10 years ago, if I were to have told you that Amazon, that company that you once ordered a Robert Ludlum book from, is going to produce TV shows, you would probably have done two things. First, there would be a head scratch accompanied with comically bulging eyes and you saying, “huh?” Next you would back up slowly, never taking your eyes off me, while fumbling with that big brick of a Nokia phone as you placed a call to the psych ward. Good thing it’s not 10 years ago. I’m not crazy, and Amazon is launching TV shows. Even better, it’s asking you to write them.
Hulu, Google, Netflix and Yahoo are all offering original content, but Amazon wants you to submit a script of your own.
Within 45 days of getting pilot TV scripts, Amazon said it will either extend an option on the project for $10,000 or ask the creator to put the idea on the Amazon Studios website.
If the company decides to distribute a full-budget series, the creator will get $55,000 and up to 5 percent of Amazon’s net receipts from toy and T-shirt licensing, and other royalties and bonuses, the company said.
Amazon Studios has been toying around with the idea of user generated scripts since it started a couple years ago. Anyone can submit a movie idea and have it judged by other Amazonians. If it’s well-received, then Amazon puts the idea into production. The same idea will apply to the TV shows. Not much has been revealed, in terms of content of the shows, but All Things D reports that it “plans to produce kids’ shows and sitcoms,” which makes sense given that the people heading up the new project sowed their TV oats at Comedy Central and National Geographic Kids.
Now’s your chance to be the next Tina Fey. Get to it.
(Note from John Moe: I’ve got a great idea! It’s a show called BUY A KINDLE. Amazon will love it!)