Amazon Goes for Big Laughs — How You Can Help Launch Its New Sitcoms
The web has opened a new portal for original shows and movies, particularly on sites such as Hulu, Yahoo and Netflix.
Now Amazon has joined the race by putting together ideas for shows of its own.
The online retailer announced it is fielding ideas and planning full productions for original comedy shows to distribute through its Instant Video service. The company has even created its own production house for its shows called Amazon Studios.
The company officially confirmed the news that had only been rumored earlier this year when word leaked it was looking for people to work in the new studio's production offices.
So far, the company is just fielding ideas and treatments to take to the next step. Even though its plans include releasing shows on the web through its video service, the studio's chief, Roy Price, said the plan was to make them look, feel and sound like "real" TV shows.
Amazon is also way ahead of the TV production game, compared to other online properties that have tried the same thing. It has already cemented a solid relationship with TV production companies and studios from all the money it currently makes distributing their shows, movies and DVDs.
It's also not the first time that Amazon tried to start its own production hub with its own original content. Price said Amazon has talked about doing this for a long time. The studio has already made a serious effort to work with Warner Bros. to produce feature length films and it has a publishing wing that has produced several books exclusively for the company's shopping site.