This is the first time I ever smoked weed with Kayden. I had a feeling I needed to record it. Who knew we’d go on to record a billion and a half smoke videos in the following years 
February, 2011
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Feb 11
Original Video: The First Time I Smoked with Kayden
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Feb 11
Another Award Show, Another Grand Reminder
In one form or another, I’ve been in the adult industry since the day I turned 18. I knew about the mainstream entertainment industry from my family’s involvement and the usual bullshit that comes along with it. On a much smaller scale, pornography is very much like its mainstream counterpart. The usual suspects at award shows are known and predictable.
Growing up I was taught working hard would bring you the accolades you seek. The money is secondary because with dedication comes monetary compensation. I fought hard as a director for Diabolic and Anabolic to be nominated for my work. When the nominations came in, some of my titles were given noms, which was an amazing feeling. Even though some people think it’s “only porn”, I take pride in my work. I really thought maybe the things I learned were going to pay off with at least one award through my career. Nothing. Nada. Youngest director this. Innovative and creative that. Nothing to show for it, but a couple of lines in a yearly laundry list of nominations.
This was a few years ago, and I had an epiphany that I needed to switch my focus in the adult industry back to my Internet development. The trigger was the stroking of an ego that was at the same being squashed by people I worked with. Things were going to be different and I was running the show. I wouldn’t get caught up in the award thing since the ‘net was just beginning to take over the video side of the business. At that time the Internet-related awards weren’t marquee material. Well, this year, I got caught up again.
Since launching in 2007, Kayden420.com has been nominated a combined 5 times by both XBIZ and AVN in either the Web Babe or Solo Girl Site categories respectively. Now in 2011, with our business the best it’s been, I really believed we could win an award. Kayden has been doing webcam shows nearly everyday, updating with HD content before it was a web must-have, Â and she’s one of the most fan-friendly girls I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside. Her stack of fansigns over 4 years can reach the ceiling.
When did I get the feeling that Kayden wasn’t even in contention for this year’s XBiz Award? It came to me once I heard that there was only standing-room available for Kayden and that she’d have to pay $100 to enter the VIP area. Mind you, we’re currently in a 6-month advertising contract with XBiz. The price isn’t an issue for us; the issue is the nature in which the award shows treat nominees they don’t feel are important. The other day, I told Kayden I was 100% sure I knew who would win in her category since it’s obviously not based on the quality and/or quantity of the respective model’s work. Why didn’t we even have a shot? Maybe our ad campaign wasn’t as big as the others? Maybe it’s because we don’t have the time to hang out with the mag reps? Whatever the reason, I’m sure it isn’t a valid one.
This is not a knock on any of the winners at all, congratulations are due all around, party it up. Just remember this, while you were at your show partying, Kayden was doing a live webcam show for her members as promised. That, and she shot an update for her site, which features more than the 20 updates the winners have had on their sites. In fact, Kayden420.com probably has 10x’s the updates most sites have as she will be breaking the 200 update mark by the end of the month. Plus, her site isn’t composed entirely of webcam footage and a few glamour photo shoots; it’s personal, real, and diverse. K420.com is her free site she runs outside of her paysite. The video & photo blog is geared towards the people who want to personally stay in touch with Kayden as well as the ones who cannot purchase a membership (though our prices are the most competitive amongst similar sites).
Tonight I’ve come to the realization I don’t need an award to reassure me that what we are doing is a great thing. Zot Girls is launching soon with an alternative aspect on porn and art, once the bandwagon is racing down the road it’ll be too late to hop on. I feel like I needed to write this tonight, the night of the XBIZ Awards Show, as a catharsis for the mood this put me in. The venue, the Palladium, is only a few blocks from our house but with no chance to win it totally skipped our minds. Until the Twitter posts came in, we didn’t realize the awards were this week, let alone tonight. Another night of disappointments, but the ball is in our court and this will serve as just another speed bump before we’re speeding away.
Thank you to all the supporters, we’ll continue to serve you with the best product we can.
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Feb 11
Nipsey Hussle tunes & Kayden420 smoke session
I shot and edited another music-centric smoke video with Kayden420 for our free YouTube videos. This time I used a song from Nipsey Hussle’s latest mixtape, The Marathon. People seem to go back and forth between liking our conversation-and-music-centric videos. I guess the next one will have to be quite the update, eh?
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Feb 11
So who runs ZotGirls.com?
A specific question comes up nearly everyday on any one of the social-media fronts. In the past, I’ve told people to simply Google it and you’ll probably come up with the answer. Maybe I have a knack for using search engines in an effective way, but it turns out I wasn’t specific enough. The Internet can be, at times, an anonymous place and knowing who someone really is can be difficult. I’d like to address those questions and concerns with this post.
I’ve gone by “Ricky D” in the adult film industry since my start in 2003 at 18 years old. Before working on the film-side of the industry, I ran the official sites for several DVD companies as well as a collection of my own free sites. I’ve been in front of the computer, on the Internet, working my butt off on something-or-other for over 16 years. Before it was cool to be a geek, I lived it and loved it. I was also the first adult film director who could shoot his own photos, record his own video, direct the scene, edit the movie, and design the box cover. If they gave me a chance, I could’ve done their site as well.
By the time I was 20, I had edited over 80 movies for Diabolic Video Productions and was on my way to directing 2 movies a month for the company. Both XBIZ and AVN gave me coverage as the next big thing in porn, a fresh view on an old “art”. At one point I was shooting for both Anabolic and Diabolic Video, and even produced and directed the first hardcore porn movie to be released ever on Blu-Ray. In my heart, I always wanted to move my business back to the Internet, and my chance was coming quickly as the adult DVD industry started going up in flames. I knew I could control my destiny if I were in front of a computer, rather than directing movies for a company.
In 2007, I got my shot as Kayden Faye and I launched her new site and ‘persona’, Kayden420.com. The site was shot in all high-definition before it became the standard, Kayden was the first ‘alt’ solo girl on the block, and it was my big move away from the DVD industry. It’s 4-years later and Kayden420 has racked up 3 XBiz Awards & 2 AVN Awards nominations for her site, and I couldn’t be happier. Kayden420 is co-owner of ZotGirls, my wife, and the model coordinator & researcher for ZG.
While building up Kayden420.com, I also built up my resume by working as a photographer for major Internet and DVD companies that included NastyDollars, Reality Kings, Bang Bros, and New Sensations. Now, I exclusively work on our own projects and friend’s projects, and that’s how ZotGirls.com came about.
Here’s a link to my portfolio site as well, TheRickyD.com. If you’ve got any questions or comments, please feel free to reach us via the contact form on the sidebar.
Thanks,
-RD
