6 ms·

Submit your finished script to Amazon Studios

115 points by richardboegli 11y ago

newjersey 11y ago
Probably the most important part: https://storywriter.amazon.com/faq https://storywriter.amazon.com/faq Is my script safe? Yes. Amazon encrypts your screenplay when storing it in the cloud. We will not access or read your script unless you submit it to us for consideration. To further protect your work, you can also register your materials with the Writer's Guild of America. Register your screenplay with the Writer's Guild of America, West (https://www.wgawregistry.org https://www.wgawregistry.org) Register your screenplay with Writer's Guild of America, East (https://www.wgaeast.org/script_registration https://www.wgaeast.org/script_registration)
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- yeukhon 11y ago
  > We will not access or read your script unless you submit it to us for consideration. So the server side has zero knowledge and zero involvement with conversion? I would expect this conversion to be done on the server side, however. (seriously if you are gonna downvote, explain yourself, silence is insulting).
  - zo1 11y ago
    I'd imagine you're being down voted because you're nitpicking a technicality. Sure, the server has some "involvement" in the content of your script while processing/storing it. What they're probably saying is that no human person will read/access your script. When in doubt or a grey-area, rather err on the side of taking the "intention" of what a person is saying, rather than the literal interpretation of all their words.
    - yeukhon 11y ago
      Thank you for your input, but I think it is unfortunate that people see it that way.
      - seivan 11y ago
        How would you solve it? PGP and submit key when you want to submit your screenplay?
- cdcarter 11y ago
  I'm very happy that they include WGA registration as a part of the FAQ.
will_brown 11y ago
Amazon has been accepting scripts for years, if they run the same program, they can exercise an option to buy scripts for $250k for movies and iirc $50k/tv show. I applied to Amazon Studios legal team when I found out about the screen play program (~2009) thinking it would have been a unique combo of tech and entertainment law. Never heard back...
- eclipxe 11y ago
  Shoot me your info, contact in profile.
AdmiralAsshat 11y ago
The submission agreement would be worth reading: https://studios.amazon.com/help/submission-agreement https://studios.amazon.com/help/submission-agreement 9. Compensation. You will have no right to compensation in connection with the exploitation of rights you grant under this Agreement. The bullet above is puzzling. And no, I'm not taking it out-of-context: that's the entire paragraph. Are you waiving your right to actually be compensated if Amazon decides to accept your script?
- alain94040 11y ago
  In this Agreement, you grant us rights to display, use, modify and distribute Content on Amazon Studios. This Agreement does not grant us rights to create a television series, movie, or other work based on your Submission They are saying you wont be compensated for your posting of your script, that's all.
6stringmerc 11y ago
Yeah, I participated in one of the earliest rounds of when Amazon opened up for submissions. Very clunky system. Lots of waiting, little feedback. What happened? They optioned 4-6 concepts and made pilots based on material from industry players. That stung quite a bit. I felt the whole setup was more of a publicity generator than genuine avenue for discovery. Might be different this time around, but I'm skeptical.
- mchahn 11y ago
  > They optioned 4-6 concepts and made pilots based on material from industry players. My daughter ran a screenplay critiquing service on the web. She read scripts for her daytime job so it wasn't a scam. She gave the customers what she said she would, for $50 a pop, but she felt guilty because none of the zillion submitters had a chance of their script getting picked up.
  - WalterBright 11y ago
    > none of the zillion submitters had a chance of their script getting picked up. Kinda sad given the redundant scripts that actually get produced. How many Batman remakes can it take to get really bored? How many Star Trek reboots? Hangover 15? Buddy cop movie? Zzzzzzz....
    - Robadob 11y ago
      As with games, sequels and reboots of existing stories and characters are far safer options than gambling on new IP. Sure there is the whole thing of Netflix (and presumably Prime Video), being able to collect enormous amounts of data, to identify what makes a tv show popular to their customers. But my limited knowledge of business suggests that the majority of attention will always be focused on safe money-makers.
  - 6stringmerc 11y ago
    She worked directly for Amazon? That's the only situation I'm referencing. I participated in a handful of other 'contest' like situations, one of which also ticked me off because they changed the process to suit their own preferences. As in, the stated process was pay $40 (or $90 for 1 page of feedback), 3-5 finalists would be selected, brought in for interviews, and from there up to 3 winners would be chosen. What happened? They got so many submissions that they broke out 5-7 different categories and had lists of 10 finalists within each category, and were going to move to some other kind of judging platform (social media votes?) in order to continue to narrow down to the eventual 3-5, then winners. That doesn't fit the definition of a scam, but it certainly isn't abiding by the rules. I didn't bother with any charge-back on my card, but felt pretty tempted at the time. "Contests" for art, in my experience, tend to be a waste of time and money unfortunately, because the enticement is so damn strong.
HillaryBriss 11y ago
good luck with that
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
bribri 11y ago
Amazon is investing engineering effort into screenwriting software...? They think people are more likely to submit screenplays if they have a web editor?
jackgavigan 11y ago
Does the drones/battlefield script in the animated gif remind anyone else of "All Your Base Are Belong To Us"?

