It’s unlikely the U.S. Supreme Court would have adopted a code of ethics, as it did this week, without a series of revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas and his appetite for first-class vacations paid for by a wealthy Republican friend. Consider it another example of Thomas’ influence on the Court.
Thomas and his wife Ginni are the subject of the Frontline documentary Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power and the Supreme Court, directed by Michael Kirk. The multiple Emmy-winning filmmaker is our guest on the latest edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast.
Kirk’s investigative documentary explores what many consider to be Thomas’ questionable ethics – he did not report on federal disclosure forms that Republican activist Harlan Crow footed the bill for fancy holidays enjoyed by Thomas and his wife, or that Thomas sold a house to Crow in Savannah, Ga, where the Justice’s mother, Leola Williams,...
Thomas and his wife Ginni are the subject of the Frontline documentary Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power and the Supreme Court, directed by Michael Kirk. The multiple Emmy-winning filmmaker is our guest on the latest edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast.
Kirk’s investigative documentary explores what many consider to be Thomas’ questionable ethics – he did not report on federal disclosure forms that Republican activist Harlan Crow footed the bill for fancy holidays enjoyed by Thomas and his wife, or that Thomas sold a house to Crow in Savannah, Ga, where the Justice’s mother, Leola Williams,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The winners of this year’s recipients of the Walter Cronkite Awards had a common theme: Combating misinformation.
So when award sponsor USC Annenberg’s Norman Lear Center held a National Press Club luncheon for the honorees last week, there was a bit of reminder of the stakes: During the ceremony news unfolded of the unsealing of former President Donald Trump’s federal indictment.
Many of the winners reported on Trump and his false claims of a stolen 2020 election, something that he has repeated during his current election campaign. He’s also called the indictment itself the “boxes hoax.”
Martin Kaplan, director of The Norman Lear Center, said, “Disinformation is an apt focus in particular for the Cronkite award, not only because it feels like disinformation is everywhere all at once, but because the namesake of this award is Walter Cronkite” who was known as “the most trusted man in America.
So when award sponsor USC Annenberg’s Norman Lear Center held a National Press Club luncheon for the honorees last week, there was a bit of reminder of the stakes: During the ceremony news unfolded of the unsealing of former President Donald Trump’s federal indictment.
Many of the winners reported on Trump and his false claims of a stolen 2020 election, something that he has repeated during his current election campaign. He’s also called the indictment itself the “boxes hoax.”
Martin Kaplan, director of The Norman Lear Center, said, “Disinformation is an apt focus in particular for the Cronkite award, not only because it feels like disinformation is everywhere all at once, but because the namesake of this award is Walter Cronkite” who was known as “the most trusted man in America.
- 6/12/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael Kirk’s documentary Lies, Politics and Democracy is a chilling study in how Trump subdued the Republican party
Michael Kirk has been making documentary films for more than half a century. He has chronicled the peaks and troughs of US politics, winning every significant broadcast journalism award along the way. But nothing prepared him for the scale of the threat now facing American democracy.
“There’s never been a film I made where I was more anxious, unhappy to make it, unwilling to discover the things we were discovering,” Kirk, 74, says of his latest project for PBS’s investigative series Frontline. “‘Worried’ is not a strong enough word for how I feel about where we are as a country and I don’t think I’m alone.”...
Michael Kirk has been making documentary films for more than half a century. He has chronicled the peaks and troughs of US politics, winning every significant broadcast journalism award along the way. But nothing prepared him for the scale of the threat now facing American democracy.
“There’s never been a film I made where I was more anxious, unhappy to make it, unwilling to discover the things we were discovering,” Kirk, 74, says of his latest project for PBS’s investigative series Frontline. “‘Worried’ is not a strong enough word for how I feel about where we are as a country and I don’t think I’m alone.”...
- 9/6/2022
- by David Smith in Washington
- The Guardian - Film News
As President Joe Biden, the January 6th Committee and a number of longtime conservatives sound the alarm over the threat to American democracy, the latest Frontline, debuting on Tuesday on PBS, examines the warning signs.
The two-hour season premiere, Lies, Politics and Democracy, digs into Donald Trump’s influence and grip over the Republican party. The focus isn’t so much on the former president as it is the decisions that GOP leaders made that enabled his rise to power.
The documentary offers a timeline of acquiescence, from the 2016 primary season to the present day, as so many in the party have aligned with Trump and his false claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and stolen. A reminder of how much Trump shattered norms comes at the start of the film, with clips of presidential election concession speeches going back to the 1930s, the obvious exception being the last occupant of the White House.
The two-hour season premiere, Lies, Politics and Democracy, digs into Donald Trump’s influence and grip over the Republican party. The focus isn’t so much on the former president as it is the decisions that GOP leaders made that enabled his rise to power.
The documentary offers a timeline of acquiescence, from the 2016 primary season to the present day, as so many in the party have aligned with Trump and his false claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and stolen. A reminder of how much Trump shattered norms comes at the start of the film, with clips of presidential election concession speeches going back to the 1930s, the obvious exception being the last occupant of the White House.
- 9/5/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) have announced nominations for this year’s television categories, including Drama Series, Comedy Series, and Long Form Original. Reigning Emmy winners “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Veep” are nominated in their respective categories, as is HBO’s acclaimed “Big Little Lies” limited series.
Winners will be honored at the 2018 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 11, 2018. Ceremonies will take place in New York City and Los Angeles. The full list of 2018 nominations are below.
Drama Series
“The Americans”
“Better Call Saul”
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“Stranger Things”
Comedy Series
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
“Glow”
“Master of None
Silicon Valley”
“Veep”
Long Form Original
“American Horror Story: Cult”
“Feud: Bette and Joan”
“Flint”
“Godless”
“Manhunt: Unabomber”
Long Form Adapted
“Big Little Lies”
“Fargo...
