The Third Interview with Top Shelf Media Partners President Brent Chapman, in Which King Content is Hailed

May 25, 2009 7:48 pm by: Brent Chapman • Leave a Comment

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Is Content still king?

More than it ever was. The novelty of the Web has worn off, probably faster than any electronic medium in history. It’s become as ubiquitous and essential as plumbing, and like plumbing, fewer and fewer people know or care how it works. All that matters is what comes out the end. The one component of that which not everyone saw, and an area where many of our rivals are still playing catch-up, is high definition video. Everything we create – and we are creating a lot of original content, which is also unusual for a start-up – is in HD. We saw it as a way of not only future-proofing our titles from the get-go, but as a means of clearly underscoring Edge’s commitment to quality in every aspect of adult entertainment.

Does the Technology influence the choice of content in any way?

Adult entertainment has always driven the adoption of new technologies, but we think it can drive acceptance of innovative story-telling techniques as well. We have an original movie – we’re not even sure we should call it a “movie” – that unfolds as video, e-mails, text messages, scribbled exchanges on social networking sites. If we could figure out how to make a downloadable ringtone relevant to the plot, we would have included that as well (Maybe we still will; relevance is over-rated). But the point is, the notion of the radio or TV screen as the tribal bonfire around which we all gather at set times throughout the day is crumbling. Nothing is happening in single-focus real time anymore, everything is time-shifted, on-demand, dripping in metadata, delivered to multiple screens and mobile gadgets. Why shouldn’t porn mirror that?

I’ve seen the bit in the FAQ warning potential users that their computers may not be good enough to experience EdgeXD. Are you afraid you might be too far ahead of the curve?

No, because that curve comes ’round the bend pretty quickly. And really, it’s the game makers who are pushing the envelope and are in bed with the video card makers. We are on the high end, and we’ll take the initiative to stay on the high end, because that’s where our clientèle live as well. Not everybody is a BMW driver, but these days I’d rather own BMW than Chrysler.

Edge owns more than 5,000 hours of adult entertainment. It can’t all be HD, can it?

No, everything we shoot, we shoot HD, but we have acquired a few SD libraries containing some absolutely wonderful and startling stuff. Plot-driven, every imaginable type of location, strong ensemble performances – and some incredibly beautiful women. These are thoughtful, funny movies, with healthy budgets. Some of it is really dark, and that’s fine, too. And a good part of the library has been imported, featuring video that has never before been available in the US.

Is There really that much of a difference, outside of the language? Sex is sex, no?

No. Even some aficionados do not realize the degree to which the society in which they live affects not only their entertainment options – what they are allowed to watch – but their perceptions and appreciation. Differing sexual mores in parts of Asia, Europe, and South America all have a marked effect on the adult entertainment produced in those places, and viewing it can be a whole different sensation for a North American audience. But although adult entertainment is extremely local, the Web is global, and we think that a premium site like EdgeXD has an obligation to bring our subscribers nothing but the best, without boundaries. And besides, some of that German stuff is absolutely amazing…

Is there Antarctic porn?

It’s just penguins, and they were spooked by our cameras and wouldn’t cooperate.

Seriously?

No.

Will EdgeXD feature any Amateur porn?

We have also acquired some of the “reality” entertainment that has been very popular for quite some time as well. Much of this features amateur performers, and there is no denying the charm of “the first timers.” But of course much of the amateur/reality/gonzo shows are, by their very nature, one trick ponies shot on the cheap, and we are going out of our way to showcase the quality of our video player and the intricacies possible through our search engine, so it behooves us to run with the best-looking and most “complex” porn we can acquire. We think that the best sex is not only consensual, it is contextual.

You’re adding new content every week; do subscribers just re-enter their favorite search terms to find it?

We’ll be highlighting our new stuff, as well as the best of the archive material, as it all begins to populate the servers. There will be plenty of homepage promotions, and new Featured Channels will be introduced. At EdgeXD there’s always a lot of hand-holding, a lot of discovery going on, and that’s as it should be.

The Television Networks talk about “Appointment TV.” Is there “Appointment Porn?”

Yes, but that’s on Craig’s List, and it’s a different business model entirely.

The Second Interview with Top Shelf Media Partners President Brent Chapman, in Which He Explains “The Stash” to You

May 7, 2009 5:12 am by: Brent Chapman • Leave a Comment

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You again.

They’ve Asked Me to Talk to You About Your Greatest Invention, “The Stash.”
“They” need to find some marketable skills; and besides, it’s hardly my invention. It’s more like a common sense idea that just has not been very commonly implemented any place else on the Web.

How is That?
Our “Stash” is just like a bookmark. Now, everybody knows how Internet bookmarking works, it’s been a way of life since the days of Netscape and Mosaic: you store pages in your Web browser for easy access later. Our “Stash” allows you to store and retrieve your favorite parts of EdgeXD: video clips, photo galleries, articles – even entire channels, or an item for sale in our “Black Market” – as easily as you might bookmark a Web page. Find it, play it, store it.

Is It All Really That Difficult to Keep Track of?
EdgeXD subscribers have thousands and thousands of clips and photos available to them; hundreds are added weekly. It’s true that we’ve developed a deep-tagging database that allows subscribers to find what they are looking for quickly, but the journey of discovery is more than half the fun – again, just like it was in the days of Netscape and Mosaic. And EdgeXD, along with its “Stash” functionality, is positioned to become the central signpost for adult content on the Web the way a list of bookmarks is for everything else.

It’s the “EdgeXD as Sherpa Guide” Paradigm Again.
Look, EdgeXD subscribers spend hours browsing, exploring, discovering… We’ve got over a dozen channels already, and the number is growing: destinations like “Sex Drive,” for sex in cars and trains; “Geisha-on-Demand,” an Asian-themed channel; “Extra Credit,” for encounters in a scholastic setting…

…“Ipanema Overdrive” for Brazilian women. That’s Funny.
You’re easily amused. And EdgeXD subscribers have the ability to share the contents of their “Stash” with others in the EdgeXD community, the way some social networking sites allow their users to share favorite web links. So, think of “The Stash” as a naked del.icio.us. Digg, with dildos. A red-light district Reddit.

I would, but then I’d need a shower.
You see? It’s a neat idea. But even so, it wasn’t rocket science: we had to add “The Stash,” because there is simply so much content on the site. “The Stash” is the way an EdgeXD subscriber controls his entertainment, it’s his Tivo.

His “Tivo with Tits!”
You’re the writer, not me.

So the Paradigm is: the Subscriber as Creator?
Close: The subscriber as Curator. And if you use the word “paradigm” again, this interview’s over. We view “The Stash” as the very essence of the site, the biological center of a complete adult eco-system. It’s a one-click tool that allows our subscribers to build their own adult entertainment theme parks, and then open the gates of those parks to their friends.

Is Everybody’s “Stash” Open for Public Viewing?
Freud would have a field day! No, everyone’s “Stash” defaults as private. Once a subscriber has created a channel, he has the option to name, describe, and share that channel publicly. Other subscribers can then rate this user-generated channel. We expect to attract all the folks on the ‘Net who regard themselves as adult entertainment connoisseurs and taste-makers, and there are a lot of them.

So Do You Think “The Stash” is the Greatest Thing About EdgeXD?
No, I think “Ipanema Overdrive” is. But your mileage may vary.