Tosca Musk loves love. A lot in order that, in 2016, she co-founded Passionflix, a distinct segment streaming service devoted fully to romance.

Since its inception, Passionflix has produced 28 authentic motion pictures, 4 sequence and 11 brief movies, all tailored from romantic fiction by feminine authors. Subscriptions (aptly priced at $69 yearly) can be found in over 150 international locations, giving audiences entry to Passionflix’s rising assortment of content material, ranging in tone from vanilla pet like to toe-curling smut.

“Tales for girls must be advised by girls. That’s what we do,” Musk, who serves as a director and producer on Passionflix initiatives, says. “I need to be sure that that the tales are advised for the feminine gaze. There’s a delicate contact that I need to see in our motion pictures, and I would like girls to inform these tales.”

Musk provides that the streaming service predominantly attracts feminine subscribers, with a rising contingency of males becoming a member of their ranks as of late. Seven years since launch, the enterprise nonetheless continues to develop: “We’re doing properly,” she says. “We’re rising yearly. We’re capable of make 5, six motion pictures a 12 months!”

If Musk’s surname sounds acquainted – sure, she’s tech mogul Elon Musk’s sister. However let’s be clear: the fiercely passionate inventive is an entrepreneur in her personal proper. “I’m the CEO and founding father of an organization that’s directed over 25 options,” she says. “On the finish of the day, I’m Elon’s sister and Kimbal’s sister and Maye’s daughter. Nevertheless it’s all good. We’re household.”

Musk, chatting with Selection from Atlanta the place she’s at work directing Passionflix’s subsequent sequence, an adaptation of J.R. Ward’s bestselling “Black Dagger Brotherhood” books, breaks down how she crafted the steamy streamer from the bottom up, why she’s enthusiastic about placing girls behind the digital camera and the place she hopes Passionflix goes subsequent.

Why did you need to begin Passionflix? What was the outlet within the streaming economic system that you just felt it could fill?

Our firm fashioned in 2016 and we launched in 2017. There weren’t very many area of interest streaming platforms. There have been a handful, however not very many. I joined a distinct segment streaming platform help group on the time! It was all these new streamers that had been beginning up and simply sharing concepts. I had a present referred to as “Tiki Bar TV” that I produced, and it was direct to shopper. It was so wonderful, the direct to shopper relationship, if you made one thing that was distinctive and really particular, and the way a lot that viewers engaged. In terms of the romance novel trade, that’s a really tight, very partaking group. I’m an enormous fan of romance novels. So taking romance novels and making a streaming platform the place we’d adapt them because the fan and the writer needs them tailored made a number of sense. We knew that we might faucet immediately into the romance group, as a result of we had been a part of it.

Adapting from such common novels is after all a good way to accumulate a built-in fanbase, however I do know these followers should even have robust opinions. How does catering to the followers have an effect on the best way you select your initiatives?

We work very a lot so with the writer. I can’t please each fan on the market. I can do all the pieces that I can presumably do to please me as a fan, after which have the writer help that, or the writer say, ‘That is what they appear to be. That is what I agree with. That is what I see in my thoughts.’ So I attempt to work with the writer and have them happy. And in the event that they’re happy, then hopefully that passes on to the fan.

Talking of followers, Passionflix has a premium “signature membership,” which permits subscribers to go to movie units and attend premieres. How did that concept come about?

Signature members are the second technology of founding members. Once we first began Passionflix, I went to the Romantic Instances guide convention in Could 2017. We simply completed filming our first film, “Hollywood Grime,” and we created a trailer for it earlier than the earlier than it even been minimize. We introduced it at RT to all the the attendees – like 3,000 individuals. Together with it, I introduced this chance to change into a founding member of Passionflix. And for that, it was $100 for a two-year subscription. You bought to go to set, meet the actors, meet the authors, get your guide signed. We had over 4,000 individuals enroll over a month. It was a good way for us to have the ability to launch our platform already with a really robust base to start with, which is little uncommon. From there, we had been like, “What can we do to supply the subsequent technology of founding members?” That was to create the signature membership.

It’s principally for the tremendous fan who actually needs to be a stronger a part of our group, have early entry to content material, actually needs to fulfill the actors and the writer and expertise what it’s prefer to be on set. I find it irresistible. It’s really considered one of my favourite components, as a result of when the signature members come to set, they know extra about these books than I do — and I’ve learn all of them a number of instances!

