Amazon Studios Debuts New Original Pilots on Amazon's LOVEFiLM Today

LONDON, February 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Pilots include a mix of comedy, drama and kids programs all available to watch for free on LOVEFiLM in the UK and Amazon Instant Video in the U.S.

 Viewer feedback will help determine which series go into full-season production and become available exclusively to LOVEFiLM and Amazon Instant Video members

Creative talent includes Chris Carter, Roman Coppola, Michael Connelly, Angela Santomero, Josh Selig, Jill Soloway, Jason Schwartzman and Paul Weitz along with star-studded casts including Malcolm McDowell, Gael Garcia Bernal, Jeffrey Tambor and more

Seduction in the symphony…murder in the first degree…magic and ingenuity. Starting today, these are just a few of the stories viewers will be thrown into with 10 new pilots launching exclusively on Amazon's LOVEFiLM in the UK and Prime Instant Video in the U.S.

Following a successful first pilot season that resulted in the critically-acclaimed Garry Trudeau series Alpha House, tech comedy Betas and kids series Creative Galaxy, Tumble Leaf and Annedroids-all coming soon to LOVEFiLM-Amazon Studios today debuted a mix of comedy, drama and kids original pilots-all available to stream for free on LOVEFiLM in the UK. Customers are encouraged to watch and provide feedback on the pilots to help determine which shows should be made into series.

New to the pilot lineup this year are two hour-long drama pilots from notable creators Chris Carter (The X-Files), Eric Overmyer (The Wire, Treme) and Michael Connelly (Harry Bosch). Half-hour comedy pilots were created by Oscar nominated Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom), actor and musician Jason Schwartzman (Saving Mr. Banks), Tony-nominated writer and director Alex Timbers, Oscar nominated Paul Weitz, Emmy nominated Jill Soloway (Six Feet Under), and executive producers Ice Cube and Michael Strahan. The diverse lineup features stars such as Gael Garcia Bernal, Golden Globe nominee Malcom McDowell, and Emmy nominated Jeffrey Tambor.

Kids shows come from award winning creators Duane Capizzi (Transformers Prime), Josh Selig (Wonder Pets), Angela Santomero (Blue's Clues), Arland DiGirolamo (Sketchy) & Geoff Barbanell (Kickin' It) as well as David Anaxagoras, discovered through Amazon Studios' open-door submission process. These pilots include pre-school shows, and new this year, shows for kids ages 6-11.

Simon Morris, Chief Marketing Officer of Amazon's LOVEFiLM, said:

"The first wave of pilots proved incredibly popular with members providing feedback en masse. The initiative is unique in that it puts the viewer at the heart of the decision making process in deciding the shows they'll be watching in the future. With so many Hollywood heavyweights involved in the latest wave of pilots it's well worth visiting LOVEFiLM to see what's on offer."

"With our previous set of pilots,customers submitted thousands of reviews within the first few days and more than 80 percent of those reviews were 4 and 5 stars," said Roy Price, Director of Amazon Studios. "We collaborated with some of the very best creators in Hollywood -and even some new comers that submitted their show through our open door process-to bring customers a wide array of top-quality shows. This season we have something for everyone with a mix of comedy, drama and kids programming-we can't wait to hear what customers think."

What Creators Are Saying

"It is thrilling to see Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street come to fruition and to have the pilot directed by Oscar winning director Luke Matheny," said creator David Anaxagoras. "As a creator that broke into the industry thanks to Amazon Studios open door process, it's been a very positive experience working with Amazon and their excellent creative teams. As a teacher I really appreciate Amazon's dedication to creating pilots that nurture the imagination."

"We can't wait to share The After with audiences all over the world via Amazon.com. It's an exciting time to be making TV-and this is an exciting place to be doing it," said Chris Carter, creator of The After.

"I'm really excited to be bringing Bosch to Amazon viewers. I think we've put together a show that is completely loyal to the books and presents in Titus Welliver a Harry Bosch relentless as a bullet and as complex as a DNA strand," said Michael Connelly, bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Harry Bosch novels which the pilot is based on. "Whether you know the books or not, you're going to want to follow this man into his own dark corners as well as those of L.A."

"Collaborating with Amazon Studios has been incredibly rewarding, Amazon gave me the freedom to tell a story and introduce these characters in such an honest, organic way," said Transparent creator Jill Soloway. "I hope we will be back soon with a full season of Transparent to share."

"As someone who helped develop the pre-school pilot curriculum, I can say with conviction that parents can feel good about sharing these pilots with their young children," said Dr. Alice Wilder, Educational Psychologist and Educational Advisor for Amazon Studios' pre-school kids pilots. "Parents will find these pilots valuable because Amazon is working hard to develop shows that foster creativity, imagination, play and lifelong learning in early childhood. Imaginative play comes to life in Wishenpoof! as Bianca makes good choices using her magic and The Jo B. & G. Raff Show helps young kids learn the importance of compromise in constructive, creative ways that inspire kids to want to do it themselves in real life."

How to Watch

Customers can watch the pilots with the LOVEFiLM Instant app available on Kindle Fire tablets, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, as well as hundreds of other connected devices such as smart TVs. Customers can also visit LOVEFiLM.com to watch online. Viewer feedback will help determine which pilots Amazon Studios will produce into full series to air on Amazon's LOVEFiLM in the UK and Prime Instant Video in the U.S.