So much has been blogged, ranted and hyperbole-ed over the past week or so after Amazon announced its big new idea, Amazon Studios. Many eloquent people, not least John August, have added to the debate, so I will try to avoid what has been said before.

And I will keep it short too as we all have much better things to be doing, like writing scripts and making movies for ourselves and our audiences.

OK, my take is this. It’s simple really. If you are serious about being a screenwriter or film maker, Amazon Studious is not for you. Why? Because you have nearly zero control over your own destiny. That is very bad for any entrepreneur in any field.

Amazon Studios is really for film fans who have an idea but absolutely no idea how to get it made. And for those people, it’s a terrific project and experiment.

I am certain someone will find great success with the scheme, but to me, it’s just another ‘dangling carrot of a dream’ that could distract from the real deal – that is ‘me in control of my destiny’.

Honestly, I don’t have much to say about it because I think it’s almost irrelevant to anyone who is serious about breaking into film.

What I do find sad though is that an organization as large and wealthy as Amazon could take such a badly judged step. It could have been something special, inspiring, forward thinking and revolutionary… but instead, I suspect in a few years time, it will be quietly retired as a ‘great board room idea that just didn’t pan out’.

If you haven’t read their lengthy terms and conditions yet, heck, don’t bother. Instead, use that time to write another page a GREAT in your screenplay.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author
www.livingspirit.com
mail@livingspirit.com