Winners will be honored at the 2018 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 11, 2018. Ceremonies will take place in New York City and Los Angeles. The full list of 2018 nominations are below.
Drama Series
“The Americans”
“Better Call Saul”
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“Stranger Things”
Comedy Series
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
“Glow”
“Master of None
Silicon Valley”
“Veep”
Long Form Original
“American Horror Story: Cult”
“Feud: Bette and Joan”
“Flint”
“Godless”
“Manhunt: Unabomber”
Long Form Adapted
“Big Little Lies”
“Fargo...
- 12/7/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Let's hear it for the writers!
The Writer's Guild of America held their annual awards show on Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, where Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Donald Glover's breakout series, Atlanta were among those recognized for their achievement of the written word.
Read on below to see the full list of winners.
More: John Legend, Justin Timberlake and Lin-Manuel Miranda Among 2017 Oscars Performers
Film Winners
Original Screenplay
Moonlight, Screenplay by Barry Jenkins, Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney; A24
Adapted Screenplay
Arrival, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer; Based on the Story “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang; Paramount Pictures
Documentary Screenplay
Command and Control, Telescript by Robert Kenner & Eric Schlosser, Story by Brian Pearle and Kim Roberts; Based on the book Command and Control by Eric Schlosser; American Experience Films
Television And New Media Winners
Drama Series
The Americans, Written...
The Writer's Guild of America held their annual awards show on Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, where Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Donald Glover's breakout series, Atlanta were among those recognized for their achievement of the written word.
Read on below to see the full list of winners.
More: John Legend, Justin Timberlake and Lin-Manuel Miranda Among 2017 Oscars Performers
Film Winners
Original Screenplay
Moonlight, Screenplay by Barry Jenkins, Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney; A24
Adapted Screenplay
Arrival, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer; Based on the Story “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang; Paramount Pictures
Documentary Screenplay
Command and Control, Telescript by Robert Kenner & Eric Schlosser, Story by Brian Pearle and Kim Roberts; Based on the book Command and Control by Eric Schlosser; American Experience Films
Television And New Media Winners
Drama Series
The Americans, Written...
- 2/20/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
The Writers Guild Awards and the Academy writing nominees always don’t line up; many films are ineligible. This year, those included Oscar-writing nominees “Lion” and “The Lobster.”
This year, the WGA and the Academy differed dramatically. While the WGA deemed “Moonlight” and “Loving” as Original Screenplays, the Academy considered both as Adapted; only “Moonlight” landed a nomination.
At the WGA, as at the BAFTAs, Barry Jenkins’ script for “Moonlight” competed for the Original Screenplay Award against both Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea” and Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land.” Unlike the BAFTAs, Jenkins emerged the winner over Lonergan, a sign of strength for “Moonlight,” which is nominated for eight Oscars.
Read More: Yes, Damien Chazelle’s ‘La La Land’ Really Will Win Director and Picture Oscars — Here’s Why
However, in the Oscars’ Original Screenplay contest, lauded playwright and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Lonergan (“You Can Count On Me,...
This year, the WGA and the Academy differed dramatically. While the WGA deemed “Moonlight” and “Loving” as Original Screenplays, the Academy considered both as Adapted; only “Moonlight” landed a nomination.
At the WGA, as at the BAFTAs, Barry Jenkins’ script for “Moonlight” competed for the Original Screenplay Award against both Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea” and Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land.” Unlike the BAFTAs, Jenkins emerged the winner over Lonergan, a sign of strength for “Moonlight,” which is nominated for eight Oscars.
Read More: Yes, Damien Chazelle’s ‘La La Land’ Really Will Win Director and Picture Oscars — Here’s Why
However, in the Oscars’ Original Screenplay contest, lauded playwright and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Lonergan (“You Can Count On Me,...
- 2/20/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Exclusive: Emilia Clarke and Noel Clarke thrillers also among titles to secure German deals.
Swiss distributor Ascot Elite Entertainment Group has finalised rights to a string of high-profile independent titles for German-speaking Europe.
The company’s Afm haul includes all rights to a new documentary biopic about iconic musician Prince from Us sales outfit 13 Films
Directed and produced by Michael Kirk (Find Your Groove), Prince: R U Listening? is set to chart the musician’s early years and rise to super-stardom as seen through the eyes of his bandmates, friends and family including Dez Dickerson, Prince’s first guitar player and Andre Cymone, Prince’s close friend and original bassist.
Contributors will also include Bono, Mick Jagger, Billy Idol, Lenny Kravitz and Sheila E. The film is due to be relesed in Q2, 2017.
Also from 13 Films, the company picked up completed mystery-thriller Voice From The Stone, starring Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones), Marton Csokas (The Equalizer) and Caterina Murino...
Swiss distributor Ascot Elite Entertainment Group has finalised rights to a string of high-profile independent titles for German-speaking Europe.
The company’s Afm haul includes all rights to a new documentary biopic about iconic musician Prince from Us sales outfit 13 Films
Directed and produced by Michael Kirk (Find Your Groove), Prince: R U Listening? is set to chart the musician’s early years and rise to super-stardom as seen through the eyes of his bandmates, friends and family including Dez Dickerson, Prince’s first guitar player and Andre Cymone, Prince’s close friend and original bassist.
Contributors will also include Bono, Mick Jagger, Billy Idol, Lenny Kravitz and Sheila E. The film is due to be relesed in Q2, 2017.
Also from 13 Films, the company picked up completed mystery-thriller Voice From The Stone, starring Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones), Marton Csokas (The Equalizer) and Caterina Murino...
