Chapter 26: Julie’s New Big Sister

Eric and Brad started a small company called Adult Entertainment Services seventeen years ago as a small studio in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the climate and technology for adult movies changed, the smaller studios found themselves falling further behind the behemoths in both distribution and purchasing power. They were also lagging in attracting new and better talent to adult films.

As the brothers began to develop better internal systems, they also began to develop ways to use the new internet for distribution and marketing.

As they shared that information with other small studios, they discovered that most just didn’t have the knowledge to use the internet or the funds to upgrade. So using some family money, they began to purchase an interest in these small studios. They never bought more than 51%, and required the existing owners to stay involved and upgrade their systems to match the brothers.

Adult Entertainment International as it is now called, is now a conglomeration of over 140 former independent studios that have been joined together to take advantage of the combined purchasing and distribution power.

Located in Summerlin, just outside of Las Vegas. AEI headquarters are situated on a small bluff overlooking the south end of the Vegas Strip. It is a fairly typical multi-story office building with an attached state-of-the-art multi-studio setup.

Eric led me from the parking lot behind the building through the lobby to an expansive suite of offices located on the top floor.

There, he introduced me to everyone we saw, from Gina, the receptionist, to Maggie, his assistant. They all seemed to know all about me and greeted me warmly.

“Is Brad in yet?” he asked Maggie.

“He’ll be here with your guests in a few minutes. He had a meeting with Greg in the studio first thing this morning,” Maggie explained.

“Thanks. We’ll be in my office,” Eric told her as he led the way.

Eric’s office was nice, but not ostentatious. A large desk to the side was clean and faced the floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the mountains instead of the Strip. Two comfortable chairs faced a small loveseat across a low coffee table in front of his desk, while a small conference table with six ergonomic chairs dominated the other end of the room.

“Have a seat,” he said waving at the small sofa. “Brad should be here in a moment.”

While we waited on Brad, Eric was busy at his desk. I took a moment to study the view, then I began to study the man. I tried to imagine him as younger and running around naked with my step-mother and her brothers, but I just couldn’t seem to capture the shot.

Just then, Brad came in with a lady and two guys. Brad had on an open collar shirt and sportscoat. The others were all wearing business attire. Brad introduced them as being from New York. It turns out that they were representing a small studio group from the Ukraine that wanted to send their people to America for the experience of filming scenes here. They really wanted to send them to Porn Camp and to possibly even film some longer length features.

I was surprised that Eric and Brad allowed me to sit-in on the negotiations. I had been introduced to the attorneys simply as Ryan. And I was amazed at the overwhelming number of details that had to be worked out. How would they get here? Who would be responsible for them once here. And where would they go and where would they stay while they were here. The bigger items seemed to be training them to western style porn filming and of course, the price.

Brad had been doing most of the talking but suddenly Eric spoke up.

“Gentlemen and Lady,” Eric began. “Allow me to show you a couple of brief shorts.” Then he pushed a couple of buttons and the windows darkened automatically just as a screen lowered and ‘The Indian Squaw’ began. That was quickly followed by ‘Happy Birthday’.

“What did the card say?” asked the lone female at the end of the short.

Eric just smiled. “It’s up to you. It could have said whatever you wanted it to.”

She frowned as she thought about it. The two men just kept silent.

“I like it!” she finally announced. “It has so many possibilities.”

“If you’d like to take a moment to refresh yourselves...” Eric offered. “When you return, I’m going to show you a slightly longer video.”

The two men availed themselves of the opportunity while the woman sat there looking at the office, out the windows and eventually she looked at me.

“You?” she asked her one word question.

Eric smiled and I noticed Brad chuckle. Neither seemed to signal me any different so I answered her.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Those were very good. I take it you had something more to do with them than just appearing in them?”

“He wrote them,” Eric stated flatly.

“He also wrote and starred in the one you’re going to see next,” Brad added.

“Well, let’s get on with it!” she ordered. “Those ninny’s can catch up later.”

So Brad started ‘Nothing Left to Wager’ for her.

“What special cameras did you use to appear to be floating behind the players and in the dark of the bedroom? Those are techniques I am not familiar with.”

“Mrs. Berringer, may I introduce you to Mr. Ryan Owens. He goes by the porn name of Reggie Van Licker. And as Brad explained, he is also the writer, assistant director, and associate producer of each of those videos,” Eric said. “He is also only eighteen years old and still in high school.”

“I’ve got to have him!” she cried out. “I mean ... WE ... have to have him to instruct our people. If he can do all that and is only eighteen, think of what he can teach ... not only the girls, but our directors and producers as well!”

“And herein lies the problem,” Eric began. “Ryan here, starts back to school in two weeks and will have limited availability. In order to accommodate his schedule, he will be available on the weekends and some afternoons. It may be slightly more expensive to work around him.”

“I don’t know. Our clients in Kiev have only a limited budget,” she said.

“Allow me to show you a few other selections. Those first three were filmed at Porn Camp. This is what he has done in the last two weeks.”

Of course they showed the one of Anastasia, then a couple of the others I’d done. The three attorneys sat with their heads together, whispering throughout the films.

Along the way, Brad motioned for me and I followed him out of the room.

“Now you see why Eric is the mastermind behind AEI. I could never have pulled off negotiations like that!” Brad said.

“So he was using me to help seal the deal with the Ukrainians?”

“Of course. And let me assure you that you will be fairly compensated for your efforts. Both in securing the contract and your part in working with them.”

Brad took me to lunch while Eric continued to negotiate with Mrs. Berringer. Then he dropped me off at the house to conduct my own negotiations with Julie.

It wasn’t until dinner that I learned the final outcome.

The Ukrainians were going to send nine girls and three female chaperones that could also serve as interpreters if necessary, although Mrs. Berringer assured him that all of the girls spoke at least some English. They were also sending two tech guys, one camera and one lighting.