adult video distribution

[dig420]

Who can educate me about adult video distribution? I'm seeing every major website on the shelves in adult bookstores lately. I have about 400 scenes and I'm interested in getting involved. Any help?

[NickBaer]

Call a store or two and see which wholesaler they buy from.

[JuicyBunny]

Exile Distribution
Ask for Howard. Stand up guy.

[RR Productions]

Send me an email with samples. I have agreements with distributor company for iberian peninsula. If content is good maybe you can get some deal.

[The Ghost]

Be extremely careful about this. More people have been fucked by video wholesalers than helped, that's for sure. Especially guys going from web to solid media.


Product back-doored, the wholesalers selling VOD rights or brokering the content. Not telling about international deals. Not being honest about the amount of pieces sold especially in cases where the wholesaler handles replication and sales. Make sure you take a good hard look at whatever contract they send.

Most wholesalers move so few pieces likely it won't be worth it to bother. Not sure what your product is, but important is finding a matching wholesaler that either needs your niche or is strong in sales in that specific niche.


Best of luck.

[Far-L]

The reason you see all the web site based dvds out there is because those companies are all dumping huge numbers of new releases at super low catalog prices. They are all trying to claim as much shelf space as they can and essentially are in a race to the bottom.

Here is what you are looking at...

The distributors all produce their own product. They take on production company xyz to distribute xyz's videos but in reality they are only using xyz to be a loss leader, sold ridiculously cheap, so the distributor can get its own products out on the shelf at a higher price. In this environment, companies are lucky to see even a few hundred sold since there is such a glut of cheap new release. And by cheap I mean like less than a dollar per title.

If you have 400 scenes, imagine how much Gamma or Mindgeek or PornKings or Homegrown has...

Now figure in that there is going to be at least 90 days before you see a dime on the investment of replication, mastering, boxes etc for a return of pennies on the dollar. Good luck. It is a recipe for disaster unless you can find a way not to get burned by the distributor. You could try to work out a deal where the distributor carries all the overhead upfront, but good luck - since there is no form of third party tracking you are even more at their mercy. Better to just license them the scene so you get paid upfront.

We have worked with all the US based distributors and I really don't have a single positive thing to say about any of them.

You could of course try to distribute yourself direct to stores but many of the stores are tied to the distributors so that is a pretty steep hurdle as well.

I could go on but I think you get the point.

[Zuzana Designs]

Originally Posted by JuicyBunny

Exile Distribution
Ask for Howard. Stand up guy.

+1 for Howard.

[dig420]

Originally Posted by Far-L

The reason you see all the web site based dvds out there is because those companies are all dumping huge numbers of new releases at super low catalog prices. They are all trying to claim as much shelf space as they can and essentially are in a race to the bottom.

Here is what you are looking at...

The distributors all produce their own product. They take on production company xyz to distribute xyz's videos but in reality they are only using xyz to be a loss leader, sold ridiculously cheap, so the distributor can get its own products out on the shelf at a higher price. In this environment, companies are lucky to see even a few hundred sold since there is such a glut of cheap new release. And by cheap I mean like less than a dollar per title.

If you have 400 scenes, imagine how much Gamma or Mindgeek or PornKings or Homegrown has...

Now figure in that there is going to be at least 90 days before you see a dime on the investment of replication, mastering, boxes etc for a return of pennies on the dollar. Good luck. It is a recipe for disaster unless you can find a way not to get burned by the distributor. You could try to work out a deal where the distributor carries all the overhead upfront, but good luck - since there is no form of third party tracking you are even more at their mercy. Better to just license them the scene so you get paid upfront.

We have worked with all the US based distributors and I really don't have a single positive thing to say about any of them.

You could of course try to distribute yourself direct to stores but many of the stores are tied to the distributors so that is a pretty steep hurdle as well.

I could go on but I think you get the point.

I do indeed. Useful information. How much would a distribution company typically pay to license a scene?

[Far-L]

Originally Posted by dig420

I do indeed. Useful information. How much would a distribution company typically pay to license a scene?

Not much unfortunately because the glut of producers willing to throw titles at them for peanuts is worth considering going into the peanut butter business. Any where from a hundred to five hundred is pretty much the going rate. Still, looking at having a ton of titles makes that seem great... as long as you can try and keep it exclusive to dvd... but good luck with that... you know how that goes.

[$money$]

stay in this thread and listen to these guys before you get scammed somewhere else!

