Chris Crisco Rewrites the Rules With ChoiceFilmz

LOS ANGELES—When the gay porn universe converged in Las Vegas in January, little did many know what was going on behind the scenes. While talent was being recognized on stage at the GayVN Awards, off stage a new content creation production company was in its conception phase. (Just with a whole lotta sperm and no egg.) That’s because industry veteran Chris Crisco—who started working in the marketing department of a major studio in 2008, quickly became a production assistant, and six years later launched his own management company—saw a need. He started ChoiceFilmz for a number of reasons, primarily because the industry—especially on the gay side—is changing fast. “More and more companies are shutting down, and larger studios are consolidating and absorbing others. The demand for traditional studio porn is dwindling, and both managers/agents and models are feeling the shift,” he says. “Whether it’s because the cost of production has gotten too high or because the rise of content platforms has made the industry insanely competitive, it’s clear that we all need to adapt.” Crisco created ChoiceFilmz as an extension of Choice Talent Management. He notes that it gives his models the chance to make professional-quality content and collaborate with other creators they might not normally have access to. “It’s a way for all of us to stay creative, stay relevant, and offer fans something fresh and exciting.” But that’s only part of the story. Crisco has a far more personal reason for the venture, one that hits close to home. “Another big reason I started ChoiceFilmz is to raise money for my sister. She suffers from a genetic disorder, called Usher syndrome, that’s slowly making her blind and deaf. There are treatments available that can either stop the progression or even reverse some of the damage—but they aren’t covered by insurance,” he shares. “So part of my motivation with ChoiceFilmz is to help fund the care she needs. She has two young boys—a 3-year-old and an almost 2-year-old. It’s becoming more and more difficult for her to see them, and watching them grow up is something she wants to experience. So, it’s a deeply personal project for me in more ways than one.” Vegas, Baby!The studio started the first week of March as a free account on OnlyFans that people can subscribe to. “Right now, I'm really focused on building up my library of scenes on OnlyFans,” says Crisco. “Starting a content platform from scratch is always a risky endeavor. You want people to subscribe, but without a strong library of content to get them excited, it can be a tough sell.” Enter the GayVN Awards and AVN week at Las Vegas in January, which served as the perfect backdrop to birth the venture. “This was crazy!” marvels Crisco. “When I decided to make Vegas the official kickoff for filming collabs for ChoiceFilmz, I opened the opportunity to all of my Choice models—and so many of them jumped at it.” The result? A whopping 57 scenes. “We ended up renting two houses and were shooting six to eight scenes a day. What made it even crazier—and more amazing—was that other content creators heard about what we were doing and showed up to set to join in on the collabs. It was absolutely nuts—but in the best way.” Crisco enlisted Matty West and Taylor Sinn to help with all the administrative work, and famed photographer Mark Henderson shot stills. Crisco and Dominic Pacifico filmed all the video. “Somehow, it all ran like a crazy, well-oiled machine. Looking back, I honestly have no idea how we pulled it off. Everything moved so fast. I literally had models chasing me around with food and coffee just to keep me standing! But we did it, and I couldn't be more proud of everything we accomplished.” Henderson also had a much bigger role than just photography. A close friend of Crisco’s, he provided the necessary encouragement to get the studio started. “Mark really eased my mind about starting ChoiceFilmz by reminding me that I could do it—and that I could do it successfully. Deep down, I think I already knew I had the ability, but hearing it from someone I admire and trust made all the difference,” Crisco says. “He told me that no matter what, I’d have people around me who I could rely on for help, and that nothing was out of my reach. I already had the talent, the ability to produce, shoot both photos and video, and the knowledge to edit—it was all there. It was kind of a no-brainer, but I was hesitant because I knew how much hard work it was going to take. This would be my baby, and I’d have to see it through to the end. Mark helped me realize that it was all possible—that it was just a matter of pulling the trigger and going for it.” One-Stop ShopLas Vegas was only the beginning. Crisco followed it up with a recent trip to Puerto Vallarta for five full days of production, shooting about eight scenes a day. “We rented an incredible private five-story villa built into a cliff, with a private beach and absolutely stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. The backdrop for these scenes was next-level, and I’m really excited about what we created there,” Crisco says. “Also, my friends over at Modus Vivendi graciously donated more beautiful underwear and stunning swimwear for our models to wear during the shoots. The combination of the breathtaking house, the landscape, and the gorgeous swim and underwear looks really helped elevate the entire production to another level.” Crisco had an assistant to help with admin tasks and capture behind-the-scenes content for each shoot. “But for the most part, I handled all the photography and videography myself. Day-to-day, I’m a one-stop shop—managing everything from pre-production to the shoot itself, and all the way through post. I shoot, direct and edit it all on my own.” Following his Vegas schedule, Crisco ran a tightly organized production day—booking 90-minute time slots from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., shooting back-to-back scenes with precision. Models flew in from across the globe, representing 10 different countries. Thirteen Choice Talent models were on set daily, and in total, 31 models participated in the collab house experience. “The goal of ChoiceFilmz is definitely to include as many Choice Talent models as possible. But I’ve also shot with a lot of models who aren’t signed with the management company. That’s very intentional—it’s about building relationships with performers from around the world so that Choice models have the opportunity to collaborate with them, too,” Crisco says. “For example, I recently shot 18 scenes in Mexico City with Jameson Taylor, who isn’t a Choice model, alongside Beau Butler, River North and Sumner Blayne, who are. We also filmed with several local models in Mexico City who aren’t part of Choice Talent. The objective is really to expand the network—to give my models the chance to work with talented performers they