On “Black Dagger Brotherhood,” there are fan teams that debate the lore and this complete world that’s been created. They arrive to set, and I wasn’t positive if [the characters are] carrying their gun holsters within the scene or not. I’m going to get a direct response, and so they’re going to say if they’re or not. They’re going to present me the reply. It’s good to know that the fan is so invested and I like listening to from them proper on set, as a result of we will change it proper there, after which they’ve an affect and an influence on on the way it’s being filmed.

There’s no scarcity of romance novels being revealed at present, particularly with the rise of BookTok. How do you chop via that and choose the appropriate books to adapt?

That’s really robust! There are such a lot of. Very happily now at our stage at Passionflix, a number of authors can be fairly excited for us to adapt considered one of their books. Early on, it was somewhat more durable – not too laborious – however they didn’t know who we had been. Now, seven years later, they’re like, “Oh, nice! And now we have nice references from different authors like Sylvain Reynard and J.R. Ward. We have already got about 30 books that we’ve optioned that we’re in line to shoot. We’re engaged on these whereas we’re making an attempt to herald new ones and newer diversifications as properly. And we are likely to try to shoot one thing totally different for every subsequent challenge.

Now we have “Lick,” it’s a rock star romance. Then now we have “A Lover’s Vow,” that’s the tip of our three-part Brenda Jackson sequence, and that’s somewhat extra on the suspense aspect, however nonetheless romance after all. Then now we have “Black Dagger Brotherhood,” which is vampires and warriors. Earlier this 12 months, we had “The Air He Breathes,” that basically deeply emotional, crying film. We need to be all the pieces to each romance lover. On the similar time, it’s introducing romance followers to totally different authors. We love to have the ability to present selection throughout the romance style. The romance style isn’t only one factor. It’s each style, simply the important thing component needs to be romance.

You’re additionally enthusiastic about adapting from feminine authors and hiring girls behind the digital camera. How has that been a guiding mild for you in these previous seven years?

It’s actually vital that girls inform romance tales written by girls. To not say that males couldn’t do it. Some might. However there’s something a couple of lady telling the story of what a of what a girl goes via in a romantic relationship. And there are such a lot of girls on the market that haven’t had the chance to direct or inform tales, as a result of these alternatives merely aren’t being provided to them. In order that’s vital to me.

Is your subscriber base additionally predominantly girls?

We’re predominantly girls. I’m really fairly impressed with the variety of males which might be subscribing, and the variety of males which might be changing into tremendous followers. Initially it began with boyfriends and husbands of our viewers. They might purchase the subscription as a present, after which they turned obsessed. The explanation why we’re nonetheless rising is as a result of individuals love love. They like to see constructive tales, and so they need to expertise this curler coaster of feelings figuring out that they’re in a protected house and so they’re going to have their joyful ending on the finish of the day. That’s non-existent in the remainder of content material that’s being made proper now. We solely inform tales with joyful endings.

A latest examine discovered that younger individuals need much less intercourse in motion pictures and TV reveals, however Passionflix has actually doubled down on its steamy content material. Have you ever encountered that perspective in adapting romance?

That’s information to me. They’re actually approaching to Passionflix. On the finish of the day, Passionflix and romance novels aren’t essentially about simply intercourse. It’s in regards to the connection, communication and compromise in a relationship. There are different platforms on the market that may present simply intercourse. I believe you’ll discover a number of it on HBO, with no dedication or relationship concerned. Perhaps we’re going again to these days earlier than “50 Shades of Gray,” the place individuals are making an attempt to cover what they really need. Passionflix is there to take away disgrace from sexuality. We must be be having fun with this, and we must be asking for our pleasure, and we must be accepting pleasure, and we must be ensuring that we’re taken care of and that we’re taking good care of our companions. We’re there to encourage emotional energy. We’re there to encourage connection, communication and compromise in relationships and we’re there to validate feelings. So I believe that whoever did that examine is mistaken.

What do you envision for the subsequent seven years of Passionflix?

I see us changing into a family title. I would like individuals to speak about Passionflix and be tremendous excited in regards to the subsequent film that that’s popping out. I would like us to be at each water cooler speak. I see us because the dialog piece with each lady. Passionflix and chill!

This interview has been edited for size and readability.