- 11/29/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
NBC launched Donald Trump’s presidential campaign years ago when it debuted The Apprentice, filmmaker Michael Kirk insisted this afternoon at TCA, in case you’re looking for someone to blame. The reality competition series, which was hugely popular in its early seasons, “was far more important than we thought it would be,” in Trump’s political trajectory, said the producer of Frontline: The Choice 2016, which is documenting the story of Trump and Hillary Clinton’s…...
- 7/29/2016
- Deadline TV
The Writers Guild of America has just announced the nominations for their annual awards for Best Screenplays (by writers who are guild signatories). That’s right, before you get nervous thinking that your favorite may have been left off the list, you must remember that the WGA is the group that is not all-inclusive and leaves out several of the top contenders each year due to them not being part of the guild or not following their very specific rules. For this reason, you won’t see Inside Out, The Hateful Eight, and Ex Machina in the Original Screenplay category or Room, Brooklyn, or Anomalisa in the Adapted screenplay category.
Taking a look at what’s left over for the nominations, we find many that were expected to make a showing, including Spotlight and Bridge of Spies for Original Screenplay, though they apparently had to sink to really low depths...
Taking a look at what’s left over for the nominations, we find many that were expected to make a showing, including Spotlight and Bridge of Spies for Original Screenplay, though they apparently had to sink to really low depths...
- 1/6/2016
- by Jeff Beck
- We Got This Covered
At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
"Sicario"
Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, and Victor Garber star in this sharp, critically acclaimed (93 percent certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes!) drug war thriller, which is out on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand on January 5. Blu-ray bonus featurettes include "Stepping into Darkness: The Visual Design of Sicario," "Blunt, Brolin & Benicio: Portraying the Characters of Sicario," "Battle Zone: The Origins of Sicario," and "A Pulse from the Desert: The Score of Sicario."
"The Walk"
Watch Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Philippe Petit take a wild walk on a wire between the Twin Towers. The bio-drama from director Robert Zemeckis co-stars Sir Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, and Ben Schwartz. The Blu-ray and DVD both include the "Pillars of Support" featurette,...
New on DVD and Blu-ray
"Sicario"
Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, and Victor Garber star in this sharp, critically acclaimed (93 percent certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes!) drug war thriller, which is out on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand on January 5. Blu-ray bonus featurettes include "Stepping into Darkness: The Visual Design of Sicario," "Blunt, Brolin & Benicio: Portraying the Characters of Sicario," "Battle Zone: The Origins of Sicario," and "A Pulse from the Desert: The Score of Sicario."
"The Walk"
Watch Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Philippe Petit take a wild walk on a wire between the Twin Towers. The bio-drama from director Robert Zemeckis co-stars Sir Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, and Ben Schwartz. The Blu-ray and DVD both include the "Pillars of Support" featurette,...
- 1/4/2016
- by Gina Carbone
- Moviefone
The Writers Guild of America announced some of its nominees for its 2015 awards on Thursday, including television, new media, and radio, and among the TV nominees are series both new and old, and all beloved.
In the comedy series category, freshman Netflix show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" scored a nomination for best series, as well as an overall best new series nod. "The Last Man on Earth" also landed in that latter category, and was singled out for its pilot episode writing, too.
On the drama side of the equation, lauded "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" also got best series and best new series nominations, in addition to a an episode writing nod. Newly-minted Emmy winner "Game of Thrones" also scored a best drama citation, as well as an episodic writing nomination.
The full list of nominees released this week are below. Nominations in the theatrical and documentary categories will...
In the comedy series category, freshman Netflix show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" scored a nomination for best series, as well as an overall best new series nod. "The Last Man on Earth" also landed in that latter category, and was singled out for its pilot episode writing, too.
On the drama side of the equation, lauded "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" also got best series and best new series nominations, in addition to a an episode writing nod. Newly-minted Emmy winner "Game of Thrones" also scored a best drama citation, as well as an episodic writing nomination.
The full list of nominees released this week are below. Nominations in the theatrical and documentary categories will...
- 12/3/2015
- by Katie Roberts
- Moviefone
Proponents of the U.S. government torture program used after 9/11 quickly saw the effectiveness of Hollywood in justifying the agency’s “enhanced interrogation techniques,” a new “Frontline” documentary “Secrets, Politics and Torture” claims. And when “Zero Dark Thirty” director Kathryn Bigelow came knocking, they answered, said “Frontline” filmmaker Michael Kirk. “Certainly there’s evidence that the CIA used her effectively,” Kirk told Public Radio International host and senior producer Carol Hills. “We have an email – a behind-the-scenes email — where one person at the CIA is saying, ‘We have to get on this horse. We have to ride this horse —...
- 5/20/2015
- by Deborah Day
- The Wrap
Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel" won the Original Screenplay honor at the recently concluded Writers Guild Awards while Morten Tyldum's "The Imitation Game" took home the Adapted Screenplay trophy. "The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swarts" written by Brian Knappenberger won Documentary Screenplay award. The film is not nominated for an Academy award.
In TV land, HBO's "True Detective" won the Drama Series award and FX's "Louie" received the Comedy Series trophy.
Here's the complete list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 2015 Writers Guild Awards:
Feature Film
Original Screenplay
Boyhood, Written by Richard Linklater; IFC Films
Foxcatcher, Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman; Sony Pictures Classics
The Grand Budapest Hotel, Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness; Fox Searchlight Winner
Nightcrawler, Written by Dan Gilroy; Open Road Films
Whiplash, Written by Damien Chazelle; Sony Pictures Classics
Adapted Screenplay
American Sniper,...
