14 DAY TRIAL // Amazon hasn't shied away from surprising new businesses, unrelated to its core products, but its latest move is probably the most far fetched so far. The company is launching Amazon Studios a new portal for budding filmmakers and script writers.
"Amazon Studios, a new online business that invites filmmakers and screenwriters around the world to submit full-length movies and scripts to make money, get discovered and get their movie made," Amazon announced.
"Through the monthly and annual Amazon Studios Awards, Amazon Studios will offer a total of $2.7 million to the top submissions received by Dec. 31, 2011, and will seek to develop the top Amazon Studio projects as commercial feature films under its first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures," the company explained.
Amazon Studios will enable users to submit their screenplays for others to read and review. It will also enable them to upload "test movies" to the site.
However, the requirements for a test movie are rather high, depending on how you look at it. Amazon says that the movie doesn't have to have full production values but it does have to be over 70 minutes in length.
Shooting a 70 minute feature film, even with minimal budget, cutting out special effects, decors and so on, is still an expensive proposition for most budding filmmakers.
Still, the idea is to enable those starting out in the movie business to get feedback on their works as early as possible and from as many people as possible. If Amazon can maintain the quality of user contributions above a certain level, the feedback should prove valuable.
Besides the feedback, there are opportunities for those contributing scripts or movies as Amazon has partnered with Warner Brothers for the project. Each month, a winner is picked for both screenplays and test movies. At the end of 2011, two yearly winners will be picked.