LOS ANGELES — Some adult filmmakers have a certain cache’ both in the industry and often in mainstream, at once both admired and criticized for their “outlaw” career choice filled with the perceived glamour of the sex business. Some even have gathered enough kudos to attract big budgets from studios and have become stars in their own right — even using moonlighting Hollywood creative folks and crews on their films.
And although most of today’s A-list directors have paid their dues and weathered the storms of declining DVD sales and interest in feature films by finding new niches and outlets, today’s new breed of directors — weaned on gonzo scenes and low budgets — are forced to find new paths to adult film fame.
Fortunately, new studios, hungry for affordable talent, and more importantly new creative ideas that appeal to an ever-increasing digital and female-friendly audience, are creating opportunities for tyro directors who otherwise may have never had the chance to make it in the business.
Enter Airerose Entertainment director Derek Dozer who came on the scene in the summer of 2014, helming “Pure Volume 1,” the studio’s inaugural teen dream series film. Dozer made hsi big league comeback after stints for Armageddon, an offshoot of Extreme Associates where he shot the movie “Cum for Addicts.”
But unlike most aspiring filmmakers, Dozer admits he's not a real porn hound, but rather cut his adult teeth on running websites instead of shows, another indication of how the path to directing is paved with different skills in today’s marketplace.
“I've been in the biz since 1997, when I started working in the warehouse at Extreme Associates, pretty much sweeping up and stocking VHS tapes. I might be one of the few people to go from sweeping a warehouse, to directing and producing movies, to running some of the biggest websites for All Reality Pass from 2005 to 2010. Then I went on to produce for Erotic Networks for about year, until Hustler bought them out. Took a little break and now I'm back,” Dozer says.
A testament to shear will, Dozer admits he has absolutely no filmmaking background whatsoever. “I have a bunch of friends who work mainstream film, does that count?” he quips, but admits that he’s been inspired by adult veterans Mike Stefano and Tom Byron. “When I came into the biz, those two guys were the kings of gonzo porn, so why not learn from them?” he asks.
But like all good auteurs, there’s something inside that makes them unique and attractive to studios. Dozer says it’s how he manages his sets and his shooting style — very free flowing.
“I like my actors to be comfortable. Any kind of tense atmosphere comes out in the performance of the actors, in my opinion. I try and get right to the fucking as soon as possible. I don't want the actors doing four hours of dialogue then say ‘OK — time for scene,’ and everyone is ready to fucking go to sleep. I want all their energy for the sex, period. If you want to watch two hot people talk, go turn on ‘Days of our Lives’ for Christ's sake,” he says.
Although his filmmaking began with Extreme, it’s not until Dozer was introduced to Airerose’s Adam H. through Jerry from Elegant Angel — whom he calls the two best guys he’s ever worked with in the business – that his name became noticed, especially with his work on the recent film “All Access Carter Cruise” (Cruise is the 2015 XBIZ Best New Starlet and the official face of Airerose Entertainment).
Dozer explains that the movie is a “cool concept letting fans get a real look behind the scenes and a personal look inside the life of a favorite porn star.” “It's shot over a few months time, and the talent takes Go Pros [cameras] around with them wherever they go and just shoot their lives outside of porn. I’m excited about this series for sure,” Dozer says.
He’s alo stoked about new projects that include shooting “All Access Abella Danger” who’s also been using the Go Pro for the last couple of months. “I'll be helping Bonnie Rotten shoot a new movie for Adam H. as well…but I can't say anything about that just yet. I'll let her tell you about it,” Dozer teases.
When asked about what he feels are the “hot” genres right now, the new director says taboo relations movies are selling really well. He’s not sure if he’ll venture into that niche, but agrees that there’s an audience and for that reason it’s a viable product to consider.
What Dozer really wants to do is go back to his hardcore gonzo material circa 2000. He enjoys the idea of shooting “one dude, six girls, all anal stuff," like the "Whack Attack" series.
“I'm not much of a porn watcher at all. But I remember packing boxes and looking at the backs of those ‘Whack Attack’ boxes and going 'Damn, that looks fun.'”
But it’s not all fun as any adult director knows. Dozer says that today the competition is a lot tougher because there’s so much more content and multiple delivery methods. To stand out, he says it’s all about the action. “If the action is there, they will come.”