In TV land, HBO's "True Detective" won the Drama Series award and FX's "Louie" received the Comedy Series trophy.
Here's the complete list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 2015 Writers Guild Awards:
Feature Film
Original Screenplay
Boyhood, Written by Richard Linklater; IFC Films
Foxcatcher, Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman; Sony Pictures Classics
The Grand Budapest Hotel, Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness; Fox Searchlight Winner
Nightcrawler, Written by Dan Gilroy; Open Road Films
Whiplash, Written by Damien Chazelle; Sony Pictures Classics
Adapted Screenplay
American Sniper,...
- 2/16/2015
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
2015 Writers Guild Awards – Winners Announced The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) tonight announced the winners of the 2015 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio, promotional, and graphic animation categories at simultaneous ceremonies at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles and the Edison Ballroom in New York City. Film Winners Original Screenplay The Grand Budapest Hotel, Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness; Fox Searchlight Adapted Screenplay The Imitation Game, Written by Graham Moore; Based on the book Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges; The Weinstein Company Documentary Screenplay The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, Written by Brian Knappenberger; FilmBuff Television And New Media Winners Drama Series True Detective, Written by Nic Pizzolatto; HBO Comedy Series Louie, Written by Pamela Adlon, Louis C.K.; FX New Series True Detective,...
- 2/15/2015
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) handed out top film honors to the screenplays of "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "The Imitation Game" Saturday night. On the television side, "Louie" and "True Detective" were favorites, winning two prizes each. Damien Chazelle's "Whiplash" competed in the original category at the WGA Awards, while the Academy's Writers Branch, in a rare move outside of guild designation, deemed it adapted due to the fact that a scene from the feature script was the basis of a short film that screened at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. So if "The Imitation Game" is to go on to Oscar glory, it will have to compete with Chazelle's popular film for the first time this season at the Feb. 22 Academy Awards ceremony. Additionally, presumed Best Picture frontrunner "Birdman" was not eligible for WGA (making it still significant competition with "Grand Budapest" in the original category), nor was "The Theory of Everything,...
- 2/15/2015
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
The Writers Guild of America announced the TV nominees for the 2015 WGA Awards on Thursday (December 4) morning and several new shows broke into the fields in a big way. And, of course, there were a number of big WGA Award nomination head-scratchers. Specifically, where the heck was FX's "Fargo"? The answer is below. Making perhaps the biggest splash was "Transparent," which earned three nominations and, since "Orange Is The New Black" earned two nods and "House of Cards" pick up one, that meant that Amazon Prime and Netflix are, at least for one award-giving organization, on equal footing as creators of original programming. The Jill Soloway-created "Transparent" is nominated for New Series, where it will go against "The Affair," "The Knick," "Silicon Valley" and "True Detective." "Transparent" and "Silicon Valley" are also up for Comedy Series, going against "Louie," "Veep" and "Orange Is The New Black." Lest you panic...
- 12/5/2014
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
Recently, ABC released the new,official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Resurrection" episode 7 of season 2. The episode is entitled, "Miracles," and it sounds like things will get very dramatic and intense again as one of the living comes down with the virus that's only been plaguing the returned. Also, Rachel refuses to get treated over baby concerns, and more! In the new, 7th episode press release: "Rachel will refuse treatment for the virus, fearing for her unborn child. The anti-Returned hate group ,True Living, are going to grow in numbers, including Deputy Carl. Elaine's brother ,Ray, is going to contract the virus, despite the fact that he's living and not Returned. Brian Addison will show more than a passing interest in Margaret." Guest stars feature: Michelle Fairley as Margaret Langston, Donna Murphy as Elegant Woman, Kathleen Munroe as Rachael Braidwood, Lori Beth Sikes as Janin Hale, Travis Young as Ray Richards,...
- 11/2/2014
- by Derek
- OnTheFlix
Her, Stories We Tell and Captain Phillips took home top honors on Saturday night as the big winners of the 2014 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for screen. Television, radio, news, promotional, videogame, and new media writing were also recognized at simultaneous ceremonies at the Jw Marriott L.A. Live in Los Angeles and the Edison Ballroom in New York City. It’s the final precursor guild award leading up to the Oscars.
Below is a complete list of the winners.
Screen Winners
Original Screenplay (matched up with the Academy Awards nominations)
Her, Written by Spike Jonze; Warner Bros.
Nominees included American Hustle, Blue Jasmine, Dallas Buyers Club, Her and Nebraska.
Adapted Screenplay (3 for 5 Oscar nominations)
Captain Phillips, Screenplay by Billy Ray; Based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy Seals, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty; Columbia Pictures
In addition to Captain Phillips,...
Below is a complete list of the winners.
Screen Winners
Original Screenplay (matched up with the Academy Awards nominations)
Her, Written by Spike Jonze; Warner Bros.
Nominees included American Hustle, Blue Jasmine, Dallas Buyers Club, Her and Nebraska.
Adapted Screenplay (3 for 5 Oscar nominations)
Captain Phillips, Screenplay by Billy Ray; Based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy Seals, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty; Columbia Pictures
In addition to Captain Phillips,...
- 2/2/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Spike Jonze’s philosophical sci-fi love story Her, and Billy Ray’s harrowing true-life hostage saga Captain Phillips earned best original and adapted screenplays, respectively, from the Writers Guild Awards on Saturday.
In the original category, Her was facing its four rivals for the Oscar: American Hustle, Blue Jasmine, Dallas Buyers Club, and Nebraska, so its victory can be seen as a strong harbinger of where the Academy Award could go on March 2. In anecdotal sampling of Academy members, EW’s Prize Fighter has also determined that Her is far and away the front-runner for this category.
The WGA’s...
