What began as a pioneering platform for streaming video two decades ago — long before the rise of social media, when online blogs were still considered something of a novelty — has grown into a multi-pronged powerhouse in all-male entertainment with a groaning trophy shelf: in-house production label NakedSword Originals has earned the XBIZ Award for Gay Studio of the Year for an unmatched four years running, while its parent company earned its first XBIZ Award for VOD Company of the Year all the way back in 2007.
NakedSword turns 20 this year and kicked off their yearlong celebration with a snazzy new logo that smoothly encapsulates the company’s side-by-side integration with Falcon Studios Group, home to legacy brands Falcon Studios, Raging Stallion Studios, Hot House Video and more.
The coronavirus pandemic and “stay-at-home” orders scuttled many of the company’s celebratory plans, which included a club tour and personal appearances across the globe by many of their exclusive A-list hunks. Undaunted, NakedSword quickly pivoted by ramping up their online promotions as a reward for their fans, many of whom have supported the company since the very beginning.
XBIZ checked in with Toby J. Morris, Falcon/NakedSword VP of Marketing, to preview the year’s surprises and to reflect on the milestone anniversary.
XBIZ: What are some of the ways you’re celebrating this year?
Morris: We are celebrating our 20th anniversary by showing our appreciation for our amazing members by offering them exclusive access to free scene downloads and other giveaways all year long. In March, we partnered with Fleshjack and we were overwhelmed by our members' positive response.
April's giveaway was 20 three-month VIP Memberships to Flirt4Free. Other giveaways through the rest of the year include gifts from Swiss Navy Lube, Marek + Richard, Future Method, Trophy Boy, Andrew Christian, Cellblock13 and Ajaxx63.
You might have noticed that we launched new branding for NakedSword and NakedSword Originals in honor of our 20th year.
XBIZ: We certainly noticed.
Morris: We're very happy with our new logos and have other surprises coming to NakedSword.com soon.
XBIZ: How have you had to alter your anniversary plans, given the coronavirus lockdown?
Morris: We had to put plans for a multi-city NakedSword 20th Anniversary Tour featuring exclusive models on hold for obvious reasons. We hope to still hold some big events in the latter half of the year, but, of course, we want everyone to be safe and adhere to social-distancing guidelines, so that all remains to be seen. We’re looking forward to celebrating with our fans at events as soon as it is possible and we can be sure everyone will be safe.
XBIZ: Talk a bit about how the company has grown over two decades.
Morris: NakedSword.com started out with a handful of studios with a focus on brands with high production values and name recognition. Over the years, it was our goal to maintain our relationships with the heavy-hitters, but also partner with smaller brands with niche content that made our content more robust. Over a decade ago we developed and added our own brand, NakedSword Originals, which quickly became the darling of the adult industry. Today, NakedSword.com features over 7,000 movies and 30,000 scenes from over 200 studios. When you factor in our original content, NakedSword Film Works [mainstream] indie projects, access to queer shorts and full-length features and quirky original web series like “The Tim & Roma Show,” it's clear why the “San Francisco Chronicle” dubbed us “The Netflix of Gay Porn.”
XBIZ: What do you think has been the most surprising or fulfilling aspect of NakedSword's growth?
Morris: I think this is two-fold: one on the business side, and the other on the fan side. It’s great to see the studios and partners embrace the concept of NakedSword and recognize the value of being on a worldwide platform that provides fans with an endless source of adult content. Some studios have developed further relationships by partnering on lucrative whitelabels and cross-sale products that they offer their audience to create additional revenue streams.
On the fan side, the fulfilling aspects are the loyalty and excitement our customers bring. Many of our members have been with us for years, and they helped us build the NakedSword.com we have today. They love our NakedSword Original content and playlists, as well as having access to the countless other studios and movies that we offer. Our popular blog TheSword.com creates a community in which NakedSword is more than a website or brand, it's a lifestyle.
XBIZ: Where should someone start if they were going to dive into the NakedSword Originals catalog for the first time?
Morris: One of the things that we did for the 20th anniversary is that we built a playlist of the Top 20 NakedSword Originals scenes of all time. This a great place to see a handful of the best scenes from some of our biggest hits. NakedSword founder and executive producer Tim Valenti, along with mr. Pam — she won the XBIZ Award for Gay Director of the Year two years in a row — have amassed a library of award-winning, steamy content including some of the hottest features in all of gay porn over the past decade like “Frat House Cream,” “Dirty Rascal,” “Scared Stiff,” “Paris Perfect,” “MXXX: The Hardest Ride,” “Kiss and Tel Aviv” and many more.
Our team is creative and fearless when it comes to storylines, locations and casting. We're not afraid to tackle controversial topics like conversion therapy or cast smoking-hot trans models alongside today's leading stars. We're very proud of the fact that you cannot put NakedSword Originals in a box. You never know what to expect, and we think that makes all of our movies iconic.
XBIZ: What are some future plans you can tease?
Morris: We don’t want to give away too much! We’re in the process of completely overhauling the technological infrastructure of NakedSword.com and developing an enhanced visitor experience. And more groundbreaking releases from NakedSword Originals in the coming year.
XBIZ: It’s impressive that Tim has been at the helm since the beginning.
Morris: While the past 20 years have seen many changes in the industry, at NakedSword.com, the one constant has been Tim Valenti. He's a visionary and pioneer in streaming video, one of the adult industry's most respected executives and an innovator who keeps his feet firmly planted in the here-and-now, but who is always looking to the future. Working with him on a day-to-day basis is exciting, challenging and rewarding. He's a straight shooter with an open-door policy who welcomes new ideas and encourages open communication, teamwork and growth, both personally and professionally, in his staff, crew, and the models. What can I say? He's a great guy.
