Chris Ottinger
Amazon MGM Studios Distribution has marked its first year. The division, which functions as the in-house studio for Amazon's streaming platforms, has successfully balanced content supply to these services while licensing shows and films to third-party outlets globally. Chris Ottinger, Head of Worldwide Distribution, Amazon MGM Studios, spoke with Señal News and explained that the division's core mission is clear: "Generating license fees, which help finance production. We also help strategically window content to extend its lifecycle."
This new approach has allowed the studio to broaden its content's global reach, benefiting not only customers but also creators and talent. Ottinger emphasizes the importance of extending the content lifecycle through licensing. "The longer lifecycle benefits the customer, series creators, talent, and our business by giving it a broader reach. We have been working on this project for nearly two years now, and we needed to overcome many operational challenges," he stated.
One of the main hurdles was organizing key materials like music cue sheets, unit stills, and metadata, assets required by third-party licensees. "Our teams worked hard to build new work processes and organize the information so that it would be ready to give to our licensees when the time came," Ottinger acknowledged.
Amazon MGM Studios sees a great opportunity in licensing local original titles to global markets. Ottinger highlighted the success of several series that originated in the UK but have found new audiences worldwide. "Clarkson's Farm" and "The Grand Tour" are standout examples, licensed in territories ranging from France to Israel. Ottinger also mentioned licensing other notable shows, such as "Sebastian Fitzek's Die Therapy" and "Un Asunto Privado," showing the division's commitment to expanding its footprint in the international market. "In the next year, we are working to grow this business area significantly," Ottinger noted.
As the division matures, Ottinger envisions it playing a pivotal role in content greenlighting decisions, particularly regarding international appeal and long-term viability. "I see licensing becoming a part of the conversation, ideally in the greenlight process," Ottinger said. This evolution could make the division a key selling point for talent and creators looking for a long shelf life for their work.
MIPCOM LAUNCHES
Amazon MGM Studios Distribution attended Mipcom with the launch of several highly anticipated titles. Leading the pack is "Earth Abides," a limited series adaptation of George R. Stewart's sci-fi novel starring Alexander Ludwig and Jessica Frances Dukes. The division will also offer films like "Mercy," starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson, and "Crime 101," featuring Chris Hemsworth and Barry Keoghan. Rounding out the lineup is "The GOAT," a competition reality show where 14 reality superstars compete for the title of "Greatest Of All Time."