In the original category, Her was facing its four rivals for the Oscar: American Hustle, Blue Jasmine, Dallas Buyers Club, and Nebraska, so its victory can be seen as a strong harbinger of where the Academy Award could go on March 2. In anecdotal sampling of Academy members, EW’s Prize Fighter has also determined that Her is far and away the front-runner for this category.
The WGA’s...
- 2/2/2014
- by Anthony Breznican
- EW - Inside Movies
Frontline, the long-running documentary television series on PBS, has a program airing in October called "League of Denial: The NFL's Concussion Crisis," which asks the question, "What did the NFL know and when did they know it in regards to concussions and long-term effects on players?"
NFL hall-of-fame linebacker Harry Carson (pictured) says that concussions were just a part of the game when he played, because back then, nobody knew about the long-term effects.
"That's the way that we played the game. Nobody knew anything about concussions and certainly nobody knew anything about the lingering effects of concussions down the road," says Carson. "It was about playing hard, playing for your teammates, trying to save your job and winning games."
But he adds, "When I look at the various film clips, it was there in plain sight for everybody to see. ... Nobody knew anything back then, but everybody knows a whole lot more now.
NFL hall-of-fame linebacker Harry Carson (pictured) says that concussions were just a part of the game when he played, because back then, nobody knew about the long-term effects.
"That's the way that we played the game. Nobody knew anything about concussions and certainly nobody knew anything about the lingering effects of concussions down the road," says Carson. "It was about playing hard, playing for your teammates, trying to save your job and winning games."
But he adds, "When I look at the various film clips, it was there in plain sight for everybody to see. ... Nobody knew anything back then, but everybody knows a whole lot more now.
- 8/6/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Diane Haithman contributes to Deadline’s TCA coverage. Producers of PBS’ Frontline documentary League Of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis, said today at TCA that the NFL has not cooperated in any way with the project or approved any of the film footage. Most of that footage comes from Espn. The two-part series is a collaboration between Frontline and Espn’s Outside The Lines. Filmmaker Michael Kirk said that NFL has been as resistant to revealing information as other major institutions have been to Frontline investigations, including the CIA. “They obviously don’t want to talk about it and it’s too bad, because it’s a huge, huge problem,” Kirk said. Said senior Espn writer Steve Fainaru: “They did not cooperate. They [the NFL] are being sued by one third of the players dealing with this issue.” Dwayne Bray, Espn senior coordinating producer, said that Espn has been aware of...
- 8/6/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
The 2012 George Polk Award for Television News Reporting was bestowed today on CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley for its coverage of Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng. CBS News correspondent Holly Williams, who is fluent in Mandarin, reported in May on Chen’s escape to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing following years of being under house arrest after exposing forced abortions in China. Pelley was credited on the story as anchor and managing editor, Patricia Shevlin was executive producer, Heather Abbott was senior producer, and Marsha Cooke was producer. Winners of the 64th annual Polk awards, unveiled today in 14 categories by Long Island University to honor special achievement in journalism, include PBS’ Frontline correspondent Martin Smith and producer Michael Kirk, whose four-part series “Money, Power And Wall Street” won for Documentary Television Reporting. Also a winner was Mother Jones Washington Bureau Chief and MSNBC analyst David Corn, who secured and...
- 2/19/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Vol. I Issue 7
Send us links to your sizzle reels and film sites.
The Invisible War promotes change in Us Air Force
The following is from the NY Times, January 24, 2013:
“The Invisible War, a documentary about rape and sexual assault in the military that was recently nominated for an Oscar in the documentary feature category, has been credited with both persuading more women to come forward to report abuse and with forcing the military to deal more openly with the problem. In November, General Welsh met with all of the Air Force’s wing commanders and had them watch the film with him, according to an Air Force spokesman."
Academy Announces Producer Credit for Four Documentary Features
The Documentary Branch Executive Committee has determined the individual nominees for four of the contending films in the Documentary Feature category:
The Gatekeepers
Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky and Estelle Fialon
How to Survive a Plague
David France and Howard Gertler
The Invisible War
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering
Searching for Sugar Man
Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn
The nominees for the fifth film in this category, “5 Broken Cameras,” were previously announced.
This is the result of rules made by the branch to be sure that regardless what the filmmakers claim on their application, a producer credit (and Oscar nomination or Award) can no longer go to the person who “just” comes in with the funds to make the film or the finishing funds. The Academy wants to be sure that the producers actually “produce” the film and not buy an Oscar. This reverses a long history of Oscars going to producers who provide few services other than writing a check. The branch also for the first time has nominated three people prior to the rule change this year; only two people could receive a documentary feature nomination. In a future issue we will closely look at this Academy rule and how it effects documentaries producer nominations.
5 Broken Camerasa film by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
Academy Nominated Documentary Feature
5 Broken Cameras is a first-hand account of non-violent resistance in Bil’in, a West Bank village threatened by encroaching Israeli settlements. Shot almost entirely by Palestinian farmer Emad Burnat, who bought his first camera in 2005 to record the birth of his youngest son, the film was assembled by Burnat and Israeli co-director Guy Davidi. The film is structured around the violent destruction of each one of Burnat’s cameras, the filmmakers’ collaboration follows one family’s evolution over five years of village turmoil. Burnat watches from behind the lens as olive trees are bulldozed, protests intensify, and lives are lost. “I feel like the camera protects me,” he says, “but it’s an illusion.”
