In a rather unobtrusive bungalow straddling the border of Hollywood and West Hollywood, the offices of Video 10, distributor of gay videos, can be found. Video 10 was founded in 1987 by the current owner, a man who, like the bungalow, keeps a low profile. The circumstances surrounding the company's inception are somewhat unusual. Huge Video and Falcon Studios, two well-known production companies, decided to break away from they're, at that time, current distributor, and needed a new distributor to handle their titles. They approached the owner of Circus of Books, a book and video store catering to a gay clientele, and helped to establish Video 10. Very soon after the initial negotiations, Jeff Stryker, unarguably the biggest name in gay porn, also came on board with his production company. From the onset, Video 10 represented some of the major powerhouses in gay porn production, a distinction conducive to imminent success and eventual company longevity. Though these initial companies are no longer represented by Video 10, the distributor continues to maintain a solid industry presence representing mainly "modest productions" with high production values.

The voice and face behind Video 10, both in the business world and for this interview, belongs to Freddie Bercovitz. Because of the level of control delegated to Freddie by the owner, many customers think erroneously that he owns the company. Freddie came to Video 10 in 1991 after working at Catalina Video and at the Malibu Sales division of Advocate Men. (Freddie also worked as a video reviewer for Advocate Men in 1987, under the nom-de-porn Hands Solo.) His background, which contributed to a firm understanding of the inside workings of both production companies and the press, was tremendously helpful to him in his current position. He thinks of himself as more or less an "investment manager" because of the manner in which he handles all aspects of the business, from meeting with and determining which producers to take on as clients, to promotion and distribution of titles, to answering the telephones and taking orders from the distributors, who rely upon Video 10 to ship them the types of tapes they will in turn distribute to various video stores around the country and world.

Readers probably want to know how Freddie and Video 10 decide who and what to include on their roster. Totally prepared for this line of questioning, Freddie hands over an interoffice memorandum which spells it all out, literally from A to Z. On the memo are two columns labeled "Things to aim for" and "Things to avoid." Each column contains twenty-six entries. The care taken in the assembly of these lists warrants their reproduction here. Things to aim for: good lighting, smooth editing, attractive cast, mainstream sex, some plot, star power, new faces, well-known director, well-known production house, close-ups of penetration with condoms clearly used and well-photographed cumshots, some acting, pleasing sound track, legible proofs of age and model releases on file, physical street address of custodian of records, exclusive distribution rights, non-exclusive mail order rights, attractive artwork for box, large variety of glamour and action slides taken on the set, ability of producer to participate in marketing plan, 30 days net payment upon receipt of the master, replacement or credit on defective tapes without question, contract for two years with option to renew, option to renegotiate price as market conditions change, full disclosure of previous sales attempts and outcomes, and z) HOT SEX!

If that seems to be a lot to swallow, check out the list of things to avoid: ASCAP or BMI music, portrayal of unprotected sex, footage not owned by manufacturer, solo tapes or solo scenes, S/M, bondage, watersports/urination/defecation or other non-mainstream activities, fisting (3 finger maximum), compilation tapes, high per-unit cost, high initial order requirements, exposure to lawsuits regarding trade-dress, logo design or other legal entanglements, large minimum order or reorder requirements, advance negative publicity, unrealistic sales expectations, gun play or other coercion, violence, unusual shaped or sized dildos, situations suggesting under age, religion of any type, drug or alcohol use of any type, faked cumshots or stunt doubles of any type, masked performers unless vital to plot, facial cumshots, video grabs in lieu of action or glamour shots, unoriginal title and Z) bottoms without erections.

This stance requires that a considerable amount of policing be done to maintain that standard. Freddie is proud to point out that he screens all potential new tapes himself. Thus, he is totally familiar with all the products that Video 10 has in distribution. This manifesto also ensures that all companies purchasing tapes from Video 10 can be assured that a certain standard will be maintained. Video 10 rarely sells directly to stores, using sub-distributors instead. For the most part, these sub-distributors, many of who are big names in their own right, employ Video 10 to deal directly with the producers. Those big distributors are the "virtual sales force" for Video 10.

Echoing modern trends, the current roster at Video 10 reflects a more diversified taste. Producers currently being represented include Brigade Studios from Canada, Blade Thompson's Blade Productions, Robert Prion at Galaxy Pictures, Rick Warner at Surfside Studios, In Touch Magazine, Street Corner Studios (which is a new division of Oh Man! Studios) and Frenesi Films from Brazil. Freddie, who is well aware that Brazilian tapes are probably the newest hot commodity in the gay arena quips that "men can be divided into four categories: straights, gays, bisexuals and Brazilians, who are just plain sexual."

The interview is interrupted, yet again, because the telephone just keeps ringing. Freddie apologizes for the interruption and then explains that the caller, a good customer, has just ordered twenty "grab bags," twenty identical boxes that each holds 48 different tapes. Some customers like their tapes presorted so they can ship directly to their stores, and this order was just one of those. Also, some distributors only want tapes that don't have Video 10's name on them and others like the Video 10 name because their customers appreciate the type of quality associated with it. Unless otherwise requested, these grab bags always contain new releases. The distribution strategy involves considering the optimum window of opportunity for a new release, which is not very wide. There must be enough lead-time to allow mail order companies to pick up the line and there should ideally be time for reviews to hit the magazine shelf. Video 10 also produces fliers. This is a marketing tool that many companies don't take the neither time nor expense to produce.

Freddie also stresses that most of their clientele, both producers and sub-distributors, come to Video 10 via word of mouth, because of their good reputation. Their checks are always good, a feature that anyone would find desirable, and Video 10 is usually flexible with the payment demands of their individual sub-distributors. For the most part, according to Freddie, Video 10 doesn't advertise because of two key reasons: "We don't have our own mail order, and general distributors do the advertising. We don't want to compete with our sub-distributors. We have sub-distributors all over the country and we maintain loyalty to them." Video 10 will occasionally run an image ad that doesn't sell anything directly, but merely announces that a title is being released. Bercovitz adds that it is "rare having the luxury of releasing an ad way before a release date. There is a lot of time, often six months or more, between the production and the time that actual profits will start to show. It is more common to do an ad trade with a magazine, which involves the magazine running a spread on a model that will appear in a release soon. This generates interest. Also, if a producer is involved in the marketing, it makes things easier."

Producers whose work fits the aforementioned standard and distributors searching for new quality titles should each feel comfortable ringing Video 10 on the line and speaking to the ever so cordial Freddie Bercovitz.