ABSTRACT
With the evolution of Netflix, Amazon Studios, Hulu, and YouTube into global distribution platforms, with other companies to follow, the streaming services have proved themselves to be significant buyers in the mainstream movie world. The Internet titans now attend film markets and film festivals that have evolved concurrently into film markets, like Sundance, Toronto, and Cannes, and compete with the major and mini-major studios to acquire filmed entertainment content. Art house or specialty films are the mainstay of film festival films and in years past, there has been a selectively robust business for these types of films by specialty divisions of major studios, if nurtured and promoted properly and especially if major award nominations result, which can be used in publicity and marketing to generate audience awareness and interest. Amazon Studios is developing feature films and episodic series for worldwide audiences.
