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Amazon developing original content for streaming video service

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 May 2012 10:03 User comments (1)

Amazon developing original content for streaming video service Amazon has announced its new efforts to create original content for the Amazon Prime streaming video service.
The e-tailer will actively develop comedy and children's TV shows to be distributed over the service which is free to all Amazon Prime subscribers. Prime costs $79 per year and entitles users to free two-day shipping on most items and highly discounted one-day or same-day shipping.

Aspiring writers and filmmakers can submit ideas for television series to the Amazon Studios unit and the company will select one project per month and test it for viability with an audience before taking it to development.

Explains Reuters: "Within 45 days of getting pilot TV scripts, Amazon said it will either extend an option on the project for $10,000 or ask the creator to put the idea on the Amazon Studios website. If the company decides to distribute a full-budget series, the creator will get $55,000 and up to 5 percent of Amazon's net receipts from toy and T-shirt licensing, and other royalties and bonuses."



The move comes on the heels of Netflix putting significant money down to move into the original content business. Netflix's first original series, "Lilyhammer" is available now and four other shows, including a new season of cult-classic "Arrested Development," will hit in 2013.

Amazon's Studio unit has received 7000 scripts and 700 test movies since opening in 2010, with 15 movie projects already under development.

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1 user comment

17.5.2012 12:32

This sounds like a fan-zine promotion nightmare. Anyone can submit a script & get basically nothing for the licensing right thereafter. I.e., here's a script of the immaculate vaginal birth of Pikachu... These schmucks will entertain it & possibly get a starving crew to Youtube film it on a 'no-budget' & pass it off as entertainment.

All the while sending the originating writer a royalty check for $250 a month for 6 months because that's all it lasted & Pokemon doesn't belong to them anyway.

I'm being facetious, but we might get the point. Untested, unknown talent & definitely not the budget of 'real' Hollywood style backing going into this entertainment venture. You're going to get what you paid for. All $6.67 a month worth.

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