Amazon adding more art to its programming

[LOS ANGELES] Joe Lewis, a television executive at Amazon, lies on his stomach on a rumpled bed. Jill Soloway, the Emmy-nominated writer and director, sits next to him, stroking the back of his head. The two stare at a pair of monitors watching the filming of a scene in the next room from their new dark comedy about a father who comes out as transgender.

"What Amazon has been able to do is create something almost like an indie studio from the 1970s," Ms Soloway said.

That vibe is a far cry from Amazon's initial foray into television production, a tech-oriented approach driven by data analysis. Ms Soloway's new show, Transparent, is one of four new series that Amazon will unveil in the coming months as the company tries to find the right balance between art and algorithms. After an underwhelming start, it has increased its gamble on creating its own shows to draw new customers to its Prime subscription service.