Amazon Launches Online Movie Studio

angry tapir writes "Amazon.com is getting into the movie business by opening Amazon Studios, with the goal of using the Internet to put fresh movies on the big screen. The new Internet movie studio will allow writers to upload screenplays to its website where the global Internet audience can read them and offer feedback, or producers/directors can use them to make test movies. The test movies, which must be at least 70 minutes in length, can also be uploaded."

This could mean good things

[btlyger]

Amazon is known for a lot more then books nowadays, and I'm really excited to see what they do with this. The more amazon dips competition into different markets (video game sales for instance) we've seen a lot of good things come out of it. Let's hope this project is just as successful. Also, wow, $100k a MONTH!

Next step is net funding

[AHuxley]

Max Keiser http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Keiser [wikipedia.org], a film-maker, broadcaster and former broker and options trader offers a vision of what this could really be like.
http://www.piratemyfilm.com/pages/how_it_works [piratemyfilm.com] shows how funding could work..
"The system automatically creates enough shares to match the funds request and then makes those shares available for PMF members to reserve."
Why just read and offer feedback when you could support a work from day one and perhaps share in some value.
Great funding for a tech movie, drama, historical documentary, extreme sports, romance, cars ect.
Get a forum or core supporters on any topic. No need for some grant, arts council or one person funding.

What about the royalties?

[brokentoilet]

I see in the article that Warner Bros. would have right of first refusal for any script on the site, but does Amazon own the rights to the script or does the author?