Manchester by the Sea, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Man in the High Castle, etc- if you’ve seen any of these shows, then you already know a little bit about the work Amazon Studios does.
That’s right, in addition to being one of the world’s largest e-commerce sites, Amazon also develops, produces, and distributes TV shows and movies. If all of that sounds interesting, then make sure to keep reading what I learned about Amazon Studios!
Key Takeaways
What is Amazon Studios In 2022?
Amazon Studios is the American television and film production arm of Amazon headquartered in Culver City, California. This division was founded in 2010 and is tasked with developing television series, as well as distributing and producing films. Content is distributed in theaters and through Amazon’s video streaming service Amazon Prime as of 2022.
If you’d like to know more about Amazon Studios, including how the studio makes money and whether or not it accepts submissions, then check out this article for more useful information!
Does Amazon Make Its Own Movies?
In addition to acquiring streaming rights for blockbusters like The Tomorrow War, Casino Royale, and Fight Club, Amazon Studios produces original content, both movies, and TV shows.
From out-of-this-world sci-fi epics and thrillers to thought-worthy documentaries and historical dramas, Amazon Studios’ original films have something for everyone.
Some of the studio’s best-known movies include Manchester by the Sea (2016), Late Night (2019), Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse (2021), and The Salesman (2017).
Which Movie Studios Does Amazon Own?
In 2021, Amazon acquired MGM Hollywood’s studio for a reported $8.5 billion, allowing Amazon to add TV shows and big-name movies like Rocky and James Bond to its library.
However, this deal doesn’t include anything from MGM’s catalog prior to 1986, as rights to these works were sold in a previous deal.
How Does Amazon Studios Make Money?
Like any movie studio, Amazon is focused on delivering quality content while maintaining a healthy bottom line.
Based on its 148.6 million American Prime viewers, it’s safe to say that whatever the company is doing, is working.
Amazon Studios makes money first and foremost by investing billions in new quality content.
Not only does the studio create original content, but also offers third-party TV shows and movies.
By offering such a large catalog of content, Amazon entices people to subscribe to its lucrative Prime shopping service, which includes full access to the streaming platform.
Indeed, Amazon’s top original television programs are credited with generating millions of new Prime subscriptions every year.
As if that weren’t surprising enough, Amazon reached more than 25 million people in the United States through all Prime Video content, including both original and non-original programming.
Additionally, once people are hooked on TV shows or movies that are only available on Prime, they’re happy to keep paying the monthly or yearly subscription fees.
How Do I Pitch to Amazon Studios?
Amazon Studios adopted an open submission process for scripts and projects from its founding in 2010 until mid-2018.
However, as of April 13, 2018, Amazon no longer accepts unsolicited submissions, meaning it’s no longer possible to pitch your project directly to Amazon Studios.
Does Amazon Still Accept Scripts?
As of 2018, Amazon no longer accepts unsolicited scripts. However, if you have a script, video, or another project you’d like to share, Amazon offers a couple of options.
You can share your work with other professionals on IMDbPro and try to drum up some interest on that platform (note that Amazon owns IMDbPro).
Another option is to publish your videos on Prime Video Direct. This platform is designed to help studios, distributors and independent filmmakers reach worldwide audiences.
Furthermore, royalties are paid based on hours streamed by Prime members, through revenue share for rentals, purchases, or ad impressions, or by a combination of these options.
How Much Does Amazon Studios Pay for a Script?
While Amazon is no longer accepting scripts, we can share how much the company planned to pay when the open submission program was active.
Amazon Studios’ policy was to buy TV scripts for $55,000 and movie scripts for $200,000.
The studio also stated that creators would get a $400,000 bonus if the movie earned more than $60 million at the box office.
However, it seems as though Amazon only greenlit one screenplay, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, a children’s series.
How Do I Get to Amazon Studios?
If you’re a screenwriter or producer and want to sign into Amazon Studios, you must use your Amazon login credentials.
Once logged in, you’ll be able to download scripts, participate in discussions and write reviews.
If you don’t have an account, however, the site will prompt you to create one.
After, you’ll be able to create your own Amazon Studios profile.
Your profile includes your name, location, areas of expertise and favorite movies, information that is publically available.
Where is Amazon Studios Located?
Amazon Studios is headquartered in the historic Culver Studios in Culver City, California. Culver Studios is located at 9336 W Washington Blvd.
Amazon’s film and TV production division take up 280,000 square feet in the more than 100-year-old complex, occupying the Culver Studios Mansion and Bungalows.
In addition to the Amazon Studios team, this location houses teams from IMDb, Amazon Video, and World Wide Advertising. These employees focus on creative, technical, marketing, and legal work.
About 700 people work in this location, including 225 Amazon Studio employees.
According to a press release, the move to an L.A.-based studio is yet another example of Amazon’s growing Hollywood clout.
How Many People Work at Amazon Studios?
Amazon Studios has 225 employees. Most work at the Culver City location, but some are located in Europe.
When Was Amazon Studios Founded?
Amazon Studios was founded on November 16, 2010, by Roy Price, the former animated-series vice president at Disney.
If you want to know more, you can also see our posts on how to fix Amazon Prime buffering, skipping & freezing, renting movies on Amazon Prime, and buying movies on Amazon.
Conclusion
Amazon Studios’ original model looked a lot different than the one that exists currently. At its inception, the new division aimed to democratize screenwriting and crowdsource new talent.
These intentions were noble but prevented Amazon from competing with other streaming giants like Netflix and Hulu. Nowadays, Amazon Studios operates similarly to any other Hollywood Studio.