VIVID ENTERTAINMENT

'Vivid Entertainment Group ' is one of the world's largest adult film producers,"The (Porn) Player" by Matthew Miller, ''Forbes'' magazine, July 4 2005. Retrieved February 1, 2007. featuring a popular catalog of VHS and DVD titles and Internet content.^[1]
Vivid specializes in high-production-value movies, filmed in exotic locations and shot with professional lighting and quality cinematography. Vivid also produces gay porn movies under the names "Vivid Man" and "Vivid Video".

Contents

Vivid Girls

Policies and production values

Licensing Program

See also

External links

References

Vivid Girls

The company is best known for its "Vivid Girls", a collection of porn starlets. These women made their names in other companies' productions, then moved to Vivid once they had become famous. The Vivid Girls are retained on exclusive contracts much like those of bygone days of the Hollywood studio system. They reportedly command a higher salary than do free-agent performers and produce only a handful of films per year (in 2004, Jenna Jameson told an interviewer "you probably have more sex than I do - I only film a couple of scenes three or four times a year").

Policies and production values

In the past, Vivid has had a strict policy mandating condom use (see below), and the sexual activities shown are generally "milder" than those of Vivid's competitors. Scenes of bondage are rare and particularly mild. Vivid did not follow the path taken by much of the rest of the U.S. porn industry in the late 1990s toward more explicit and extreme activities. Intercourse almost always involves a heterosexual couple. These policies are intended to appeal to a wide, mainstream market (including women and heterosexual couples) that may not rent or buy pornographic movies frequently.
Vivid produces relatively few titles per year, and each film is aggressively advertised and promoted. This is different from many other San Fernando Valley production companies, who routinely film, edit and release a two-hour title in less than a week, spending relatively little on advertising or promotion. According to ''Forbes Magazine'' Vivid produces 60 films per year and its annual revenue is $100 million USD.^[2] The same estimate was given by ''Business Week'' in June 2006.^[3] However, Vivid also aggressively repackages its original material in compilations which are relatively inexpensive to produce.
Its titles are sold to the rental market and direct to consumers through its online mail-order site. Vivid also distributes the films to cable and satellite channels and offers its Internet subscribers full access to hundreds of titles. Steve Hirsch and David James, who together started the company in 1984, control Vivid.
In February 2006 it was reported that Vivid had terminated their condom-only policy and would let performers decide whether to use condoms or not. Main competitor Wicked Pictures retained their condom-only policy.^[4] Director Chi Chi LaRue left Vivid due to this change.^[5] Allegations recently came to light of unsanitary health conditions on Vivid sets and of Vivid's apparent disregard for the health and safety of its performers. ^[6]
Vivid also runs several websites, including websites featuring its "Vivid Girls." These websites prominently promote the "Vivid Girls" and their various films. The site also allows users to view scenes from various Vivid productions, as well as much internet-only content.

Licensing Program

In 2005 famed Glass sex toy company Phallix joined Vivid in an exclusive deal resulting in the creation of the Vivid Vixen Series of Glass dildos. Top Vivid starlets such as Briana Banks, Mercedez and Savanah were among the many starlets to receive their own signature glass toy. Currently in 2007 Phallix was the sex toy of choice in the Vivid feature ''Where the Boys Aren't 18'' Featuring Tera Patrick, Briana Banks and a host of other starlets together in one film. Also, in 2007 Schecter Guitars releases a limited line of Vivid Guitars.^[7] Vivid also attempted the launch of "Vivid Comix," a series of adult graphic novels featuring Vivid Girl performers. The first such issue was actually produced with the likeness of a Vivid Girl whose permission had not been obtained for this use, and when the permission was denied, the issue was changed and a different Vivid Girl was substituted.

See also

★ List of pornographic movie studios

External links

★ Vivid Entertainment corporate site

★ Interview with Vivid Owner Steve Hirsch

References

1. Vivid Entertainment corporate website
2. The Porn King
3. The Pornographers vs. The Pirates
4. Vivid Quietly Goes Condom-Optional
5. Chi Chi Leaves Vivid Over Condom Policy
6. Luke Ford biographical details about Kira Kener
7. http://www.vividguitars.com