might not have otherwise known about or had access to.” A New Business ModelCrisco has worked hard to develop genuine relationships with performers over the years. It has helped the venture blossom. He doesn’t just view this as his business, but as an opportunity for everyone to benefit. “What really makes the content on ChoiceFilmz different is that we give creative control to the talent. They decide who they film with and how they want to have sex,” Crisco says. “In some ways, I think of ChoiceFilmz as ‘studio-like’ because we work with a wide range of models, and our fans get the chance to see our Choice models collaborate with lots of different performers.” But the biggest difference between ChoiceFilmz and traditional studios is that it is a content-share-based company. After filming, Crisco releases all of the raw files directly to the models. They can either edit it themselves or let him do it. Either way, Crisco says, the performers maintain creative control over the content they helped create. “I also shoot the majority of our content in content houses. I plan the house, invite as many Choice models as want to participate, and then we bring in other local creators or performers who are traveling in. The models are the ones who plan out their scenes,” he says. “While I’m there to offer guidance and advice if they want it, they ultimately decide how everything unfolds. It’s about giving them ownership over their work—and fans really connect with that authenticity.” One of Crisco’s big goals with ChoiceFilmz is to help fans discover new talent. “I want them to watch our scenes and be introduced to the incredible performers we work with. Ideally, a fan will see one of our scenes, discover a model they didn’t know about, and get excited enough to follow and subscribe to that model’s individual pages. By working with hot creators from all over, we’re giving fans the chance to find new favorites they might not have discovered otherwise.” Crisco has been working with his management team to build up the platform with a lot of content he shot during the GayVNs (and beyond) this year. “Once I feel like I have a solid number of scenes up, the plan is to move into a steady release schedule—probably around two scenes a week. Maybe more. It will all depend on how much content I shoot.” Along with the scenes, subscribers will also get access to behind-the-scenes footage and photos, plus a lot of still photography—some by Henderson, others that Crisco personally takes. Crisco is also planning to launch OnlyFans Lives, giving fans the chance to watch scenes being filmed live (for a small fee). That will give them a sneak peek of the action, serving as a preview before full scenes are released. “We have been shooting as much as we can ever since GayVNs/AVN Expo. The subscription is free so fans can come in, check out some great content—like behind-the-scenes footage, trailers and photos—and get excited to purchase the full scenes as pay-per-view. The plan is to start expanding to other platforms in the coming months, like JustFor.Fans, Fansly and a few others.” Embracing New ExperiencesBut that’s not the only expansion in the works. Crisco wants to give fans a wide range of content to enjoy through ChoiceFilmz, including scenes that wouldn’t be allowed on platforms like OnlyFans. “Over the years, I’ve shot pretty much everything you can ‘legally’ film, so my ability to adapt to different styles is definitely there,” says Crisco, who became experienced shooting kink content during his days at Lucas Entertainment. “We had the Raunch line, and we filmed everything—from piss, to fisting and large toys, to bondage, and even farts…my least favorite thing to shoot,” he laughs. “So, when Dominic Pacifico launched FetishOnly, I immediately saw an opportunity to shoot more specialized content for the platform.” Crisco has been incorporating kink scenes along the way. Part of his goal with the partnership is to allow his models to explore new and exciting things they might not normally do. He has relied on the help of Pacifico, who was a resident director for Kink.com for many years. “Two great examples are Taylor Sinn and Siren Santiago. Taylor hadn’t really experimented with kink before, but after talking with Brogan, they decided to shoot a bondage and spanking scene together. I was so proud of Taylor for stepping out of his comfort zone—he really embraced it, took everything Brogan threw at him, and walked off set smiling. They created something really special together,” Crisco says. “Siren Santiago also tried something completely new. He and his boyfriend, Rocky Unleashed—another Choice model—did a puppy play scene. Siren wore the mask and fully took on the role—and he was incredible. For someone who had never explored that genre, he absolutely nailed it. Seeing models open themselves up to new experiences like that has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.” The Adventure ContinuesCrisco has many goals for where ChoiceFilmz can go this year and beyond. His current focus is on expanding the brand by shooting in more locations around the world—hopefully somewhere in the United States over the summer, and eventually Europe in the fall. “Fall is a great time of the year to travel to Europe, and I have a few ideas of where I’d like to go. I’d love to start with the UK, which I absolutely love. Then, maybe traveling over to Spain (Barcelona or Madrid) or Italy (Rome, Sicily or Milan). Honestly, the world is our oyster, and I’m really excited to see where this adventure takes us.” One thing Crisco always wants to incorporate into content trips is a brand or another creative artist. In Las Vegas, for example, he partnered with Gun Oil, who sponsored ChoiceFilmz with lube for the shoots. Henderson provided the photography, and Modus Vivendi sponsored the underwear. “It made a huge difference in elevating the look and feel of the content,” Crisco says. “Moving forward, I want to collaborate even more with LGBTQ+ companies and feature their brands across our platforms. It’s not just about showcasing amazing products—it also gives my Choice models the chance to build relationships with these brands, potentially opening doors for affiliate partnerships or ambassador opportunities…I'm excited to see where it all leads.” Just don’t expect any story-based features, at least anytime soon. “I never say no to anything, within reason. But right now, what’s most important to me is giving my models the freedom to have sex the way they want—with who they want—without the pressure of sticking to a script.” On a personal level, Crisco has one big goal he needs to focus on—especially if those ambitious shooting schedules continue. “The main thing for me is making sure I don’t burn out—and that Choice Talent Management doesn’t take a back seat. Both sides of the company are incredibly important to me, and they need to grow together.” Photography courtesy of ChoiceFilmz