With more than 600 directing credits and over 800 performances under his belt, Kelly Madison Media co-owner Ryan Madison continually proves his staying power in the biz, with impressive productions for the trifecta of PornFidelity.com, TeenFidelity.com and KellyMadison.com.
Leanly-muscled, both in his approach to filmmaking and his athletic displays on camera, Madison is as aggressively devoted to these brands as he is to his wife and business partner Kelly.
We continually invest in bigger and better backend editing equipment and the newest cameras and, even though we might be small, we are mighty … and we are determined to thrive in this very competitive world of porn sites.
That dedication has certainly powered his sites to long-term success, fueled by an ever-evolving approach that seeks to up the ante in every meaning of the word “fidelity” — from the visuals to the promises kept.
Now, he is buckling down for a big push from 4K to 5K, with just as much focus on diversifying his works to run the gamut from power-fucking gonzo fare to scripted dramas that push experimental boundaries. To chronicle such a unique figure, XBIZ sat down with Madison for this exclusive interview.
XBIZ: Take us back to the origins of Kelly Madison Media. How did you and Kelly first meet, and then ultimately pivot to co-creating content?
Madison: Kelly Madison Media grew from a little amateur website starring my wife, Kelly Madison. I was basically a young kid of 22. She was 31, had a professional career and was actually my boss at the time we met. And we just hit it off, sort of love at first sight.
We began to date and started dreaming about our personal and professional futures together. I somehow talked her into nude modeling. We always wanted to start an adult business together. We just had no idea that we were going to be the talent.
XBIZ: Discuss the brand differences between KellyMadison.com, PornFidelity.com and TeenFidelity.com. Also, what inspired the “fidelity” theme?
Madison: Soon after KellyMadison.com became a success, with just being a solo and girl/girl site, we branched out into performing boy/girl together and, quite soon, boy/girl/girl. That is how PornFidelity came to be. It was a natural progression of our sexuality and business combined.
The inspiration for the “fidelity” theme was a takeoff on the word infidelity, whereas we were quite the opposite … we were a married couple having sex with other women together on camera.
From there, we began to have threesomes with 18- to 20-year-olds and we saw the opportunity to branch this into a separate site, TeenFidelity.com, and focus on showcasing young women, while keeping PornFidelity.com for the more mature ladies.
XBIZ: Who does what for the company, as far as marketing, site functionality, directing and casting?
Madison: All of us here at Kelly Madison Media wear several hats. We do everything in-house from our merchant account and customer service, to programming and server maintenance, to website development, affiliate marketing, video production, editing and DVD design, you name it.
We are a small but resilient company and our staff is incredible. We are like a big family and the talent who works for us can attest to that. We provide a homey, safe, fun and productive work environment.
I handle overseeing all video production and editing, as well as film personally twice a week, and I work with our design team and programmers, plus manage the affiliate program. Kelly handles all the sets, costuming, administrative tasks, all the bills (thank god, so I don’t have to), all the PR and the tedious day-to-day stuff involved in keeping the company running like a well-oiled machine.
“Divide and conquer” is our motto. Also, the separation of tasks keeps the marriage intact, since we rarely have to step on each other’s toes.
XBIZ: How do you two stay in such excellent shape? Your performances are quite vigorous and athletic!
Madison: As far as keeping healthy, I have been — might I say, with the help of my wife — gluten-free for over five years. That alone has done wonders for my health. I work out several times a week, but shooting twice a week (and with the energy I put into each scene) keeps me fit. My wife and I are very active. You can even call us hyperactive. We don’t sit for long and our favorite thing to do is go to the mountains and hike with our dogs.
XBIZ: What have been the biggest shifts in the adult industry over the past few years, and how have you stayed competitive?
Madison: I would say the biggest shift in the past few years is everyone really stepping up their game. Having more of a cinematic experience is now much more commonplace. The artistry with lighting and editing and sound is really enhancing the viewer’s experience. The talent is also very good.
Even when I am working with brand new talent, they bring to the table an insatiable amount of enthusiasm and energy and passion. We are very fortunate that the talent we hire really bring their A-game to every scene.
XBIZ: In addition to more traditional porn fare, you also produce scripted feature-esque content. Tell us about your creative process when it comes to pushing the envelope and exploring new horizons.
Madison: We are very proud to have two exclusive directors, Andy Zane and Fumigalli, producing content for the websites. We have been able to branch into some really taboo themes, and with great scripts and all of the “pushing of the envelope” ideas from both directors, it has allowed the company to really grow artistically and our company’s theme is “Art. Passion. Hardcore.”
We have always been cutting edge on pushing the technology as far as we can and back in the day we were some of the first in filming 4K cinematic scenes, but now, in the past two years, we have been able to focus on the art and as I said earlier, our team is great.
Andy Zane, for example, has incredible script-writing skills and editing, not to mention he is a musician by trade and works with our other employees to create great original soundtracks. Fumigalli has an insane and creative eye and loves to push the extremes as much as he can. His use of edgy ideas and real sensuality combine for spine-tingling scenes.
XBIZ: Any new features or business maneuvers you’ve rolled out this past year that have proven particularly effective?
Madison: We strive to provide what our customers are asking for, and with the use of our online survey, as well as the ease and availability to give us feedback on each of our scenes, we are able to tell what talent they enjoy watching, what kind of intensity they are looking for and most of all, what they want more of.
XBIZ: Describe the demographics of your subscribers and how you leverage analytics to keep members coming back for more. Generally speaking, what is your approach to marketing?
Madison: Back in the day, Kelly Madison and her large natural breasts were a big draw to our sites, since then it has really been more about how well we showcase our female talent because true passion and enjoyment is our main goal. The fan base we have now created really demands that feeling that the sex is real, that the characters are relatable or in extreme cases, admired for their prowess.
XBIZ: What niches or content types are most popular on your site?
Madison: Teen content has been a big draw to our sites and DVDs, but MILFs are very favorable as well. We hit on so many genres and really try to please so many of our members since all three sites — KellyMadison.com, PornFidelity.com and TeenFidelity.com — all share the same member’s section. Giving our fans as much quality content as possible is our goal.
XBIZ: Give us a glimpse of what’s next for your brands in 2019 and beyond.
Madison: In the future we intend to continue to step it up with our advances in technology. We continually invest in bigger and better backend editing equipment and the newest cameras and, even though we might be small, we are mighty … and we are determined to thrive in this very competitive world of porn sites. Our next project coming out January 2019 is 5KPorn.com. Wait until you see this quality! Go join the newsletter.
