RESEDA, Calif. – Girlfriends Films, a lesbian-content-focused adult studio whose first production was conceived in a UCLA filmmaking class, changed ownership Jan. 1. Nevertheless, according to founder Dan O’Connell and new owner Moose, the company will continue to operate much as it always has.

O’Connell, who founded the studio in 2002, announced the ownership change in Girlfriends’ monthly newsletter [PDF].

He will continue to shoot exclusively for Girlfriends under the banner of his Groundwork Visions production company, to which he retained sole ownership. Director B. Skow also will continue to shoot exclusively for Girlfriends Films.

“There will be no changes on the movie-making front,” O’Connell assured newsletter readers. “I will remain the president and movie-making guru of Groundwork Visions Inc., the company that’s made all the Girlfriends Films movies I’ve produced and directed for the past several years. Like before, Groundwork and I will have an exclusive production arrangement with Girlfriends Films for all movies Groundwork and I produce.

“Our other producer, Michael Bisco, will continue to share in production of the girl-girl movies and will make all the boy-girl movies we release under the ‘Skow for Girlfriends Films’ brand,” he continued. “So, there will be no changes in our video products other than I will use my time to be more creative and up my production game. I anticipate still spending much of my work day here in the GFF office and remaining a part of the GFF family.”

Moose, who joined the company in 2007 after previous careers as a firefighter and emergency medical technician, has served as GFF’s vice president since 2010.

“Starting out in sales and marketing, Moose has increasingly taken over the day-to-day business responsibilities and decision-making [for the company],” O’Connell wrote in the newsletter. “With me tending mostly to movie-making, Moose has been the public face of the company and has run the business part of the show for the past four years. I’ve become more of a student, learning from Moose as he gives me daily updates about business and his implementation of new strategies for making the company more successful.

“Without him, GFF would be operating at a much smaller level.”

Girlfriends Films is known for creating groundbreaking girl-girl films that portray sexual liaisons between genuine lesbians and bisexual women instead of “gay-for-pay” performers. The studio’s long-running series include Mother Daughter Exchange Club, Road Queen, Imperfect Angels and Women Seeking Women. The 101st title in the latter series is scheduled to be among the 10 new movies GFF expects to release during January.

The company also is known for its philanthropy, particularly the $1,000 donation GFF makes each month to a charity selected by one of the studio’s performers or employees.

[SIZE=1]Image: Girlfriends Films founder Dan O’Connell, left, and new owner Moose.[/SIZE]