LOVEFiLM debuts 14 original pilot shows from Amazon Studios
Amazon streaming service LOVEFiLM is now streaming the pilots of a range of comedies and children’s shows with the public deciding which shows get made into a full series.
A total of 14 shows have been made by independent production companies and produced by Amazon Studios. The public are now invited to watch the shows for free, leave feedback and share their favourites via Facebook and Twitter.
Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, commented: “For the past year, the Amazon Studios team has collaborated with some of the best actors and writers in Hollywood to produce top-quality shows. We can’t wait to hear which shows customers will want to see in full series production later this year.”
John Goodman and Jeffrey Tambor are among the names starring in the pilot shows with creators including the likes of The Jim Henson Company, the writers of Zombieland and The Onion News Network, as well as newcomers uncovered by Amazon Studios.
The comedy pilots are Alpha House, starring John Goodman, which follows four US senators living in a rented house in Washington DC; Betas which is based in Silcon Valley and features four friends who attempt to strike it rich with a mobile social networking app; musical comedy Browsers based on four young people in their first jobs at a news website; cartoon Dark Minions, written by Big Bang Theory supporting actors Kevin Sussman and John Ross Bowie; Onion News Empire set behind the scenes of The Onion News Network; animated comedy series Supanatural which is about two outspoken divas who are humanity’s last line of defence against all things supernatural; Those Who Can’t which features three misfit teachers; and Zombieland based on the movie of the same name.
The kids pilot shows are Annebots which follows young scientist Anne and the three robots she’s created doing scientific experiments in her dad’s junkyard; Positively Ozitively where Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz’s daughter Dot heads to Oz; Sara Solves it featuring brother and sister duo Sara and Sam solving mysteries; puppet show Teeny Tiny Dogs produced by Lisa Henson, daughter of Muppet creator Jim Henson and CEO of The Jim Henson Company; and pre-school aged programme Tumbleaf set in a whimsical land starring a small blue fox called Fig.
Simon Morris, LOVEFiLM’s chief marketing officer, added: “This isn't X Factor for some new titles where you get to vote and they're fairly gimmicky. It has a unique position in the world in that it has a platform that's a pay platform, it has an entertainment platform.”
The pilots follow competitor Netflix’s House of Cards series which was aired entirely via the online streaming service.