Amazon Studios, the offshoot of online retailer Amazon.com that aims to source scripts and test movies, has major news this morning. The company says that, in addition to its film development plans, it's now heading into original content production, with the launch of original comedy and children's series for Amazon Instant Video.
According to the company, series creators are being invited to upload their proposals for comedy and children's programming to Amazon Studios here. The best ones will then be distributed through Amazon Instant Video, which is Amazon's digital video streaming service, and a competitor to services like Netflix or Hulu.
This initiative is a bit different than the content deals Netflix and Hulu have been making, as it's not about making direct buys of content created by established Hollywood writers, directors, and producers, and then funding their didn't-quite-make-it-to-TV projects. Instead, Amazon is crowdsourcing development on a larger scale, seemingly making it possible for anyone with a good enough idea to make it.
Amazon says that every month, it will option one promising new project and it it to the development slate where it will be tested for viability. If Amazon Studios elects to distribute a full-budget series, the creator will then receive $55,000, up to 5% of Amazon's net receipts from toy and t-shirt licensing, and other royalties and bonuses. Amazon Studios' production company, the People's Production Company is signatory to the Writers Guild of America and to The Animation Guild, Local 839.
To submit a project, creators must offer a 5-page description, as well as a 22-minute pilot script for comedies, or an 11-minute pilot script for children's shows. 45 days after submission, Amazon Studios will either extend an option on the project for $10,000 or invite the creator to add the project to the Amazon Studios site. If a project is not optioned, creators may remove their idea from the Amazon Studios site or leave it to get community feedback.
Leading the development at Amazon is Joe Lewis, formerly of 20th Century Fox and Comedy Central and Tara Sorenson, formerly of National Geographic Kids.
Since Amazon Studios launch in 201, it has seen more than 700 test movies and 7,000 scripts submitted to its site and 15 movie projects are currently under development through the deals made on the service.
This story originally appeared in TechCrunch.
