Preview: Porn Industry Widens Focus

For decades, the San Fernando Valley was the epicenter of pornographic film production, taking on nicknames such as “the porn capital of the world,” “the San Pornando Valley” or simply “Porn Valley.” But today, much of the industry has evaporated, and most of what is left has moved to other places. The Internet, piracy and government regulation have turned a once-thriving local industry into a memory. “The ironic thing is that at this very second, watching porn has never been more popular,” said award-winning adult film director Jeff Mullen, who goes by the pseudonym Will Ryder. “However, the fact that most of it is watched for free drives nobody’s economic engine, especially in the San Fernando Valley.” Read the full story in the April 4 issue of the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.