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 It's a pool where the major studios don't swim much any more
and where projects get stuck for years for lack of financing.
But from its waters also spring many acclaimed films, best
picture Oscar nominees like "Selma" and "Whiplash" and quite a
few commercial successes.
With plans to produce 12 films per year with budgets ranging
from $5 million to $25 million, for theatrical release and
streaming on Amazon Prime video 4-8 weeks later, a digital
company is creating a new art-house studio and getting films
into consumers' hands and living rooms faster.
"It's a great business," said Mark Gordon, the veteran Hollywood
television and film producer behind movies like "Saving Private
Ryan" and the new Steve Jobs biopic.
"By financing a movie they feel good about and knowing where
their second window is going to be, there is a huge opportunity
for them and the rest of the creative community."
Amazon's announcement came as a surprise, but the Seattle-based
company had already built up its credibility among Hollywood's
creative types, most notably with its television
series "Transparent," which won two Golden Globes last week, its
first major awards since starting Amazon Studios in 2010.
"They have clearly been able to do it on the episodic side, I
see no reason why they can't do it on the feature film side,"
said Franklin Leonard, founder of the Black List, a site where
unproduced screenplays are shared with filmmakers and producers.
"The real challenge will be getting filmmakers in the door who
want to make films for Amazon and giving those filmmakers the
freedom to make the films that become '12 Years a Slave' or
'Birdman'," he said.
Amazon has already drawn Woody Allen to make a new TV series,
his first foray onto the small screen.
WINK TO STRUGGLING FILMMAKERS
Most of Hollywood's big studios largely abandoned the dramatic
film business to concentrate on action adventure blockbusters
and sequels, where there is less risk among a built-in fan base
and more likely financial reward.
News of a new, deep-pocketed buyer in the independent sphere
would always be welcome, but Amazon's decision to hire a big
name in the independent film world to head up Amazon Original
Movies drew special praise.
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"It's exciting, especially because it's led by Ted Hope, who has a
pretty sterling track record in terms of filmmaking and projects
that he's been involved with," said Ned Benson, who made his
directorial debut with "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,"
released last year.
Hope was the producer behind films like "Eat Drink Man Woman" and
"American Splendor." The latter won the Grand Jury Prize at the
Sundance Film Festival. Hope will be at Sundance looking at films
when it opens later this week, Amazon said.
Director Wash Westmoreland, who made the drama "Still Alice,"
starring Julianne Moore, for $4 million last year, said filmmakers
like him could get a lift from the likes of Amazon.
"Right now, in independent film, everything is crushed down to
budgets below $5 million, so you end shooting in 20 days," he said.
"In the next tier, there is such an expansion with the potential of
projects that filmmakers are very eager for."
In announcing the move Monday, Amazon Studios vice president Roy
Price said: "We hope this program will also benefit filmmakers, who
too often struggle to mount fresh and daring stories that deserve an
audience."
Production will start later this year.
With the news still fresh, it was hard to find skepticism in
Hollywood for Amazon's grand plans. Even its biggest competitor in
the digital original content race, Netflix Inc., threw a rose its
way.
"In terms of changing movie distribution, we are really allied in
our view that consumers are tired of waiting so long," Netflix chief
executive Reed Hastings told Reuters.
"It may turn out that their entry is quite helpful to help both of
us grow in that area."
(Additional reporting by Lisa Richwine and Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing
by Paul Tait)
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