Of the five nominated documentary feature films this year, 5 Broken Cameras is the weakest selection. 5 Broken Cameras subject is a rehash of a familiar story, Jews and Palestinians. It lacks
the clever concept of the rediscovery of a lost rock and roller which is the warm fuzzy nominee. The other films cry out “Issue” from the bungled attempts of the government to effectively and compassionately deal with the AIDS epidemic, to the terrible inequalities in dealing with sexual harassment in the military. 5 Broken Cameras takes on an all too familiar story of West Bank non-Jewish Israelis protesting in various ways about Israel’s attempt to live peacefully with a neighbor whose leaders have promised to destroy it. So Israel is building a wall. What’s a country to do? Burnat’s neighbors collaborate with terrorists who keep trying to kill Israelis with random missiles, bombs and other weapons. The very young Israeli soldiers act like any force asked to maintain order when they are attacked or threatened. They use their weapons to protect themselves.
5 Broken Cameras could have been documenting, for example, the Civil Rights struggle in the American South during the 1960s or the protests in Chicago in 1968, during the Democratic convention. Yes, it is all terrible. Yes, people are hurt, injured and other bad things happen. The filmmakers never show any effort on the part of West Bank citizens to talk with the Israeli government or people. None of Burnat’s neighbors are trying to find ways to bring about a peaceful resolution. This film is about continuous civil unrest that has been going on for a lifetime. It is predictable, it is tragic and, at times, it is very moving. Yet the struggle continues since the parties seem unwilling to talk to each other to find a way to make peace. The filmmakers also use footage from other peoples’ cameras covering the violence, uncredited either in the official credits of the film or on screen when during sequences. This is propaganda at its best or to be nice, advocacy journalism.
Filmmakers documenting wars and struggles can get hurt, emotionally, physically. In some cases conflicts they become targets and the broken cameras are a brilliant metaphor for this struggle. It is a shame that the film is so one sided. While deeply personal and moving, it could have stronger if it would have helped the parties see the benefits of working for peace or the fruitlessness of this approach. An alternative perspective would have been helpful to include.
The Filmmakers
A lifelong inhabitant of the central West Bank village of Bil’in, Emad Burnat is a freelance cameraman and photographer with experience filming for Al-Jazeera and Palestinian television. He has contributed to several documentaries, including Bil’in My Love, Palestine Kids, Open Close, and Interrupted Streams.
Born in Jaffa, Guy Davidi is a documentary filmmaker and teacher who has been directing, editing, and shooting films since the age of 16. His short documentaries include In Working Progress, Keywords, and Women Defying Barriers; his first feature film, Interrupted Streams, premiered in 2010 at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Credits:
Director: Guy David and Emad Burnat
Producers: Emad Burnat, Christine Camdessus, Guy David
Screenplay: Guy David and Emad Burnat
Camera: Emad Burnat
Additional Cinematography: Guy David
Sound Design:
Music: Le Trio Joubran
Editor: Guy Davidi, Veronique Lagoarde-Segot
Production Companies: Burnat Films, DVD Films, Alegría Productions
Distribution: Kino Lorber
Searching for Sugar Man directed by Malik Bendejelloul
Academy Award Nominated Documentary Feature
Searching for Sugar Man tells story of Rodriguez, a 1970s singer/songwriter who never made “star.” Discovered in a Detroit bar in the late 1960s by two celebrated producers struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics, he recorded an album which they believed would secure his reputation as the greatest recording artist of his generation. The album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, he became a phenomenon there. The film follows the story of two South African fans who set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation leads them to a story which illustrates why documentaries are far more interesting than fiction films.
This film, which I first saw projected, puzzles me. I have since watched it again on DVD. Despite its numerous awards and critical acclaim, with more “wins” or nominations than any of the other documentary features, I never was able to get emotionally engaged with Mr. Rodriguez or the individuals searching for him. In scene after scene we hear from his fans how his music inspired them, moved them and particularly how his music worked for those people in South Africa when the country was dealing with apartheid. While I did not make the connection, it is evident that the audience and the characters in the film do. They are moved by the story, the music and the lyrics.
I am baffled by Rodriguez. We almost never see him in close up. We rarely see his eyes or in to his soul. They are hidden by sunglasses. Who is this man? Why do people embrace him? Oddly, while I am watching this film for the first time, I asked a friend sitting next to me, “Is this for real?” “Is this a put on?” Like the film Exit Through the Gift Shop I had the feeling that I was part of an elaborate fictional film. After the screening, I look on the Internet to see if Rodriguez exists. I find the Rodriguez website but I am still not convinced. I did not find the 1969 album Cold Fact, but I do find references to it from the 1990s.
After the second viewing, I relented a bit. I find that it is a moving story. Nicely edited and the shooting while still distant, works. It does lend an air of mystery to the film. While the content is not earth shattering we can admire this work. The music and the lyrics have power and it is clear that audiences find the film entertaining. I continue to be torn between the five films. So my advice is to screen themand make up your own mind.
