Amazon is one of the largest movie sales outfits in the world, but they’re not interested in just selling other people’s stuff anymore.  Oh no, the Kindle’s wild success has gotten Amazon hungry for the power and profits that come with production.  That’s why Amazon has launched Amazon Studios, a film production arm that will run monthly contests to determine the best test film and best spec scripts from online submissions.  The winners of the monthly contests will receive cash grant, with films netting a cool $100,000 and scripts landing $20,000.

That’s just the start.  At the end of the year, the best movie and best script of all the winners will land some serious cash:  $1 million dollars for the film and $100,000 for the script.  Should Amazon choose to produce the works they receive (they get an 18-month development window on all submissions), The Hobbit producers Warner Brothers has the first-look rights under the term of the deal.  You can go from winning a contest to being a major movie director thanks to one little submission!

“Everyone is looking for the next Irving Thalberg,” said Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios.  “What if the next Irving Thalberg is 6 million movie fans?”  Added Jack Epps, Jr., a member of Amazon Studios panel and writing chair at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, “Amazon Studios is a great idea.  Getting feedback is essential for creative artists to improve their work.  By letting anyone submit a movie or screenplay to be considered for a major motion picture, Amazon Studios is really opening the doors to Hollywood.”

Tags: Amazon, Amazon Studios, Warner Brothers, Amazon to launch movie studio, Amazon to develop feature films, Amazon Studios to make films, Amazon to make films based on monthly contests and promotions, Amazon to use online user base to make films, user-generated films and scripts, Roy Price

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