I won…so now what?

When The Alchemist Agenda won the first best script award, I was stoked. What an honor. I received many compliments and critiques through reviews, message boards, and studiomail – some helpful, some not-so-much. I also had many inquiries about whether or not I got paid, if I was introduced to Warner Brothers, and if I thought the Amazon Studios was some kind of scam.

I’m well aware of the cynics on the forums, and elsewhere. When you combine the anonymity of the web with a new approach to an old methodology, you’re subject to a lot of ridicule. The bitching will subside, I suspect, once Amazon Studios starts producing movies. And they will. Amazon didn’t start this program to throw money at unworthy screenplays just for kicks. They have equity, access, and potentially a significant distribution venue, which puts them in a better position than the few producers still standing with studio deals and discretionary funds.

But since their development process is unique and evolving, it’s caused a lot of panic. Admittedly, when I saw the incentives they announced for test movies, table reads, and storyboards, I was perplexed. It seemed like they were offering a lot of money for a lot less work than it takes to write a well-developed screenplay. And I wasn’t sure what value it would add to the process. Nevertheless, I decided to give it a whirl.

I made a test movie for The Alchemist Agenda with my friend Zaki. We split the workload up with the intention of making the February 28 deadline. We found a cast, recruited our nearest and dearest to crew, borrowed a stage and a camera, cut the narration down to a bare minimum so we wouldn’t bore the audience to death, searched endlessly for rights-free photos, got a composer to give us permission to use his music, learned Final Cut and After Effects on a crappy computer… Did I say it was less work than a screenplay? Nonetheless, we made the deadline, barely, and had a great time along the way. And I think we accomplished what we set out to do: set the mood and tone of the movie.

But I got much more out of it than I had anticipated and I think that’s the point of Amazon Studios’ development concept. As I heard my screenplay being read, and as I watched to the story unfold, I could see the strengths and weaknesses in a very different way than it originally played in my head when I sat alone at my keyboard.

So once we uploaded our movie, I immediately delved into a rewrite. And I’m glad I did. I did a pass that I believe made it much stronger, a rewrite that I couldn’t have done by just receiving “notes.” I’m uploading it today and I hope some of you will take a look and it will inspire you to try this with your projects.

Amazon Studios offers a community to collaborate or develop your projects any way you want, as much as you want. I know tying up a script for eighteen months seems unbearable to some people, but no one’s twisting anybody’s arm. The odds of getting a movie made are slimmer than ever, so this is a real opportunity, folks.

If you're genuine then take your money and make a feature. Screw Hollywood and do it yourself. Show them they should b reading scripts from everyone, not just those with agents/managers.

It's easy for people to think it's a scam when everything is stacked in Amazon's favor. 18 month free option? That's why I ended up not uploading anything. If I upload then I can't try and sell it elsewhere for at least a year and a half. 3 months I'd do. 6? No way. I can't afford to do that.

Amazon would find MUCH more interested parties with great scrips if this were changed.

Unfortunately, Matthew, this movie needs a fairly large budget to do justice to the action and exotic locations. It's not a story best suited for an indie. And Amazon is offering an opportunity to develop projects and bring them to a studio when they think they're ready. I plan on continuing to work on mine with the hope that they keep getting better and someday get made. Eighteen months is not a long time and the odds of you getting something made elsewhere in that time isn't likely, no matter who you are. But I do understand if it makes you uncomfortable. And I wish you best of luck with your project.

I agree with Marty.

This is a very nice community and it thrives. Networking is the single most important element in this industry and even art itself, outside of learning the craft. Even in the traditional sense, companies buy hundreds of screenplays and they never get made.

The truth is, without places like Amazon Studios, people without a name and reputation in the industry would be doing it as a hobby, wishing to one day get in. Let's just make it happen.

To help you feel better, maybe, think of it this way. The 18 months that it takes for the option to complete is the time you could bang out better screenplays, meet more people, and do that indie movie. People are LUCKY to beat that time frame of 18 months and sell a screenplay. I was taught that most companies option it from 12 - 18 anyway.

The people that aren't attracted to this site, in my opinion, are the ones not intended to attract. Plus, if their scripts are better than mine, then they should stay away from the site! lol ;)

My screenplay "Psyche" is a page turner and psychological thriller. Check it out, guys.

Absolutely on spot. 18 months is a blink of time that most don't even notice. If you are a professional, then you should be putting out ten pages a day and editing other screenplays in between. Imagine how many screenplays you'll have at the end of 18 months - here's the best part, your writing will improve. This is a business and inventing anything from a widget to a screenplay, takes time and fine tuning. Can't accept it? Then this isn't the business for you. The people that succeed usually have twenty scripts in their closet or on the hard drive waiting for re-editing and rewrites. Even though they are awful, the experience of writing and finishing those works teaches a lot. Nobody - NO BODY, ever sits down, writes a movie and it's produced from the first draft. It's lousy and it sucks but it's how it's done. Good luck and best wishes - I hope you'll reconsider your point of view.

......So didja get paid? ;)

Yes, have you received any 'monies'???