It is fitting, somehow, that Steven Hirsch is talking of his adult-entertainment company while seated in front of an outdoor fireplace absent a fire.
That’s sort of what Hirsch does, as founder of Vivid Entertainment Group: supply the fire.
In Las Vegas this week and weekend for the AVN/Adult Entertainment Expo at the Hard Rock Hotel, which was to conclude with the AVN Awards at the Joint on Saturday night, Hirsch stands as one of the industry’s mavericks. He founded the company in 1984, and Vivid has since become one of the leading producers and distributors of adult films and related products. If the industry has a leading pioneer among its executives, it would be Hirsch, who has led efforts to improve the production value of porno films and has prospered during each advancement of distribution.
Over the years, Vivid has irked some celebrities, whose recorded sex-capades have found their way into Hirsch’s clutches. Four years ago, Kim Kardashian attempted to wrest her 2003 scene with rap star Ray Jay from Vivid’s possession, eventually settling out of court for a $5 million payment (the scene is one of the most famous celebrity sex tapes, ever, and is still accessible on the Vivid website).
“We get tapes from all sorts of sources,” Hirsch says. “They come from everywhere. People know how to find us.”
Most recently, Vivid is prepping for a major release, “Star Wars XXX.” There is a reference to Han Solo here, but the chief point is the film started shooting last May and might be the most technically advanced adult film ever.
More from the conversation on a patio outside Hirsch’s Hard Rock Hotel Paradise Suite, and in front of the latent fireplace:
The Kats Report: If you weren’t the head of your own adult-entertainment company, what would you be doing?
Steven Hirsch: I think I would be running my own company, somehow, and that’s what I do every day. I delegate the people who work for us, different divisions, and I sort of delegate responsibility. The product happens to be adult entertainment.
T.K.R.: How many people work for you?
S.H. All-in, probably 100. We’ve been doing this for 27 years, and I’ve seen a lot of people go in and out.
T.K.R.: Does it take a certain temperament to be in this industry, if you don’t like the product? Can you be successful and not love it?
S.H. Yeah, I think you can. I think you have to separate yourself from the product and you have to believe in the people who work for you. I don’t believe in micromanaging. I never have. I allow my people to do their thing and let them succeed or fail. I want them to take ownership in what they do. I’ve always felt that way, and it’s sink or swim. I am able to separate myself from the craziness, the production, the girls and all that stuff and take a look at the business, overall.
T.K.R. If you had advice for anyone looking to break into the industry, what would it be?
S.H. Always stay on top of new technology because technology changes so quickly. When I started, it was basically the beginning of VHS, or maybe a little bit further along. Then we went from VHS to DVD, to BlueRay, to Internet, to IPTV (Internet Protocol TV, in which TV content is delivered through the Internet), and we were there all the way along. So I would say stay on top of new technology, stay focused, don’t allow all the clutter to get involved and understand your business. Understand what the customers want so that you can bring in people who produce the right product. Understand distribution, understand technology, understand the Internet, and understand where those clicks are coming from.
T.K.R. Is the industry as a whole, and your company, doing an effective job today of staying ahead of technology? The adult industry has historically been a step ahead in terms of production, marketing and distribution technology.
S.H. I think the industry is clever. I do think it does spot trends. There are a lot of smart people, especially technology people, and what’s nice about being in this business is that there’s no red tape. If you want to do something, you try it. You don’t have to take it to a board. You don’t have to get it approved and approved and approved. You can take a chance, and that allows for innovation.
T.K.R. What about the role social media has played in your business? I have heard talk that this is one platform where the adult entertainment industry has struggled to make an effective connection.
S.H. I think it’s a vehicle for the girls, more than anything. A way to get out there, a way for them to communicate with their fans. So I think in that respect it has been good. In terms of marketing movies, it has been a little bit more difficult. We work with a lot of different websites to get the word out, but as far as Twitter and Facebook, although people are interested, I don’t think it translates into actual sales.
T.K.R. What has been the obstacle in marketing your films on Twitter and Facebook? Is it simply the content?
S.H. Yeah, and I think that people want to go to a specific site and see a trailer, right there. They want to check it out, so it’s important when we market a movie, to get it out to as many places as we can, and certainly Twitter and Facebook are part of it. But it’s all of that stuff, together, that really can put a movie over the top – like “Star Wars XXX,” the one that is coming out soon. That’s a movie we’ve been promoting for a year. What we’re able to do is sort of hook into that science-fiction crowd, the “Star Wars” fans and market to them and let them know this is a good movie. This isn’t some sort of $25,000 movie that someone is just throwing out there. It’s a movie that cost a lot of money, that pays a lot of attention to detail, and that’s how you get the word of mouth going.
T.K.R. It seems like your company can put out any decently produced adult movie and be successful. Why bother with expensive production?
S.H. I think that, at least as far as our company is concerned, it is so important to continue to produce quality movies on a consistent basis. It’s sort of been my mantra since the day the company started: Keep making good movies, keep having the best girls, and you’ll be able to build a brand and market to people who will understand that when they come to Vivid, they are getting a quality movie.
T.K.R. How do you recruit potential stars?
S.H. Several ways. At this point, they contact us. We’re big enough that if somebody wants to get in the business, they fortunately know who we are with very little research. They can figure out who we are pretty easily. There is also a lot of, you know, managers out there who bring in girls, and agencies; there are several big talent agencies we’re involved with. If someone walks in and they think that she’s special, they’ll bring her over to us.
T.K.R. A city like Las Vegas, where you have your big annual convention, seems laden with women who could potentially be interested in your field. There are a lot of adult performers and gentlemen’s clubs all over the city. Is this the type of place where you would do some covert scouting?
S.H. We’re out there. People know who we are, and certainly there have been some girls from Las Vegas who have come through our doors over the years, no question about it. But, you know, just because someone is a dancer doesn’t necessarily mean they want to be an adult film star. There is a big jump there, psychologically. Once they make that decision, they know that we’re available.
T.K.R. At this point in your career, can you tell just by talking to someone and spending a few minutes with a prospective actor if that person has the intangible quality to be in front of the camera in that capacity?
S.H. I think so. I think we’re able to see quite quickly if it’s someone we’re interested in. How she looks, how she talks, and yeah, she has to be able to perform sexually. So, we shoot a scene and we see if it makes sense. I mean, there are girls who walk in and you say (claps hands), “She is going to be great. Let’s take it to the next step.” But many others are not ready for the business.
T.K.R. Any industry trends you’re looking at that the consumer should be aware of, any shifts in distribution, production or marketing people should know about?
S.H. It’s an interesting time in our business. It’s sort of the perfect storm. DVD sales are going down. Piracy is out there, free sites are out there, and a struggling economy also plays into it. It is an interesting time for the industry. The trick is being able to hang in there, and when you look at trends there is the whole live-cam world going on, where girls are at home and they are “camming,” and it’s a really interesting business. It can’t be pirated, and people can have a direct interaction with the girl of their choice. That is an interesting trend.
In terms of recorded content, we do our celebrity-sex tapes, we do our superhero parodies, which is sort of interesting. We have an educational line, an (alternative-lifestyles) line. Those sorts of things separate us from everyone else. Because if you are not able to create unique product, you will die. The run-of-the-mill movie ends up ignored, no one notices. You have to produce the right movies, and know where the technology is going, and see it before it happens.
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