Vivid Entertainment:

Vivid Entertainment Group is the world's largest adult film producer,^[1] featuring a popular catalog of VHS and DVD titles and Internet content.^[2]

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".

Vivid Girls

The company is best known for the pioneering "Vivid Girls" concept of contract stars that inspired other studios to follow suit.^[3] Vivid is often the first studio that the girls have worked with.^[4] The Vivid Girls are retained on exclusive contracts much like those of bygone days of the Hollywood studio system. They 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 shags than I do - I only film a couple of scenes three or four times a year").

Vivid and Alt-Porn

In February 2006 Vivid made its first foray into Alt porn with the signing of Director Eon McKai and the formation of the Vivid-Alt imprint ^[5]. Vivid-Alt in turn hired erotic photographers— Dave Naz and Octavio "Winkytiki" Arizala^[6] to direct features for the imprint.

The first film directed by Eon McKai under that imprint "Girls Lie"^[6] was nominated for a 2007 AVN Award under the Best Director Non-Feature ^[7]. There were a total 13 nominations for various Vivid-Alt imprint releases.

Vivid Ed

In March 2007 Vivid signed award-winning author, columnist, editor, and sex educator Tristan Taormino^[8] to head up the Vivid-Ed imprint whose line has produced several how-to DVD sex guides including "The Expert Guide To Anal Sex", "The Expert Guide to Oral Sex, Part 1: Cunnilingus", "The Expert Guide to Oral Sex, Part 2: Fellatio" and "The Expert Guide to the G-Spot." On April 4, 2008 Vivid Ed's two oral sex instructional titles and director Tristan Taormino received an Emma Award from the Feminist Porn Awards in Toronto, Canada. ^[9]

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 now produces many G/G films.

Vivid produces over 60 titles a year, the most in the industry. The company has a small number of high budget movies that it produces and aggressively markets.^[10] 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.^{[citation needed]} According to Forbes Magazine Vivid produces 60 films per year and its annual revenue is $100 million USD.^[11] The same estimate was given by Business Week in June 2006.^[12] However, Vivid also aggressively repackages its original material in compilations which are relatively inexpensive to produce.

Its titles are sold through retail stores across the United States, 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. Steven Hirsch and David James started the company in 1984. Currently, Steven Hirsch and Bill Asher run 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.^[13] Director Chi Chi LaRue left Vivid due to this change.^[14]

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 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, Nina Mercedez and Savanna Samson 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.^[15] Vivid also launched "Vivid Comix," a series of adult graphic novels featuring Vivid Girl performers. The company's publishing program includes the best-selling "How to Have a XXX Sex Life: The Ultimate Vivid Guide" from HarperCollins in both hardcover and paperback plus a line of erotic novels.

Legal Controversy

Models

Vivid Entertainment

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