For movies, writers can also earn the same $10,000 if their script gets chosen for the Development Slate, along with paid writing and directing opportunities and a $200,000 bonus if the script gets made into a feature film. Better yet, if the feature film makes more than $60 million at the box office, Amazon will pay you another $400,000.
That’s some serious money, but remember it pales in comparison with the cost of securing licenses to stream content from the biggest names in entertainment. Remember, while Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX)‘s recent deal with The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is sure to win it plenty of new subscribers, it was estimated to have cost around $300 million per year. Also keep in mind that Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) has an undoubtedly expensive deal in place with DreamWorks Animation Skg Inc (NASDAQ:DWA), which will not only allows it to stream future DreamWorks Animation Skg Inc (NASDAQ:DWA)’s movies, but also will result in at least one original animated series on Netflix later this summer.
Perhaps that’s part of the reason Netflix recently let its license with Viacom, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIAB) lapse, even though it meant losing popular kids’ shows such as Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob, Rugrats, and Jimmy Neutron. Even Amazon, though, couldn’t resist some of the big names; Amazon stock fell after the company inked its own multiyear deal with Viacom, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIAB) just a few days ago in its efforts to level the playing field.
Foolish final thoughts
Even though Amazon’s Viacom deal may have cost more than some investors would have liked, I still love what Amazon’s doing to bring its users — the little guys — into the mix. Time will tell how successful Amazon’s latest original content will be, but remember this is still just one of Amazon’s many long-term oriented segments. What’s more, remember that Amazon is also using this to make its Prime subscription service that much sticker.
Still, with so many people submitting thousands upon thousands of scripts, you could almost say Amazon is generating its own lottery tickets with each new script. In the end, even just one or two breakout hits from Amazon’s user-driven content system could make it all worthwhile and result in massive profits for owners of Amazon stock.
In the end, that’s just one more reason I’m convinced Amazon stock remains a solid long-term buy.
The article Amazon Wants to Help Tell Your Story, But Is Amazon Stock a Buy? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Steve Symington has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com, DreamWorks Animation, Netflix, and Walt Disney and owns shares of Amazon.com, Netflix, and Walt Disney.
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