Joone (director)

Joone is an American Iranian entrepreneur,^[3] photographer,^[4] director and producer. He has won two AVN Awards for directing pornographic films. In 1993, Joone founded American pornographic movie studio Digital Playground^[5] and was a co-owner of the company until it was acquired by Manwin in 2012.

Joone
Born	Ali Joone c. 1969 (age 55–56)[1] Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of California Los Angeles
Occupation(s)	Photographer, director & producer
Years active	1998–2008 (porn director)[2]
Organization(s)	Digital Playground Diosa Spirits
Spouse	Samantha Lewis (divorced)[1]

Career

He founded the Digital Playground company^[5] in 1993 when he was 25 and still a student,^[1] initially making adult CD-ROM computer games.^[6]

Commenting on the transition of the pornography industry from the underground economy to mainstream corporate acceptance, the company's founder said: "I look at the porn business where Vegas and gambling was in the 70's… Vegas was still mob-owned and they were making the transition between these small groups of people to being corporate owned… I feel the same exact thing is going to happen with adult".^[7]

Joone has directed the pornographic films Pirates and Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge.

In January 2012, alongside his ex-wife Samantha Lewis—who was co-owner, CEO and President of Digital Playground—he reached an agreement with Fabian Thylmann to sell the company to Manwin. On the acquisition, Joone commented: "To me this deal is no different than the acquisition of Pixar by Disney, The consumer is going to see more blockbusters, big-budget productions, and it's our goal to create the next genre of adult entertainment. This acquisition is a marriage between two industry leaders. Adult entertainment is changing and Manwin has a lead on technology." The price or terms of the deal was not disclosed, but it was announced that Lewis and Joone will "continue to oversee the studio";^[8] however, it was reported in March that Manwin had released Lewis and some other employees.^[9]

Other ventures

Joone is co-owner of "Diosa Spirits" tequila, with Jesse Jane and her husband Rich.^[10][11]

Partial filmography

As director

• Pirates
• Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge
• Island Fever 1, 2, 3 & 4
• Forbidden Tales
• Virtual Sex line of DVDs:
  • Virtual Sex with Jesse Jane
  • Virtual Sex with Taylor Hayes
  • Virtual Sex with Tera Patrick
  • Virtual Sex with Jenna Jameson
• Rocki Roads' Wet Dreams

Awards and nominations

• 2006 AVN Award – Best Director, Video (Pirates)^[12][13]
• 2006 XRCO Award winner - Best Director^[14]
• 2009 AVN Award winner – Best Director, Feature (Pirates II)^[15]
• 2009 AVN Award winner – Best Screenplay (Pirates II) shared with Max Massimo^[15]
• 2009 AVN Award winner – Best Videography (Pirates II) shared with Oliver Henry^[15]
• 2009 Eroticline Awards winner - Best U.S. Director^[16]
• 2009 Hot d'Or Award winner - Best American Screenplay (Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge - Digital Playground)^[17][18]
• 2009 Hot d'Or Award winner - Best American Movie (Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge - Digital Playground)^[17][18]