[MatureKing]

Originally Posted by The Ghost

Be extremely careful about this. More people have been fucked by video wholesalers than helped, that's for sure. Especially guys going from web to solid media.


Product back-doored, the wholesalers selling VOD rights or brokering the content. Not telling about international deals. Not being honest about the amount of pieces sold especially in cases where the wholesaler handles replication and sales. Make sure you take a good hard look at whatever contract they send.

Most wholesalers move so few pieces likely it won't be worth it to bother. Not sure what your product is, but important is finding a matching wholesaler that either needs your niche or is strong in sales in that specific niche.


Best of luck.

Hey hey who's idea was to open ladyboy vice? This problem

[NemesisEnforcer]

Originally Posted by dig420

I do indeed. Useful information. How much would a distribution company typically pay to license a scene?

Take the advice of The Ghost and Far-L. Some content owners are getting robbed left and right by DVD distributors including well know companies that are not doing their own distribution.

You can pretty much expect $150 for an entire movie (multiple scenes) and they will use it for comps.

Assuming your content is cable worthy, you should expect $150/scene fixed for North America license. If you go cable revshare you get a percentage of what's sold, $0.0 to whatever. Your DVD distributor will get 30% to 40% of whatever you make on cable.

[Far-L]

Originally Posted by $money$

stay in this thread and listen to these guys before you get scammed somewhere else!

Here is another shady distributor move...

Even though they know they are only going to sell at best a couple hundred of a number they replicate way more than they need or can ever hope to sell...

Why?

Because they pool all the producers together and the extra volume on dvd replication helps bring down their own cost of replication on their in house titles.

Don't even get me started about how they sell at a really low catalog price but then take returns back and credit those at a high new release price to fuck the producer over even harder...

Terrible accounting, gross mismanagement of inventory, horrendous collections on receivables... the whole thing is designed to screw the producers.

[dig420]

Farrell, tell us how you really feel lol.... I'm assuming at some point you've tried dealing with the adult bookstore chains directly. Do they shut you out of direct distribution of your own material to preserve their relations with the established distributors, or do the distributors jsut own most of the stores?

What's your experience with the overseas guys?

[NemesisEnforcer]

Originally Posted by Far-L

Terrible accounting, gross mismanagement of inventory, horrendous collections on receivables... the whole thing is designed to screw the producers.

Very true, a combination of ignorance and intention. On top of it, when a warehouse gets robbed, often by the employees, the distributor is not going to pay you for the stolen pieces but instead bury that number in collections with no remedy for the content owner.

[mikesouth]

Listen to Far-L he is telling you right. You do not want to join that race to the bottom of the bottom.

[dig420]

hey man, paysites are dying if not dead. I need all the revenue I can get my hands on right now to build my dating empire

[marlboroack]

I'd be interested in buying them off you. Could you contact me

[theking]

Originally Posted by marlboroack

I'd be interested in buying them off you. Could you contact me

There you go Dig/Danny boy.

[dig420]

Originally Posted by theking

There you go Dig/Danny boy.

Why did you start calling me Danny Boy? Been so long, slips my mind.

[The Porn Nerd]

If free porn is killing paysites how do you think overall DVD sales are doing?

I work with a major Hollywood (adult) producer. He used to shoot 8-10 titles a year. He's done two titles in the last three years. Enough said.

But hey, if you are looking for pennies - ANY additional pennies - then give it a try.

[theking]

Originally Posted by dig420

Why did you start calling me Danny Boy? Been so long, slips my mind.

The hell if I can recall. You still in Vegas?

[dig420]

yep, still here.

[Far-L]

Originally Posted by dig420

Farrell, tell us how you really feel lol.... I'm assuming at some point you've tried dealing with the adult bookstore chains directly. Do they shut you out of direct distribution of your own material to preserve their relations with the established distributors, or do the distributors jsut own most of the stores?

What's your experience with the overseas guys?

We did our own distribution for years. Dealing direct is tough because many stores are partners at least or are owned entirely by distributors. The mom and pops that aren't typically are a pain in the ass and chasing them for receivables is even more of a drain on resources, plus they all want that dollar product. You could have the best content, the best selling, best looking but to them it is all the same and all they care about is getting the price... and terms.

You can potentially find overseas buyers and they are a bit better to deal with but hard to get a relationship with since they already have steep and deep relationships with well established brands.

There are companies that give away dvds if stores will take their novelties/sundries. Just like online, beating "free" is hard.

I don't think the big online companies that do dvds really care that they are losing money in dvd because they regard it more as an advertising tool to drive offline consumers to their online properties.

