You probably already know Amazon has branched out into publishing by creating its own publishing imprint, Amazon Encore, but did you know they also got into the movie business in November of 2010? That’s when they launched a talent search for test movies and scripts, and they’ve just announced the first winners. From Amazon’s press release:
Judges pick family flick ’12 Princesses’ as best test movie of the year and suspenseful thriller ‘Origin of a Species’ as best script of 2011—awards totaling more than $1 million dollars
SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb. 7, 2012– Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced winners of the Amazon Studios (http://studios.amazon.com) best test movie and best script Annual Awards. Amazon Studios is an online movie development process that invited filmmakers and screenwriters around the world to submit full-length test movies and scripts to make money, get discovered and get their movie made. 12 Princesses, written and directed by Rob Gardner, a family friendly musical tale about a love-struck farm boy in a magical world, wins for best test movie of the year and will be awarded$1 million. Origin of a Species, written byMatthew Gossett, a thriller about an ex-cop facing the greatest obstacle of his life, won the$100,000 best script prize.
“It has been a very exciting year for Amazon Studios. We received projects from all over the world and have enjoyed collaborating with filmmakers and screenwriters on some amazing original stories,” said Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios. “Choosing the best test movie and the best script of the year was extremely challenging–with thousands of projects submitted it was difficult to recognize only two. Still, after much deliberation and debate, it was the way 12 Princesses’ magical story came to life in the test movie that pulled it to the top for the million dollar prize, and it was Origin of a Species’ nail-biting suspense that stuck with us long after we finished reading the story.”
Amazon Studios first launched in November of 2010, since then the Amazon Studios community has submitted more than 700 test movies and 7,000 scripts. In the last year, 39 scripts, test movies and trailers were highlighted in contests and awarded more than $1.9 million in cash prizes. Additionally, Amazon Studios recently attached prominent producers to three projects discovered through the community to help further their development process.
12 Princesses and Origin of a Species both received tremendous community feedback on the site but it was ultimately the judges that voted to make them the 2011 winners. Judging for the best test movie award was Alexander Payne, director and writer of The Descendants, and Trevor Groth, director of programming for Sundance Film Festival. For best script of the year, Lawrence Bender, producer for Inglourious Basterds, Pulp Fiction and Good Will Hunting, along with Akiva Goldsman, writer for A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons and Courtenay Valenti, executive vice president of production for Warner Bros. Pictures selected the winner.
“Amazon Studios seemed genuinely interested in exploring avenues outside the standard channels, and I thought I’d give it a whirl,” said Matthew Gossett, winner of Best Script Award. “The experience has been great.”
For more information about Amazon Studios, visit http://studios.amazon.com. Follow the Amazon Studios blog (http://amazonstudios.tumblr.com/) for up to date news, tips on filmmaking and writing or insightful interviews with industry leaders.
Read the full press release here.