The world's largest online retailer has thrown its chips in the content ring, producing 14 pilot episodes of TV shows including a spin-off of the 2009 hit comedy Zombieland.
The pilots, produced by Amazon's dedicated production house Amazon Studios, have been uploaded to Amazon Instant Video so viewers can watch, rate and comment on the shows.
Depending on the feedback, Amazon will select a number of the pilots to produce as full series to run on its subscription IPTV service.
Among the shows are Onion News Empire – a TV version of satirical news outlet The Onion – starring Geoffrey Tambor, and a Big Bang Theory-style nerd comedy called Betas.
Amazon is the latest major publisher to dive into bespoke content. Online video service Netflix recently funded the production of political thriller House of Cards, as well as reviving Fox's cancelled Arrested Development.
Meanwhile, Google has created a $100 million fund to spread among producers, directors and filmmakers to create professional content for a host of new YouTube channels.
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