[pornlaw]

Originally Posted by Far-L

Now figure in that there is going to be at least 90 days before you see a dime on the investment of replication, mastering, boxes etc for a return of pennies on the dollar. Good luck. It is a recipe for disaster unless you can find a way not to get burned by the distributor. You could try to work out a deal where the distributor carries all the overhead upfront, but good luck - since there is no form of third party tracking you are even more at their mercy. Better to just license them the scene so you get paid upfront.

We have worked with all the US based distributors and I really don't have a single positive thing to say about any of them.

+1 and if you do go the tradition route get a lawyer that knows DVD distribution contracts to look at the fine print.

[The Ghost]

Originally Posted by MatureKing

Hey hey who's idea was to open ladyboy vice? This problem

What does this message mean? We own all our content 100% exclusive. Tried to send you a PM but your box is full.

[Far-L]

Originally Posted by pornlaw

+1 and if you do go the tradition route get a lawyer that knows DVD distribution contracts to look at the fine print.

While I completely agree in principle. A contract is only honored by those with honor to spare. To those without honor, contracts mean very little.

Say someone spends a grand to get a contract done (which is on the low side when you get into the tit for tat in all that fine print) then how many more units are going to have to be sold to cover that expense before one can turn a profit?

[j3rkules]

Originally Posted by theking

There you go Dig/Danny boy.

[Paul Markham]

Homegrown, Far-L, has been in the DVD business longer than anyone here. So listen to him.

My advice is to sell the entire package to a website, or sell it to a content producer for cash up front, or put it on AdultCentro and earn every month. AdultCentro - Global B2B marketplace for adult content licensing

Respect to Pornlaw but. A contract is only worth the money you can afford to enforce it. And the money you can squeeze out of the plaintiff after the court case.

There's another point for DVD distributors. It has to be pretty good hardcore before they will even take a look.

[SpicyM]

Originally Posted by dig420

hey man, shitty paysites are dying if not dead.

corrected it

[dig420]

Originally Posted by SpicyM

corrected it

Oh, you're letting me know how the business works eh? Thanks. I needed a viewpoint from someone with such vast experience in the industry

Paul, you realize there's a difference between having your content on a shelf in some brick and mortar building and giving up all control and copyright of your material to other websites right?

[pornlaw]

Originally Posted by Far-L

While I completely agree in principle. A contract is only honored by those with honor to spare. To those without honor, contracts mean very little.

Say someone spends a grand to get a contract done (which is on the low side when you get into the tit for tat in all that fine print) then how many more units are going to have to be sold to cover that expense before one can turn a profit?

Very true. However, there is language that can be added or deleted to/from the contract to insure that at least the playing field is vastly more level when it comes to not paying, audits and litigation. And often people sign a contract believing the other party is honorable, and the language that can be added will be a litmus test to see what their intentions are.

Its sometimes better to spend the $1000 on the contract and save yourself the misery and forgo the deal.

[SpicyM]

Originally Posted by dig420

Oh, you're letting me know how the business works eh? Thanks. I needed a viewpoint from someone with such vast experience in the industry

No, I am letting you know, that paysites are dead for you cause they probably suck. And yeah, that is correct, I am speaking from my own experience.

[dig420]

Originally Posted by SpicyM

No, I am letting you know, that paysites are dead for you cause they probably suck. And yeah, that is correct, I am speaking from my own experience.

If you're so amazing, why haven't I ever heard of you? What's your big accomplishment in the industry?

[Far-L]

Originally Posted by SpicyM

No, I am letting you know, that paysites are dead for you cause they probably suck. And yeah, that is correct, I am speaking from my own experience.

The fact that he has been around as long as he has and still actually has paysites should be enough to tell you his sites don't suck. In fact, far from it. .

[dig420]

Originally Posted by Far-L

The fact that he has been around as long as he has and still actually has paysites should be enough to tell you his sites don't suck. In fact, far from it. .

nah, they suck lol... I have zuzana and AJ fixing that right now though.

[plaster]

Originally Posted by dig420

nah, they suck lol... I have zuzana and AJ fixing that right now though.

True that... while you are at it, buy some content so you can update as well

[dig420]

Originally Posted by plaster

True that... while you are at it, buy some content so you can update as well

I actually have a massive update coming in, and with elevatedX they'll be automatic forever. Long list of reasons why I haven't been updating the active paysites lately, none of which would be interesting to you, but we're on the case.

[JuicyBunny]

Cool thread