About Customs

[WonderKenna]

Recently we have gotten an avalanche of custom video order requests. Which we take to be a great sign that we are doing a decent job on our productions. BUT, we don't have a model page up yet for customers to peruse what models are available which makes for a lot for emails back and forth which we don't have the manpower to keep up with, since it is all based on our ever changing shoot schedule and models travel plans

Here is the main issue. Most of the models we have been shooting, and have booked for the next several months, are full xxx models. so between their minimum day rate, covering travel and booking fees to agents, it costs us between $1500-$2000 a DAY to have them here. So when we get a script that will take all day to shoot ( and I mean 12 to 14 non stop hours and many would take two days to shoot well) their is no way to produce it. Especially if the script calls for two models in the same video

We understand that many scripts have little or no sexual peril, but these girls do xxx for a living. They are fine doing it, but they expect to make their daily rate and if we spend the entire day shooting dialogue, that is our problem, not theirs.

The reason I am posting this is because we can tell a lot of fans are becoming angry and the emails reflect that. We don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or lose our fan's because they feel slighted or that we "are too good" to produce their video.

This being said, until we have a web page listing available models and are booking more "fetish" models we won't be accepting anymore custom requests.

This is my decision after looking over Michael's shoulder at a number of emails ranging from very disappointed (which makes me feel really bad) to to scathingly rude (which makes me livid considering how hard our team works at making someone's custom as perfect as we can)

[TIEnTEEZ]

Hi Kenna,

Really sorry to hear that. I guess this is the price you pay for being so good at what you do.

I've had an ongoing conversation with Michael about my custom and I totally understand that mine, in particular, is a little more complex than the usual. Also, I've been informed that there are some changes going on, so things are a bit hectic at the moment.

I hope I'm not one of the rude ones you are referring to. I try to always be professional, and the last thing I want to do is alienate my favorite studio.

If it help, one of my biggest frustrations was that I spent a lot of time trying to get a clear answer about my custom. I understand that sometimes it's not easy to get an answer right away, but this discussion went on a long time and I was kinda left hanging.

Anyway, I hope you get that page up soon, and can start taking custom orders again.

Until then, I guess I will just have to make do with your regular content, which is pretty darned good.

[TIEnTEEZ]

And BTW... I really respect that you posted this here and your honesty with your customers. At least you and Michael are responsive to the community and via e-mail. I've dealt with plenty of other studios that didn't even have the courtesy to answer repeated e-mail inquiries. Those are studios I will NEVER do business with again.

[Mr. X]

WonderKenna - Have you considered doing movies that are not XXX so you can find girls at cheaper rates? Are the majority of the customs asking for XXX? Just curious if the rates are different now. For example we used to be able to get local dancers at cheaper rates if we didn't do any XXX and maybe some light fondling. The fetish girls are nice to work with but then they were more expensive again going back up into the $1000 plus a day range. It could be that customers might be fine with just gratuitous fondling vs actual XXX. Also I would imagine your male budget isn't cheap unless you lucked out on male friends who are fit and work for free. So not going XXX might make you bad guy budget go down as well.

But on the bright side you're getting custom requests so that's a good thing.

[WonderKenna]

And BTW... I really respect that you posted this here and your honesty with your customers. At least you and Michael are responsive to the community and via e-mail. I've dealt with plenty of other studios that didn't even have the courtesy to answer repeated e-mail inquiries. Those are studios I will NEVER do business with again.

TT, Thank you and you are not one of the rude ones I think the reason you aren't getting clearer response is we were getting all muddled with so many back and forth emails from so many people. And, a lot of them after all is said and done never send payment after the details are worked out, they just disappear. And I mean about a 3rd of the emails. We read 10 page scripts line for line, and go over all the details and then... they just disappear.

Any way, we do appreciate you as a fan and a customer

[WonderKenna]

WonderKenna - Have you considered doing movies that are not XXX so you can find girls at cheaper rates? Are the majority of the customs asking for XXX? Just curious if the rates are different now. For example we used to be able to get local dancers at cheaper rates if we didn't do any XXX and maybe some light fondling. The fetish girls are nice to work with but then they were more expensive again going back up into the $1000 plus a day range. It could be that customers might be fine with just gratuitous fondling vs actual XXX. Also I would imagine your male budget isn't cheap unless you lucked out on male friends who are fit and work for free. So not going XXX might make you bad guy budget go down as well.

But on the bright side you're getting custom requests so that's a good thing.

Hi Mr X,

Our lighter content seems to perform VERY poorly. I am think it might be that we haven't cultivated the fan base or that the other producers have such a devoted following it is hard to bring them over. It is hard to put time into shooting videos that are likely to lose money.

