As one of the world‘s largest online retailers, Amazon has transformed the way we shop. But did you know that in addition to ecommerce, Amazon has been making major moves in Hollywood through its film and TV production arm, Amazon Studios?
If you want to understand exactly what Amazon Studios is, the kind of content they make, whether they accept submissions from writers, and how you could potentially get your work seen by their development executives, then read on.
A Brief History of Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios was launched in 2010 to develop and produce original movies and television shows to be distributed through Amazon Video and Prime Video.
The studio was the brainchild of Roy Price, a former Disney executive who served as the head of Amazon Studios from its founding until 2017.
Price envisioned Amazon Studios as an innovative production company that would welcome open submissions from writers, giving newcomers a chance to get their work made and distributed by a major studio. During its early years, Amazon Studios ran a number of pilots developed through their open submission process, though few were ultimately greenlit to full series.
After Price‘s departure in 2017 amidst sexual harassment allegations, Jennifer Salke, previously the President of NBC Entertainment, took over leadership of Amazon Studios. Under Salke, Amazon began moving away from its open submission model to focus more on developing high-end, talent-driven series that could compete directly with streaming giants like Netflix.
Today, Amazon Studios is based in Culver City, California and employs roughly 225 people according to a recent report. The studio has firmly established itself as a major Hollywood player thanks to acclaimed shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jack Ryan, The Boys and The Underground Railroad, along with movies like The Big Sick and Manchester By the Sea.
What Type of Content Does Amazon Studios Produce?
Amazon Studios develops and produces original television series and films. Their slate includes acclaimed dramas, genre fare like sci-fi and fantasy, provocative comedies, documentaries, kids programming and more.
Some of their most popular original series include:
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Period comedy/drama about a housewife pursing standup comedy dreams
- Jack Ryan – Spy thriller drama led by John Krasinski
- The Boys – Subversive superhero series that satirizes the genre
- The Underground Railroad – Historical drama about the underground railroad from Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins
- The Expanse – Epic sci-fi series now airing its 6th and final season
On the film side, Amazon Studios theatrical releases include titles like:
- Manchester By the Sea – Casey Affleck Oscar-winner
- The Big Sick – Romantic comedy loosely based on Kumail Nanjiani‘s real relationship
- You Were Never Really Here – Dark thriller with Joaquin Phoenix
- Brittany Runs a Marathon – Inspirational comedy/drama
In addition to wholly original content, Amazon Studios co-produces some series with other studios such as Carnival Row starring Orlando Bloom (co-produced with Legendary Television).
They also acquire worldwide distribution rights to buzzy series from foreign territories – for example, Amazon has exclusive US streaming rights for British drama All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspurs.
How Does Amazon Studios Make Money?
So how does investing in all this expensive scripted content pay off for Amazon? Simply put, Amazon Studios provides immense value by attracting people to join and retain Amazon Prime memberships.
By offering sizzling original shows, movies and acquired content all bundled into members‘ Prime subscriptions, Amazon Studios gives millions of viewers an incentive to pay for Prime – and once signed up, people tend to do more of their shopping on Amazon to maximize the value.
Industry analysts estimate that Amazon spends $7 billion per year on content for Prime Video and content licensing. While costly, this investment pays dividends by driving Prime subscriptions which translate to more ecommerce activity.
Beyond Prime subscriptions, Amazon Studios also earns money through content licensing deals. As an example, they may pre-sell the rights to distribute a new series in international territories for a licensing fee. Box office earnings and downstream sales of film titles are another revenue stream.
It can be tempting to see Amazon Studios solely as a loss-leader designed to boost Prime memberships, but studio chief Jennifer Salke has emphasized that she holds the business accountable to be profitable on its own merits. So while driving subscriptions is the macro goal, Amazon Studios series must also perform well enough to recoup investments through content licensing deals.
What Movie Studios Does Amazon Own?
As Amazon continues seeking more premium content, they have been aggressive players in recent entertainment industry M&A activity.
