Mills says that when his position at West Coast Productions was phased out earlier this year, West Coast General Manager Terry Burton offered the following advice: “Look at this as an opportunity to move on to bigger and better things.”
Burton’s words struck Mills like a bolt of lightning, he says, and he knew “bigger and better” meant moving beyond sales and starting his own company, so he set about laying the groundwork for Joy Ride Entertainment.
“The bottom line is that I worked there at West Coast as a sales manager for three years, so I have the experience and knowledge of sales, but I also learned the production end as well,” Mills tells XBiz. “All of that knowledge just kind of soaked in. By the time I left, I knew everything you need to know [about running a production company].
“I feel like West Coast was the perfect schooling for me to graduate to [become] an owner, because I saw what worked and what didn’t work for one of the best companies in the industry for a solid three years,” he adds.
Mills says one hallmark of his new company will be a commitment to professionalism, both in the way it treats customers and talent. “The market is so tight, and everyone uses much of the same talent, so the areas where we can stand out are customer service and professionalism,” he tells XBiz. “I want to bring a Warner Brothers level of professionalism to this industry.”
To help him reach that goal, Mills has enlisted the help of director Bishop, who helmed Joy Ride’s first release, “ASStrology.” Slated for early February release, the movie stars Havana Ginger, Jada Fire, Victoria Allure, Shyla and Beauty.
While the all-black “ASStrology” will set the tone for future Joy Ride gonzo releases, Mills says the company also will produce interracial titles and will launch a number of new lines in 2006. By March, Joy Ride plans to put out 4-5 titles per month.