 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pornography |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founders | Dion Giarrusso David Joseph |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | David Joseph (President) |
| Products | Pornographic films |
| Services | video on demand |
| Owner | David Joseph |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes /references [1] [2] | |
Red Light District Video (RLD) is an American independent pornographic film studio headquartered in Chatsworth, California. [2]
The company was founded in 2001 by industry veteran Dion Giarrusso and his half-brother David Joseph, who co-owned the company. [2] [3] [4] Giarrusso had previously worked as general manager of Elegant Angel, whilst Joseph was new to the industry. [4] Giarrusso established the Red Light brand by using his existing industry contacts, and launching an aggressive marketing campaign. [4] Film production was overseen by performer and director Vince Vouyer, [4] who had previously been an exclusive director at Anabolic Video. The plan was to emulate Evil Angel's setup where producers/directors would own their own movies, and share in the profits. [4] Other initial directors included Michael Stefano, John Strong and Mark Wood. [4] The company strove to produce hardcore gonzo pornography with higher production values than much of the gonzo of the time, and filmed in luxurious mansions rather than hotel rooms. [2] [3] [4] The studio's first film was 110% Natural, which was released on November 1, 2001. [2] Initially Red Light released one film a week, and produced more than 50 films in its first year. [4]
In 2003 Platinum X Pictures was launched by Michael Stefano and Jewel De'Nyle (who would later marry), bankrolled by Giarrusso and Red Light. [4] Platinum X featured directors Manuel Ferrara, Brandon Iron and Steve Holmes, and produced very similar content to Red Light. [4] Around the same time Red Light began distributing the films of Amateur District and Candy Shop, a studio headed by Stefano that specialized in interracial content. [4] De'Nyle left Platinum X in June 2006. [5]
Vouyer and Giarrusso eventually brought over many of Vince's colleagues from Anabolic in 2004. Erik Everhard, Lexington Steele, and Mike John joined RLD, where they could start their own production companies to be distributed by the RLD infrastructure. Steele's stay was brief, as he left to start his own studio, Mercenary Pictures, after only a few releases at Red Light.
In 2004 Giarrusso left the company. Joseph bought out his share and took over the reins, [2] slowly shifting from a business model based on producer/director ownership, to a model where he owned more and more titles, and could profit accordingly. He, for all intents and purposes, merged RLD and PXP, 'promoting' Stefano and Ferrara to RLD.
After negotiations with Rick Salomon, Joseph was able to get rights to 2004's massive hit movie, 1 Night in Paris , starring Paris Hilton. [6] Salomon had initially been distributing the tape himself, following a legal battle with the Hilton family, [4] and he and Red Light agreed to pay Hilton $400,000 plus a percentage of the tape's sales. [7] [8] However, in a 2006 interview with GQ magazine, Hilton stated: "I never received a dime from (the video). It's just dirty money and (Salomon) should give it all to some charity for the sexually abused or something." [9] The film went on to be the top-selling and renting porn film of 2005, and Joseph claims it is one of the top-selling pornographic films of all time. [4] The success of 1 Night in Paris and the media attention it aroused was a huge publicity boost for the company. [4] Other celebrity sex tapes followed; the same year Red Light released 1 Night in China, starring Sean Waltman and WWE wrestler Joanie Laurer, [10] and it has also distributed Screeched, featuring Dustin Diamond, [11] [12] Amy Fisher Caught On Tape and Joey Buttafuoco Caught on Tape. [2] [4]
In early 2006, several of the RLD directors decided they weren't getting a fair share, and announced they were leaving. Erik Everhard and Ferrara joined Evil Angel. Everhard sued Red Light for breach of contract, conversion, claim and delivery and accounting, and was awarded $141,000 in damages. [13] Mike John joined Jules Jordan's new company Jules Jordan Video, and Vince Vouyer left to start Vouyer Media, to be distributed by Wicked Pictures.