Trailer:http://www.sonyclassics.com/searchingforsugarman/
Credits:
Director, Screenwriter: Malik Bendejelloul
Producers: Malik Bendejelloul, Simon Chinn
Executive Producers: John Battsek
Camera: Camilla Skagerströn
Sound: no credit
Original Music: Rodriguez
Editor: Malik Bendejelloul
Production Companies: Red Box Films, Passion Pictures, Canfield Pictures (In association with)
Distribution (Us): Sony
________________________________________________________________________
WGA Documentary Award Nominations
Documentary Screenplay
The Central Park Five, Written by Sarah Burns and David McMahon and Ken Burns; Sundance Selects
The Invisible War, Written by Kirby Dick; Cinedigm Entertainment Group
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films
Searching for Sugar Man, Written by Malik Bendjelloul; Sony Pictures Classics
We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists, Written by Brian Knappenberger; Cinetic Media
West of Memphis, Written by Amy Berg & Billy McMillin; Sony Pictures Classics
Documentary – Current Events
The Anthrax Files(Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk; PBS
A Perfect Terrorist(Frontline); Written by Thomas Jennings; PBS
Lost in Detention(Frontline), Written by Rick Young; PBS
Money, Power and Wall Street: Episode One(Frontline), Written by Martin Smith and Marcela Gaviria; PBS
Money, Power and Wall Street: Episode Three(Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
Money, Power and Wall Street: Episode Four(Frontline), Written by Marcela Gaviria and Martin Smith; PBS
Documentary – Other Than Current Events
The Amish(American Experience), Written by David Belton; PBS
Clinton(American Experience), Written by Barak Goodman; PBS
Death and the Civil War(American Experience), Written by Ric Burns; PBS
The Fabric of the Cosmos: The Illusion of Time(Nova), Telescript by Randall MacLowry, Story by Joseph McMaster and Randall MacLowry; PBS
The Fabric of the Cosmos: Quantum Leap(Nova), Telescript by Josh Rosen and Julia Cort, Story by Joseph McMaster and Josh Rosen; PBS
Johnny Carson: King of Late Night(American Masters), Written by Peter T. Jones; PBS
________________________________________________________________________
Credits: Editing by Jessica Just for SydneysBuzz
________________________________________________________________________
Block Doc Workshops in Los Angeles February 2013 Ida Doc U
The International Documentary Association will be hosting Documentary Funding and Documentary Tune-Up Workshops with Block on February 9/10. http://www.documentary.org/news/february-documentary-producing-workshops-mitchell-block
Mitchell Block specializes in conceiving, producing, marketing & distributing independent features & consulting. He is an expert in placing both completed works into distribution & working with producers to make projects fundable. He conducts regular workshops in film producing in Los Angeles and most recently in Maine, Russia and in Myanmar (Burma).
Poster Girl, produced by Block was nominated for a Documentary Academy Award and selected by the Ida as the Best Doc Short 2011. It was also nominated for two Emmy Awards and aired on HBO. He is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Carrier, a 10-hour series that he conceived & co-created. Block is a graduate of Tisch School and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He is a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Television Academy, a founding member of BAFTA-la and has been teaching at USC School of Cinematic Arts since 1979. Currently Block teaches a required class in the USC Peter Stark Producing Program.
______________________________________________________________________
©2013Mwb All Rights Reserved All Rights Reserved. All information and designs on the Sites are copyrighted material owned by Block. Reproduction, dissemination, or transmission of any part of the material here without the express written consent of the owner is strictly prohibited.All other product names and marks on Block Direct, whether trademarks, service marks, or other type, and whether registered or unregistered, is the property of Block.
Send us links to your sizzle reels and film sites.
The Invisible War promotes change in Us Air Force
The following is from the NY Times, January 24, 2013:
“The Invisible War, a documentary about rape and sexual assault in the military that was recently nominated for an Oscar in the documentary feature category, has been credited with both persuading more women to come forward to report abuse and with forcing the military to deal more openly with the problem. In November, General Welsh met with all of the Air Force’s wing commanders and had them watch the film with him, according to an Air Force spokesman."
Academy Announces Producer Credit for Four Documentary Features
The Documentary Branch Executive Committee has determined the individual nominees for four of the contending films in the Documentary Feature category:
The Gatekeepers
Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky and Estelle Fialon
How to Survive a Plague
David France and Howard Gertler
The Invisible War
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering
Searching for Sugar Man
Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn
The nominees for the fifth film in this category, “5 Broken Cameras,” were previously announced.
This is the result of rules made by the branch to be sure that regardless what the filmmakers claim on their application, a producer credit (and Oscar nomination or Award) can no longer go to the person who “just” comes in with the funds to make the film or the finishing funds. The Academy wants to be sure that the producers actually “produce” the film and not buy an Oscar. This reverses a long history of Oscars going to producers who provide few services other than writing a check. The branch also for the first time has nominated three people prior to the rule change this year; only two people could receive a documentary feature nomination. In a future issue we will closely look at this Academy rule and how it effects documentaries producer nominations.
5 Broken Camerasa film by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
Academy Nominated Documentary Feature
5 Broken Cameras is a first-hand account of non-violent resistance in Bil’in, a West Bank village threatened by encroaching Israeli settlements. Shot almost entirely by Palestinian farmer Emad Burnat, who bought his first camera in 2005 to record the birth of his youngest son, the film was assembled by Burnat and Israeli co-director Guy Davidi. The film is structured around the violent destruction of each one of Burnat’s cameras, the filmmakers’ collaboration follows one family’s evolution over five years of village turmoil. Burnat watches from behind the lens as olive trees are bulldozed, protests intensify, and lives are lost. “I feel like the camera protects me,” he says, “but it’s an illusion.”
Of the five nominated documentary feature films this year, 5 Broken Cameras is the weakest selection. 5 Broken Cameras subject is a rehash of a familiar story, Jews and Palestinians. It lacks
the clever concept of the rediscovery of a lost rock and roller which is the warm fuzzy nominee. The other films cry out “Issue” from the bungled attempts of the government to effectively and compassionately deal with the AIDS epidemic, to the terrible inequalities in dealing with sexual harassment in the military. 5 Broken Cameras takes on an all too familiar story of West Bank non-Jewish Israelis protesting in various ways about Israel’s attempt to live peacefully with a neighbor whose leaders have promised to destroy it. So Israel is building a wall. What’s a country to do? Burnat’s neighbors collaborate with terrorists who keep trying to kill Israelis with random missiles, bombs and other weapons. The very young Israeli soldiers act like any force asked to maintain order when they are attacked or threatened. They use their weapons to protect themselves.