I would say our goal (and we tried a few) is to make videos where the xxx content can get removed without affecting the story and see if we can make a transition. We would happily have a third site devoted to NC 17 level videos if we can attract the fans

[TIEnTEEZ]

TT, Thank you and you are not one of the rude ones I think the reason you aren't getting clearer response is we were getting all muddled with so many back and forth emails from so many people.

Understood.

And, a lot of them after all is said and done never send payment after the details are worked out, they just disappear. And I mean about a 3rd of the emails. We read 10 page scripts line for line, and go over all the details and then... they just disappear.

Customer service industries are a bitch that way.
I think setting up a custom's page with information about models, schedules, and pricing will help you out there. I imagine some of those folks sent in a script and then got sticker shock when you told them the price.

Also, if I may suggest, it would be great if the page included information on equipment, furniture, costumes, and settings you have available. Sometimes when I am writing a custom, I have to stop and think, "Hey, does this studio have a stockade, or a wall they can tie the heroine to?" I usually end up sending an e-mail to ask, but if you had a page with listings and pictures it would save time for everyone.

I really hope you all get it together soon and come up with a way to manage all the requests.

And hey, whenever it gets too hectic, just be thankful that in this economy you have so many people willing to give you their money. Everyone should have such problems.

[saxman314]

I like tiednteez's last comment. I've been curious about customs in the past, but never emailed since I know so little. An "a la carte" menu would be helpful for someone like me since I have no idea what it could or should cost. For example:

1 xxx model per day: $1000
1 male xxx model per day: $500
basic spandex/tights costume, 1 m, 1f: $100
our basement location: free
our indoor room location: free
local club location: $1000 per day
local warehouse location: $500 per day
Exclusive rights to video: $2000
All prices are estimates, contingent on the individual scripts, models, props and locations.
Etc.

I could be WAAAY off base on pricing, but I really have no idea. I don't know what's the norm for your industry/level, what the overhead is, etc. You can basically set your own prices, but whatever they normally are, if I have a ballpark idea, I could just send you a general script/location/model/props outline and say, "You think we could get this done in the neighborhood of $1500?" Then it becomes more a question of specific expenses. When I've gotten custom work done on my car, it has worked like this with the better shops. I do the same for recording and performance services in my work.

[TIEnTEEZ]

Any updates on this? Any ETA on when you might start taking custom orders again?

Also... does this apply to all of the Primal lines, or just the superheroine ones?

[WonderKenna]

The wb page should be done in two weeks. We will be taking limited customs for teh two weeks following the launch of the web page and then shutting down again since the studio sets are getting put into storage primary producer is moving to another city.

[mrestfla]

WonderKenna - Have you considered doing movies that are not XXX so you can find girls at cheaper rates? Are the majority of the customs asking for XXX? Just curious if the rates are different now. For example we used to be able to get local dancers at cheaper rates if we didn't do any XXX and maybe some light fondling. The fetish girls are nice to work with but then they were more expensive again going back up into the $1000 plus a day range. It could be that customers might be fine with just gratuitous fondling vs actual XXX. Also I would imagine your male budget isn't cheap unless you lucked out on male friends who are fit and work for free. So not going XXX might make you bad guy budget go down as well.

But on the bright side you're getting custom requests so that's a good thing.

Hi Mr X,

Our lighter content seems to perform VERY poorly. I am think it might be that we haven't cultivated the fan base or that the other producers have such a devoted following it is hard to bring them over. It is hard to put time into shooting videos that are likely to lose money.

I would say our goal (and we tried a few) is to make videos where the xxx content can get removed without affecting the story and see if we can make a transition. We would happily have a third site devoted to NC 17 level videos if we can attract the fans

I bought many Primal vids in the past from the "R" site. I stopped since you devoted your time to making XXX titles. I would be curious to know the price of the Batgurl video with Callie without the XXX stuff? adding in a chloro scene as well as OTS and light bondage similar to "Dressed to Kill"

[WonderKenna]

We actually are putting up a version of the Batgurl video without the forced or or bj on our Superheroine Shame site. For a model like Callie it doesn't make as much difference, she needs to be paid 4 figures to shoot for a day. After the move we won't be producing new Superheroine videos for several months so it will be a while before more "R" content comes up other than a few alternate versions of what we have shot. Generally our sites are gong to be like this

Darkside = XXX boy/girl content
Superheroine Shame = girl/girl and maybe b/g up to forced orgasm
Fantasies and Customs = femdom superheroin, non SIP mind control (lots of it) and customs that don't fit our other sites

A "Pure Peril" store may come to fruition when the other stores are going full speed