In January 2006, Giarrusso launched his new production company Combat Zone. [14] In November, 2006, Elegant Angel announced that it would distribute its videos in Europe exclusively through Red Light District, [15] however in April 2007, Elegant Angel instead launched its own European division, Elegant Angel Europe. [16]
In 2007 RL sold its sister companies Platinum X Pictures, Amateur District and The Candy Shop. [17] It also settled a lawsuit over a sex tape that was filmed on Kid Rock's tour bus. [17] [18] [19] [20] In May 2007 the studio stopped handling its own distribution when it signed an exclusive deal with Pulse Distribution. [4]
RLD currently releases two new titles per week. [2] It distributes its content via DVDs, video on demand and satellite television. [2] Red Light films can also be downloaded to iPods and mobile phones. [2]
Current Red Light directors include Mark Wood, Michael Stefano and Mr. Pete. [17]
The following is a selection of some of the major awards RLD films have won.
Erik Everhard is the stage name of Mitchell Hartwell, a Canadian pornographic actor and director, known for gonzo pornography films.
1 Night in Paris is a 2004 pornographic video directed by Rick Salomon. Promoted by Kevin Blatt, it depicts Paris Hilton having sexual intercourse in May 2001 with Salomon. Not originally intended for release, it was filmed primarily with a single, stationary, tripod-mounted camera using "night vision". However, a handful of scenes were filmed indoors without night vision.
Vince Vouyer is a pornographic actor and director. He is sometimes credited as Vince, Vince Voyeur, Vince Voyer, or Vince Voyuer.
Extreme Associates, formerly known as Extreme and Extreme 2.0, is an independent pornographic film production company, featuring a catalog of DVD titles and Internet content. It is owned by Rob Zicari and his former wife Janet Romano. The studio's material is controversial, with its films often featuring erotic humiliation and rough sex. Extreme has faced legal charges of obscenity in the U.S. It is associated with another adult film company, Evolution Erotica.
Jewel De'Nyle is an American former pornographic actress and director. She is a member of the NightMoves, AVN, and XRCO Halls of Fame.
The XRCO Awards are given by the American X-Rated Critics Organization annually to people working in adult entertainment and it is the only adult industry awards show reserved exclusively for industry members.
Toni Ribas is a Spanish pornographic actor and director. In 2010, he was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame.
Jules Jordan is an American adult film actor, director, and producer known for his work in gonzo pornography.
Steve Holmes is a Romanian pornographic actor, producer and director. He has received several adult industry awards, including the AVN Award for Male Foreign Performer of the Year in 2005 and 2006. In 2017, Holmes was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame.
Manuel Jeannin, known professionally as Manuel Ferrara, is a French-American adult entertainer and director. One of the leading actors in the porn industry, Ferrara has won over 64 adult industry awards including six AVN Awards as Male Performer of the Year—the record for the accolade, and was inducted into the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame.
Elegant Angel Productions is an independent pornographic film studio located in Canoga Park, California and owned by Patrick Collins. The company is considered one of the early pioneers of gonzo pornography, and its films have won numerous awards.
Diabolic Video Productions is an American independent pornographic movie studio headquartered in Chatsworth, California owned by Zero Tolerance Entertainment. The company was originally a sister-studio of Anabolic Video. During their partnership the studios were a pioneer of gonzo pornography, and are considered one of the most successful gonzo producers.
Michael Stefano is an American pornographic actor and director. He appeared in over 1,000 films and, by his own estimate, performed in over 3,000 scenes.
Evil Angel is an American independent production company and distributor of pornographic films, founded and owned by John Stagliano.
Anabolic Video was an American independent pornographic movie studio headquartered in Chatsworth, California. The studio was a pioneer of gonzo pornography, and is considered one of the most successful gonzo producers. They have since gone out of business.
Hustler Video is an American independent pornographic film studio. It is owned by Larry Flynt's Larry Flynt Publications, and is part of its Hustler-branded range of enterprises, which includes Hustler magazine, the Hustler Casino and the Hustler Hollywood retail outlets. In 2003 Hustler Video bought VCA Pictures, which maintains a separate brand identity within the LFP conglomerate.
Asa Akira is an American pornographic film actress, writer and adult film director. Akira has appeared in 689 adult films as of June 2023. In 2013, she became the third Asian performer to win the AVN Female Performer of the Year Award. Akira hosted the 1st and 2nd ceremonies for the Pornhub Awards. She was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame, XRCO Hall of Fame, and Brazzers Hall of Fame.
Mike John is the pseudonym of an American pornographic movie producer, director, and actor.
The 25th AVN Awards was an event during which Adult Video News (AVN) presented its annual AVN Awards to honor the best pornographic movies and adult entertainment products of 2007 in the United States.
