Amazon Wants to Change the Way Movies Get Made

Closson

Closson

I don't know if any of you seen this but apparently Amazon wants to take a crack into the film making world. Amazon will offer a total of 2.7 million dollars to the top submissions by December 31, 2011. Writers can add scripts, while filmmakers can add full-length test movies to Amazon Studios. The test movies — which must be more than 70 minutes long — can be made from an original script, or from any script submitted to Amazon Studios.

I find this kind of exciting for film makers, it seems like a HUGE chance to finally "make it" (or for Amazon to make money).

More info here: http://studios.amazon.com/
 
I wonder who retains ownership.

Personally, I don't feel comfortable submitting any of my creative works to contests. All-too-often there is fine print saying that they own all entries. Which I consider total BS.
 
" wonder who retains ownership.

Personally, I don't feel comfortable submitting any of my creative works to contests. All-too-often there is fine print saying that they own all entries. Which I consider total BS."​

All true. Amazon claims the right to the material uploaded, in the form that it is uploaded, forever. That means the actual script will be up there forever, and can't be deleted.

The rights to produce the script are cloudier.

They are granted an 18 month exclusive option on the material, which they can renew for a second 18 months, and you have no choice if they choose to do so (for $10k?).

If they buy it, then it seems to be a set price of $200k plus a possible bonus if the film makes over $60M.

As for my top-shelf stuff, I would be quite worried about the ideas being stolen, as it's a public forum basically. I decided to upload some stuff that's been pretty hard to drum up interest in. Probably won't win.
 
I joined up last night because I read all the information on the site and figured that it would be something useful.

But having said that it seems useful to a point for me. I'm not going to be submitting any material that I'm passionate about getting made. If there's something I can write and submit that I'm not completely attached to then I would submit that.
 
I wouldn't be against using a secondary idea for something like this, but I would be mighty nervous indeed pinning all my hopes on that one great story I want to see make it in the world. That's just me.
 
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