115 points by richardboegli 11y ago

Probably the most important part: https://storywriter.amazon.com/faq https://storywriter.amazon.com/faq Is my script safe? Yes. Amazon encrypts your screenplay when storing it in the cloud. We will not access or read your script unless you submit it to us for consideration. To further protect your work, you can also register your materials with the Writer's Guild of America. Register your screenplay with the Writer's Guild of America, West (https://www.wgawregistry.org https://www.wgawregistry.org) Register your screenplay with Writer's Guild of America, East (https://www.wgaeast.org/script_registration https://www.wgaeast.org/script_registration)

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
yeukhon 11y ago
> We will not access or read your script unless you submit it to us for consideration. So the server side has zero knowledge and zero involvement with conversion? I would expect this conversion to be done on the server side, however. (seriously if you are gonna downvote, explain yourself, silence is insulting).
- zo1 11y ago
  I'd imagine you're being down voted because you're nitpicking a technicality. Sure, the server has some "involvement" in the content of your script while processing/storing it. What they're probably saying is that no human person will read/access your script. When in doubt or a grey-area, rather err on the side of taking the "intention" of what a person is saying, rather than the literal interpretation of all their words.
  - yeukhon 11y ago
    Thank you for your input, but I think it is unfortunate that people see it that way.
    - seivan 11y ago
      How would you solve it? PGP and submit key when you want to submit your screenplay?
cdcarter 11y ago
I'm very happy that they include WGA registration as a part of the FAQ.

will_brown 11y ago

Amazon has been accepting scripts for years, if they run the same program, they can exercise an option to buy scripts for $250k for movies and iirc $50k/tv show. I applied to Amazon Studios legal team when I found out about the screen play program (~2009) thinking it would have been a unique combo of tech and entertainment law. Never heard back...

eclipxe 11y ago
Shoot me your info, contact in profile.

AdmiralAsshat 11y ago

The submission agreement would be worth reading: https://studios.amazon.com/help/submission-agreement https://studios.amazon.com/help/submission-agreement 9. Compensation. You will have no right to compensation in connection with the exploitation of rights you grant under this Agreement. The bullet above is puzzling. And no, I'm not taking it out-of-context: that's the entire paragraph. Are you waiving your right to actually be compensated if Amazon decides to accept your script?

alain94040 11y ago
In this Agreement, you grant us rights to display, use, modify and distribute Content on Amazon Studios. This Agreement does not grant us rights to create a television series, movie, or other work based on your Submission They are saying you wont be compensated for your posting of your script, that's all.

6stringmerc 11y ago

Yeah, I participated in one of the earliest rounds of when Amazon opened up for submissions. Very clunky system. Lots of waiting, little feedback. What happened? They optioned 4-6 concepts and made pilots based on material from industry players. That stung quite a bit. I felt the whole setup was more of a publicity generator than genuine avenue for discovery. Might be different this time around, but I'm skeptical.

mchahn 11y ago
> They optioned 4-6 concepts and made pilots based on material from industry players. My daughter ran a screenplay critiquing service on the web. She read scripts for her daytime job so it wasn't a scam. She gave the customers what she said she would, for $50 a pop, but she felt guilty because none of the zillion submitters had a chance of their script getting picked up.
- WalterBright 11y ago
  > none of the zillion submitters had a chance of their script getting picked up. Kinda sad given the redundant scripts that actually get produced. How many Batman remakes can it take to get really bored? How many Star Trek reboots? Hangover 15? Buddy cop movie? Zzzzzzz....
  - Robadob 11y ago
    As with games, sequels and reboots of existing stories and characters are far safer options than gambling on new IP. Sure there is the whole thing of Netflix (and presumably Prime Video), being able to collect enormous amounts of data, to identify what makes a tv show popular to their customers. But my limited knowledge of business suggests that the majority of attention will always be focused on safe money-makers.
- 6stringmerc 11y ago
  She worked directly for Amazon? That's the only situation I'm referencing. I participated in a handful of other 'contest' like situations, one of which also ticked me off because they changed the process to suit their own preferences. As in, the stated process was pay $40 (or $90 for 1 page of feedback), 3-5 finalists would be selected, brought in for interviews, and from there up to 3 winners would be chosen. What happened? They got so many submissions that they broke out 5-7 different categories and had lists of 10 finalists within each category, and were going to move to some other kind of judging platform (social media votes?) in order to continue to narrow down to the eventual 3-5, then winners. That doesn't fit the definition of a scam, but it certainly isn't abiding by the rules. I didn't bother with any charge-back on my card, but felt pretty tempted at the time. "Contests" for art, in my experience, tend to be a waste of time and money unfortunately, because the enticement is so damn strong.

HillaryBriss 11y ago

good luck with that

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

bribri 11y ago

Amazon is investing engineering effort into screenwriting software...? They think people are more likely to submit screenplays if they have a web editor?

jackgavigan 11y ago

Does the drones/battlefield script in the animated gif remind anyone else of "All Your Base Are Belong To Us"?