Earlier this month, Amazon picked up its first-ever major award win, taking home a Golden Globe award for its original series Transparent. Is Amazon now shooting for Oscars?
The company has announced plans to produce at least a dozen original films a year, starting this year. The movies will be created with theatrical release in mind, but will appear on Amazon Prime Instant Video four to eight weeks after their theatrical premiere.
That’s a very quick window, considering it can take up to a year for films to make it from the big screen to the small screen.
“We look forward to expanding our production efforts into feature films. Our goal is to create close to twelve movies a year with production starting later this year,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios. “Not only will we bring Prime Instant Video customers exciting, unique, and exclusive films soon after a movie’s theatrical run, but we hope this program will also benefit filmmakers, who too often struggle to mount fresh and daring stories that deserve an audience.”
The guy Amazon has chosen to run the new initiative, Ted Hope, has experience in garnering acclaim for independent films. His production company, Good Machine, produced films like Eat Drink Man Woman, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and American Splendor.
“Audiences already recognize that Amazon has raised the bar with productions in the episodic realm, tackling bold material in unique ways and collaborating with top talent, both established and emerging. To help carry the torch into the feature film world for such an innovative company is a tremendous opportunity and responsibility,” said Ted Hope, the new Head of Production for Amazon Original Movies. “Amazon Original Movies will be synonymous with films that amaze, excite, and move our fans, wherever customers watch. I am incredibly thrilled to be part of this.”
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