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Amazon Studios says that its controversial movie production effort, launched in 2010, has 15 projects in development — and new rules to make it easier for writers to submit scripts. “We’re eager to get movies made and we look forward to seeing the best work that writers have to offer,” Amazon Studios Director Roy Price said on the company’s blog. “This is why we have an open door.” Amazon said that it will pay up to $33,000 for rewrites of two films in its top 15: There’s 12 Princesses, about a farm boy who enters a magical underground world to save a princess from her 11 sisters and a diabolical fairy queen. In February Amazon awarded 12 Princesses a $1M grand prize for being its Best Test Movie. The online retailer also wants additional work on I Think My Facebook Friend is Dead, about an agoraphobic boy who has a crush on a girl he only knows via Facebook but gathers his pals to help save her when she’s missing. Here are summaries of all 15 movies that most interest Amazon Studios.
In addition, Amazon promises to evaluate original scripts within 45 days after they’re submitted and, for the ones it likes, pay up to $10,000 to extend its initial option for 18 months and add the project to the Development Slate. Writers of rejected scripts can choose to have them posted so others can critique them. Here are some of the other rules and conditions. Amazon announced its movie-making plans, and an output deal with Warner Bros, in 2010. The company says that since then it has featured 700 test movies and 7,000 scripts, and awarded more than $1.9M. But some Hollywood writers warned aspiring screenwriters that the program could restrict their copyright and authorship rights.
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UP TO 33K a rewrite…..nice. Looks like it’ll be bread and water for some poor soul.
Wow! You had my attention all the way until I got to the last sentence. I hope they get screen plays that do that well…
How does the WGA fit into this? Is Amazon (and other internet producers) adhering to union rules set forth by the Writers Guild, or are they targeting new (or frustrated) writers for non-union work only?
This was never clear. A lot of uncertainty for sure.
According to their new statement, they have a Guild signatory arm that will adhere to the MBA for Guild writers. Non-members still get the shaft.
Will “Amazon Studios” even be around in three years’ time….hmmmm….
@Curmudgeonly You clearly don’t understand what “bread and water” was about.
Only a cocky LA Union Writer (waiter?) would sneeze at $33K. Arrogant beyond belief. Then again, maybe you are just jealous that you have done nothing and wants to appear “in the know.” My money is on the latter.
@Sunwalk uhh duh, they are non-union. Not being affiliated with the WGA (or ANY union) is not a requirement for making movies.Thank God, some Freedom is still about.
Mark, 33K for a rewrite after the writer has put in speculative work trying to appease the whims of the people running a contest… That’s low. If Amazon was hiring people off of pitches, you’d be absolutely right that it’s a livable amount of money. But if that’s the money at the end of the rainbow…you’re ignorant and can stop talking.
It says they’ll pay UP TO $33k for rewrites. This means that essentially they can pay you whatever they want. Is getting paid to write something to scoff at?? Absolutely not. But, as a guild writer, I am thankful for the protections and benefits that are, to me, as valuable as the minimums studios are required to pay. This is why we have a union. Of course good movies can be made outside of the “system” but young, hungry writers can be easily taken advantage of without the guild to protect them and their credit. If you prefer to do non-union work, feel free, and best of luck to you but a company as large and reputable as Amazon should adhere to Hollywood guidelines, as everyone else does, if they’re going to venture into into the movie business. If they want any marketable talent for their movies, they’re going to HAVE to hire SAG/AFTRA actors so why not union writers as well??
Yes. Freedom. The freedom for millionaires to become billionaires and billionaires to become bigger billionaires while the writers who make $22K after taxes can’t afford health care for themselves, let alone a family. Yes. That’s freedom. “Sneezing” at $33K isn’t arrogance, as WGA at least affords writers the chance to make a living and provide in times of emergency for their family or selves.
So what are you “sneezing” at?
yeah, thank god! i’m so sick of not having the freedom to be exploited anymore. that sucked. weekends? holidays? health benefits? honestly, who needs that union crap? i like to work 24 hours a day and do my best work for those that pay me the least (even if it helps them become billionaires). it helps me feel needed and i know i can be proud i’m not a leech (until i can’t pay for my hospital visits that is). FREEEEDOOMM!
Only a moron would think $33k is good money for a rewrite, because even the best, busiest writers spend less than half their time getting paid to write. We don’t get paid to sit in an office and do nothing (including posting ignorant comments on this website). We only get paid if we get hired, so all the spec work we do, all the research, all the pitching, all the off-the-record rewrites, treatments, dog-and-pony shows – all free. We are the ultimate entrepreneurs – and that’s why when we get paid, it has to be enough to sustain us through the inevitable interludes. In economics, it’s called expected value.
You’re also, uhhh duh, wrong on the second point. The People’s Production Company, Amazon Studios’ Production Arm, is a WGA signatory. So if they ever get around to shooting a movie, they’ll have to pay union for the script.
Mark, as evidenced by your poor communication skills you are obviously not a writer, nor do you exhibit the best of reading comprehension ability, so I will translate what Curmudgeonly was concerned about. Amazon’s vague phrasing when they say “UP TO” 33,000 means that they’re leaving themselves the option to offer any amount under 33,000 — as low as one dollar. While I personally doubt they’ll lowball to that extent (bad PR for Amazon), I don’t blame Curmudgeonly for his/her cynicism…as writers’ salaries are for the most part on a downward spiral.
joined up just to read that facebook script. could barely get through it. the general idea is decent but the writing is mediocre at best. 33K for a rewrite is pretty damn good for a non union writer, though. they’re paying 10K to a few based on proposals and another 23K for the winning script.
wga writers can either go fi-core and give it a shot or have their rep contact amazon directly in case they open it up.
lol funny the wga is warning noob writers about copyright protection when they run the biggest scam going on writers with that totally worthless registration system.
45 days off the market is no biggee, 10K for 18 mos is great nowadays. everybody and their mother wants 18 for nothing unless the writer has good track.
Was it Amazon that set up the system where you could submit a script and get “notes” from other Amazon registered writers, or something akin to that?
I honestly can’t remember and may be getting my facts mixed up …
Also $33k can mean a lot of different things. If they pay on time and don’t try to squeeze free work out of screenwriters, I’m rooting for them to find success. Studios are getting awfully shady in the way they pay writers now.
After all the arguments about financial compensation look at it this way. In a competitive, creative, highly sought after industry such as the film business I say something is better than nothing at all!