Most notably, in 2021 Amazon acquired the famed MGM Hollywood studio for a reported $8.5 billion.
This deal provided Amazon Studios access to MGM‘s extensive library of over 4,000 film titles, including the James Bond and Rocky franchises. The acquisition complements Amazon Studio‘s original content arm by adding more intellectual property they can reimagine and reinvent for today‘s streaming audiences.
Outside of the high-profile MGM deal, Amazon Studios has acquired a handful of smaller production houses and distributors to aid their content ambitions like Landmark Studio Group and Alcon Entertainment.
Does Amazon Studios Accept Submissions?
When Amazon Studios first launched, they made waves in the industry for their open submission process that allowed any aspiring writer or filmmaker to submit their scripts, pilots and concepts for consideration.
For several years, Amazon execs read thousands of open submissions and even let the audience view and provide feedback on a batch of pilot concepts. However, while noble in intent, this model proved too challenging to scale into greenlighting commercially viable productions.
In 2018 Amazon Studios President Jennifer Salke announced they would no longer accept open submissions, officially ending their open door policy.
These days, Amazon Studios develop projects in closer alignment with traditional Hollywood practices – through closed submissions with represented writers/producers or concepts dreamed up in-house and shopped out to creatives for execution.
So unfortunately you can no longer directly submit your script or video pitch to Amazon. But if you have a strong idea and some industry representation, it is still possible for Amazon execs to learn about your work and potentially buy your pitch.
How to Get Your Work Noticed by Amazon Studios
While open submissions are no longer an option, here are a few tips for getting your work seen by the team at Amazon Studios if you‘re an aspiring producer, writer or filmmaker:
- Make connections: Getting your work seen comes down to good old fashioned networking. Attend industry events where Amazon execs are participating. Meet reps from production companies that have existing deals with Amazon Studios who can intro you.
- Build your reputation: Enter reputable screenwriting contests or film festivals where Amazon talent scouts are known to discover new creators.
- Leverage Amazon Video Direct: You can self-distribute short films and series directly to Prime Video through Amazon Video Direct. If your work attracts a sizable audience, it may capture the attention of Amazon Studios development teams.
- Use IMDbPro: IMDbPro lets you showcase your credits and work samples that industry insiders can access. Pro-level members can also apply for various Amazon productions or submit for consideration through the service.
At the end of the day, Amazon Studios operates similarly to other legacy studios and production companies – while no longer an open call for submissions, they greenlight compelling projects brought to them by established writers, directors and producers. Use that as motivation to keep honing your craft until your skills make your work impossible to ignore.
Where Are Amazon Studios Offices Located?
Amazon Studios is headquartered in Culver City, California on the historic Culver Studio lot. Amazon occupies 280,000 square feet within the 14 sound stages and office bungalows onsite.
Roughly 700 Amazon employees work out of the Culver City location with about 225 specifically part of Amazon Studios.
In addition to corporate offices in Culver City, Amazon Studios has also opened a new production hub in Vancouver to accommodate filming of Prime Original series. Vancouver offers experienced local crews, diverse locations and tax incentives – all advantages for TV production.
Key Facts and Figures
- Launched November 2010
- Headquartered in Culver City, CA
- 225 Amazon Studios employees, 700 total Amazon employees onsite
- $8.5 billion spent acquiring MGM Studios
- Spent $11+ billion on content in 2021
- 150 million Amazon Prime subscribers globally
The Bottom Line
Amazon Studios has firmly established itself alongside pioneers like Netflix and Hulu helping usher in the second golden age of television. Through premium originals and studio acquisitions, Amazon delivers must-see content to tens of millions of Prime subscribers.
So while you may no longer be able submit your script for the next breakout Amazon original series, understanding the focus, background and direction of Amazon Studios can better inform entertainment industry creatives. Whether you‘re aiming to sell scripts to Amazon execs or simply admiring their critically acclaimed shows like so many Prime members, Amazon Studios is poised to continue its rapid ascent in Hollywood.
