‘We are one of the companies that lead the evolution from OTT exclusivity to international distribution. The material of MGM+, Freeve, has been always opened, and the Amazon Originals have moved from 16 titles available in May 2023, to almost 100 titles for this Mipcom —half movies, half series’, said Chris Ottinger, head of Amazon MGM Studios.
‘We have already two years from the merger, and I might say this is a full new experience vs. the just MGM times. Our daytime is 100% Amazon alike, taking in mind all its segments together, from entertainment to product global deliveries. In MGM we had to support the distribution of the catalogue, to manage the windowing; here we have a mission, to move forward the future of entertainment worldwide, taking Prime Video and our other services to the next level. We have to maximize all sides of business, in particular in our case international distribution, to make the whole more profitable and richer’.
Chris Ottinger, head of Amazon MGM Studios, continues describing the full new experience at the company: ‘The repercussion of what we do is completely different. For instance with our Amazon Original film The Tomorrow War, we were the Movie of the Year at Prosieben in Germany, including unique successes also in TF1 France, Cuatro in Spain, or Veronica in The Netherlands. It is normal to think that our Amazon Original series are more for Pay TV and other OTT platforms, and the films for free TV, but in fact we are providing hi-end blockbusters for a wide range of audiences, as it was not happening in the past’.
‘We are one of the companies that lead the evolution from OTT exclusivity to international distribution. The material of MGM+, Freeve, has been always opened, and the Amazon Originals have moved from 16 titles available in May 2023, to almost 100 titles for this Mipcom —half movies, half series. In Cannes will be promoting our complete slate of films for 2025, that includes about 50 titles. Every big studio is selling, the international distribution has come forever, but Amazon MGM plays a relevant role in the process, because is an online titan and a Hollywood studio at the same time’.
‘After years in MGM and now two years with Amazon, I’ve perceived the complete circle about contents and windows relationship. We have one of the biggest SVOD, so we have top product for SVOD and we need to keep it just for our customers as an important value for them. But after some months, the product must be opened to other audiences, to maximize the exposure and the profitability. It is not a question of products, it is about moments. The films especially but also many series, have as much potential outside that inside our platforms’.
‘What is coming at Amazon MGM Studios that we’ve haven’t seen so far? We can talk about Earth Abides, a sci-fi drama of MGM+ to be launched in December, that describes an extreme plague on the Earth and how few survivors remain against extinction. The main actor is Alexander Ludwig (Ragnar from Vikings) and it is a SVOD top series for all audiences, good for Pay TV and free TV, too. We are making a big launch at Mipcom, including a special screening and customers dinners… It is a step ahead in the evolution, with much more to come’.
