The order for "Maker Shack Agency" for grade-school-aged children pushes the slate of pilots in production -- all geared at tykes -- to six. August 27, 2013 7:41 AM PDT Amazon Studios, the entertainment production arm of the e-commerce giant, ordered up another pilot for an original children's television series Tuesday, pushing its current slate of kid-show pilots up to a half dozen. The latest addition, however, appears to differ from many of Amazon's past pilots in two ways. For one, "Maker Shack Agency," about a 13-year-old inventor and his two best friends who build a new invention every episode to solve clients' problems, is produced by Electus Studios. Most of the series and pilots that Amazon has ordered thus far in its originals push have been produced by Amazon itself, meaning the company holds the most of the rights on the content. It's a tack that separates Amazon from streaming rival Netflix, which is also in the midst of an evolution into television content creator. In addition, the latest pilot seems to be linking Amazon's nascent entertainment push to its core retailing business more so than any program before. In a release, Amazon said the production crew from "Maker Shack Agency" will team up with research and development company Applied Minds to design gadgets that will be featured in the show to inspire a new generation of inventors. An Amazon spokeswoman said she was looking into whether this meant the show will have a line of gadget toys to sell on Amazon's retail side. CNET will update when we hear back. Even if the work with Applied Minds designing gadgets for the show is simply to create props, it creates the opportunity for functioning toys based on those inventions that could be sold without leaving Amazon's site. Related stories 1-click this: Amazon lets you buy real things via any Android app Amazon said to be investigating its own wireless network Get a refurbished Kindle Fire HD 8.9 for $179 PlayStation 4 to arrive November 15 Amazon, Conde Nast team up on new subscription service Amazon's endeavor to built up its Instant Video service, including its work developing original programs in the vein of Netflix, has long been linked to the idea of attachment sales on its retail side, especially in the case of children's content. In signing a large licensing deal with Viacom earlier this year, for example, Amazon not only accessed a trove of Nickelodeon content for kids, it also opened the possibility of stoking sales of SpongeBob beach towels and Dora the Explorer backpacks. Earlier this year, Amazon ordered up handful of kids pilots and then chose to greenlight three for production: "Annebots," "Creative Galaxy," and Tumbleaf" to run exclusively on its site later this year and early next year. Last month, Amazon said it would make five more original pilots for kids, including the first pilots for older, grade-school-age children like "Maker Shack Agency." Again, the pilots will be available on Amazon Instant Video early next year for all for customers to watch, provide feedback, and help determine which shows should be produced as series.
The order for "Maker Shack Agency" for grade-school-aged children pushes the slate of pilots in production -- all geared at tykes -- to six.
Amazon Studios, the entertainment production arm of the e-commerce giant, ordered up another pilot for an original children's television series Tuesday, pushing its current slate of kid-show pilots up to a half dozen.
The latest addition, however, appears to differ from many of Amazon's past pilots in two ways.
For one, "Maker Shack Agency," about a 13-year-old inventor and his two best friends who build a new invention every episode to solve clients' problems, is produced by Electus Studios. Most of the series and pilots that Amazon has ordered thus far in its originals push have been produced by Amazon itself, meaning the company holds the most of the rights on the content. It's a tack that separates Amazon from streaming rival Netflix, which is also in the midst of an evolution into television content creator.
In addition, the latest pilot seems to be linking Amazon's nascent entertainment push to its core retailing business more so than any program before. In a release, Amazon said the production crew from "Maker Shack Agency" will team up with research and development company Applied Minds to design gadgets that will be featured in the show to inspire a new generation of inventors.
An Amazon spokeswoman said she was looking into whether this meant the show will have a line of gadget toys to sell on Amazon's retail side. CNET will update when we hear back.
Even if the work with Applied Minds designing gadgets for the show is simply to create props, it creates the opportunity for functioning toys based on those inventions that could be sold without leaving Amazon's site.
Related stories
- 1-click this: Amazon lets you buy real things via any Android app
- Amazon said to be investigating its own wireless network
- Get a refurbished Kindle Fire HD 8.9 for $179
- PlayStation 4 to arrive November 15
- Amazon, Conde Nast team up on new subscription service
Amazon's endeavor to built up its Instant Video service, including its work developing original programs in the vein of Netflix, has long been linked to the idea of attachment sales on its retail side, especially in the case of children's content. In signing a large licensing deal with Viacom earlier this year, for example, Amazon not only accessed a trove of Nickelodeon content for kids, it also opened the possibility of stoking sales of SpongeBob beach towels and Dora the Explorer backpacks.
Earlier this year, Amazon ordered up handful of kids pilots and then chose to greenlight three for production: "Annebots," "Creative Galaxy," and Tumbleaf" to run exclusively on its site later this year and early next year.
Last month, Amazon said it would make five more original pilots for kids, including the first pilots for older, grade-school-age children like "Maker Shack Agency."
Again, the pilots will be available on Amazon Instant Video early next year for all for customers to watch, provide feedback, and help determine which shows should be produced as series.
