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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
> 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.
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.
> She worked directly for Amazon? That's the only situation I'm referencing.
No, I was referring to a similar but different situation. The point was that the odds of getting any script picked up was near zero unless you were in the industry. A friend of my daughter's got one picked up but he's been working in the industry in various capacities for ten years.
Oh I know that to be the case, and never thought otherwise. In retrospect you kind of validated my initial postulation - that Amazon's posturing that any scripts or material by non-industry folks had a shot. Thus, if even one of their first concepts had been sourced through Amazon Studios, I would have tempered my critique with that information...
Those screenplay critiquing services can be super helpful. I used one and it helped show me through unbiased eyes the flaws in a screenplay I wrote. Though I'm sure she has to read a lot of awful screenplays (the one I submitted was bad though I didn't realize it until I got the feedback).
> 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....
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.
part of that could be risk aversion but a lot of it is just the fact that screenwriting is a skill. Everyone wants to be a screenwriter so we are used to (believe it or not) only seeing the top tiniest fraction of a percent of material ever make it to development. Basically almost everyone who can write a great screenplay is already trying to sell it through traditional means.
Amazon is investing engineering effort into screenwriting software...?
They think people are more likely to submit screenplays if they have a web editor?
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?