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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Adult Film Producers Nervous as Sales Begin to Falter

Adult Film Producers Nervous as Sales Begin to Falter By CARLOS MARTINEZ Staff Reporter The once recession-proof porn industry is starting to feel pressure of a down economy as local adult film studios prepare to gather for next week’s Erotica LA convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Mark Kernes, senior editor for industry publication Adult Video News, said adult video rentals and sales were down by about 4 percent last month, compared to a year earlier, making adult film producers nervous. “People are starting to see that demand is starting to drop and that’s really a first,” Kernes said. Companies are starting to postpone new video shoots while others are simply assessing the situation. “Sales are down a little and the question is how much demand is out there?” Kernes said. “For the first time we’re seeing people cutting back on pleasure items like adult entertainment and a lot of other things because of this economy.” Adding to their problems is the studios’ increased costs due to the popularity of DVDs which is forcing them to provide additional content, usually trailers of other videos, and create separate packaging, tracking and inventories for the material, Kernes said. Some studios, like Metro West in Chatsworth, laid off six people earlier this year, while others are postponing issuing new material until demand picks up. “People are playing it safe and not taking any chances in this economy,” Kernes said. Dan Metcalf, a spokesman for Wicked Pictures in Chatsworth, said his firm is not cutting back production, though it has been looking to cross promote its brand with apparel makers and others that target the young adult market. Already, the company has a cross promotion deal with apparel-maker Third Rail Clothing, while it recently featured its two top stars, Kaylani Lei and Jessica Drake on the July issue of Benzo Magazine, a publication geared to Mercedes Benz owners. “It’s our way of getting our brand out there to a bigger audience,” said Metcalf, whose eight-year-old company will have a booth at Erotica L.A., running June 20 to 22. Van Nuys-based Vivid Entertainment Group has been cashing in on cross promotions since last year when it inked a deal with a jeans manufacturer and earlier this year signed deals with Pony shoes and Sims Snowboards to feature some of its actresses or Vivid Girls in billboard and print ads. Vivid has also branched out into its own brand of condoms and herbal supplements meant to enhance sexual performance. Such deals have helped the company, Kernes said, as the industry undergoes a flat period. Vivid officials were unavailable for comment, but Kernes said that the industry’s growth of recent years could not continue. Last year, adult videos accounted for $4.04 billion in sales and rentals, compared to $3.95 billion of a year earlier, according to his publication’s estimates. But Chris Mann, president of North Hollywood-based Video Team, said his company’s plans have not changed due to a slow economy. “We’re still planning 48 new releases this year and we’re not looking to cut back,” he said, noting that last year the company also had 48 new videos.

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