Amazon Studios has selected five original series to be available via the Internet retailer’s subscription video service starting later in 2013.
The company picked the quintet after inviting users of Amazon and the UK’s LoveFilm movie service to view pilots for 14 shows in mid-April and submit feedback.
“We built Amazon Studios so that customers could help decide which stories would make the very best movies and TV shows,” said Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios. “It’s exciting to see the process in motion, doing exactly what we set out to do. The success of this first set of pilots has given us the push to try this approach with even more shows — this is just the beginning.”
The five shows to be turned into full series’ are comedies “Alpha House” and “Betas,” along with kids’ shows “Annebots,” “Creative Galaxy” and “Tumbleaf”.
Among those not making the cut: “Zombieland,” a comedy based on 2009 cult pic; “Onion News Empire” scripted series supposedly following the behind-the-scenes antics at The Onion News Network featuring Jeffrey Tambor; and kidvid “Teeny Tiny Dogs,” produced by The Jim Henson Co.
Amazon Studios, launched in November 2010, currently has 24 movies on its development slate and in the processes of being tested with audiences.
