The president of Exotic Star Models is September Dawn, who told XBiz that she is a costume designer who has worked for 11 years in adult films. “I just did ‘Janine Loves Jenna,’ and I do Jenna [Jameson’s] costuming and gowns for the AVN awards,” Dawn said.
She went on to say, “I developed VCA’s wardrobe department and worked on four TV shows on the Playboy Channel, including ‘Sex Court.’ I’ve also worked for Penthouse, Vivid and many others,” Dawn said.
In addition to being a VCA contract girl, Stacey Valentine was featured in a 1999 documentary about her life called “The Girl Next Door,” which had the tagline “From housewife to porn star.” Valentine appeared in other mainstream venues, such as “Entertainment Tonight” and the E! Channel, and is currently Exotic Star Models’ secretary.
The agency’s vice president, Shelby Stevens, was also a performer in the early 1990s. Stevens eventually became a makeup artist for adult pictures.
The trio is parlaying their adult expertise by managing four straight men and 11 women, including Nikita Kash and Keri Sable. “We know the directors. In this business, everybody knows each other. It really is a family,” Dawn said.
Dawn told XBiz that the partners know who to pitch their talent to, and get their calls and emails returned. The firm sends photos online to directors and producers, who can also see pictures of the performers at Exotic Star Models’ website. The agency also has special deals with key businesses, such as salons.
Dawn said that there are approximately 10 management agencies for adult talent, but emphasized that Exotic Star Models is the only one owned and operated by women. “We hear lots of girls’ horror stories, such as: ‘I’m torn, but my agent wants me to keep working.’ Or: ‘This is my second anal scene in one day,’” Dawn said.
“We bring a female perspective and our knowledge in the industry,” Dawn said. “We send our talent to the good companies with good working conditions.” The Exotic Star Models president added that the agency prefers features and magazines, and does little Internet or gonzo projects.
The percentage that the firm charges its clients “depends on the girl and what we do for her,” Dawn told XBiz. Some of the performers are out-of-towners, and the partners have to drive them around and find the newcomers housing in Los Angeles.
In addition to making porn, the agency also plans to pitch its performers to mainstream entertainment outlets, such as music videos. Exotic Star Models is currently recruiting new talent.
