessarily want a light-hearted
parody, and men aren’t always into hardcore
gonzo. Skow’s movies are generating
amazing sales numbers across the board
by reaching many genres, whether they
include an elaborate story or are more of
an all-sex format. Moving outside of the
box and beyond the old formulas creates an
immersion that is more reflective of our path
into the future.”
We as an
industry so often
try to pigeonhole
consumers, but
this is a disservice
to everyone.
Women and
couples don’t
necessarily want a
light-hearted
parody, and men
aren’t always into
hardcore gonzo.
—Moose, owner,
Girlfriends Films
“Wicked continues to stay true to its mission of making quality
movies geared towards women and couples, as that audience is
still very relevant in the adult DVD market today.
—Bonnie Kail, director of sales, Wicked Pictures
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