Amazon goes Hollywood with new online movie studio

17.11.2010
Amazon.com is getting into the movie business by opening Amazon Studios, with the goal of using the Internet to put fresh movies on the big screen.

will allow writers to upload screenplays to its website where the global Internet audience can read them and offer feedback, or producers/directors can use them to make test movies. The test movies, which must be at least 70 minutes in length, can also be uploaded.

Amazon Studios will also award monthly cash prizes to the top submissions of US$100,000 for the best movie each month and US$20,000 to the two best scripts. They'll also be an annual award of $1 million for the best movie and $100,000 for the best script. In all, the company expects to hand out up to US$2.7 million for submissions received by Dec. 31, it said on its website.

"Full-length test movies will show stories up on their feet and attract helpful feedback at an early stage," Amazon said in a statement. "We hope that Amazon Studios will help filmmakers experiment and collaborate and we look forward to developing hit movies."

The company has also signed on Warner Bros. Pictures to a 'first-look deal' which gives Warner the right of first refusal on movie projects that Amazon Studios thinks are worthwhile.