5 Broken Cameras could have been documenting, for example, the Civil Rights struggle in the American South during the 1960s or the protests in Chicago in 1968, during the Democratic convention. Yes, it is all terrible. Yes, people are hurt, injured and other bad things happen. The filmmakers never show any effort on the part of West Bank citizens to talk with the Israeli government or people. None of Burnat’s neighbors are trying to find ways to bring about a peaceful resolution. This film is about continuous civil unrest that has been going on for a lifetime. It is predictable, it is tragic and, at times, it is very moving. Yet the struggle continues since the parties seem unwilling to talk to each other to find a way to make peace. The filmmakers also use footage from other peoples’ cameras covering the violence, uncredited either in the official credits of the film or on screen when during sequences. This is propaganda at its best or to be nice, advocacy journalism.
Filmmakers documenting wars and struggles can get hurt, emotionally, physically. In some cases conflicts they become targets and the broken cameras are a brilliant metaphor for this struggle. It is a shame that the film is so one sided. While deeply personal and moving, it could have stronger if it would have helped the parties see the benefits of working for peace or the fruitlessness of this approach. An alternative perspective would have been helpful to include.
The Filmmakers
A lifelong inhabitant of the central West Bank village of Bil’in, Emad Burnat is a freelance cameraman and photographer with experience filming for Al-Jazeera and Palestinian television. He has contributed to several documentaries, including Bil’in My Love, Palestine Kids, Open Close, and Interrupted Streams.
Born in Jaffa, Guy Davidi is a documentary filmmaker and teacher who has been directing, editing, and shooting films since the age of 16. His short documentaries include In Working Progress, Keywords, and Women Defying Barriers; his first feature film, Interrupted Streams, premiered in 2010 at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Credits:
Director: Guy David and Emad Burnat
Producers: Emad Burnat, Christine Camdessus, Guy David
Screenplay: Guy David and Emad Burnat
Camera: Emad Burnat
Additional Cinematography: Guy David
Sound Design:
Music: Le Trio Joubran
Editor: Guy Davidi, Veronique Lagoarde-Segot
Production Companies: Burnat Films, DVD Films, Alegría Productions
Distribution: Kino Lorber
Searching for Sugar Man directed by Malik Bendejelloul
Academy Award Nominated Documentary Feature
Searching for Sugar Man tells story of Rodriguez, a 1970s singer/songwriter who never made “star.” Discovered in a Detroit bar in the late 1960s by two celebrated producers struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics, he recorded an album which they believed would secure his reputation as the greatest recording artist of his generation. The album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, he became a phenomenon there. The film follows the story of two South African fans who set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation leads them to a story which illustrates why documentaries are far more interesting than fiction films.
This film, which I first saw projected, puzzles me. I have since watched it again on DVD. Despite its numerous awards and critical acclaim, with more “wins” or nominations than any of the other documentary features, I never was able to get emotionally engaged with Mr. Rodriguez or the individuals searching for him. In scene after scene we hear from his fans how his music inspired them, moved them and particularly how his music worked for those people in South Africa when the country was dealing with apartheid. While I did not make the connection, it is evident that the audience and the characters in the film do. They are moved by the story, the music and the lyrics.
I am baffled by Rodriguez. We almost never see him in close up. We rarely see his eyes or in to his soul. They are hidden by sunglasses. Who is this man? Why do people embrace him? Oddly, while I am watching this film for the first time, I asked a friend sitting next to me, “Is this for real?” “Is this a put on?” Like the film Exit Through the Gift Shop I had the feeling that I was part of an elaborate fictional film. After the screening, I look on the Internet to see if Rodriguez exists. I find the Rodriguez website but I am still not convinced. I did not find the 1969 album Cold Fact, but I do find references to it from the 1990s.
After the second viewing, I relented a bit. I find that it is a moving story. Nicely edited and the shooting while still distant, works. It does lend an air of mystery to the film. While the content is not earth shattering we can admire this work. The music and the lyrics have power and it is clear that audiences find the film entertaining. I continue to be torn between the five films. So my advice is to screen themand make up your own mind.
Trailer:http://www.sonyclassics.com/searchingforsugarman/
Credits:
Director, Screenwriter: Malik Bendejelloul
Producers: Malik Bendejelloul, Simon Chinn
Executive Producers: John Battsek
Camera: Camilla Skagerströn
Sound: no credit
Original Music: Rodriguez
Editor: Malik Bendejelloul
Production Companies: Red Box Films, Passion Pictures, Canfield Pictures (In association with)
Distribution (Us): Sony
________________________________________________________________________
WGA Documentary Award Nominations
Documentary Screenplay
The Central Park Five, Written by Sarah Burns and David McMahon and Ken Burns; Sundance Selects
The Invisible War, Written by Kirby Dick; Cinedigm Entertainment Group
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films
Searching for Sugar Man, Written by Malik Bendjelloul; Sony Pictures Classics
We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists, Written by Brian Knappenberger; Cinetic Media
West of Memphis, Written by Amy Berg & Billy McMillin; Sony Pictures Classics
Documentary – Current Events
The Anthrax Files(Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk; PBS
A Perfect Terrorist(Frontline); Written by Thomas Jennings; PBS
Lost in Detention(Frontline), Written by Rick Young; PBS
Money, Power and Wall Street: Episode One(Frontline), Written by Martin Smith and Marcela Gaviria; PBS
Money, Power and Wall Street: Episode Three(Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
Money, Power and Wall Street: Episode Four(Frontline), Written by Marcela Gaviria and Martin Smith; PBS
Documentary – Other Than Current Events
The Amish(American Experience), Written by David Belton; PBS
Clinton(American Experience), Written by Barak Goodman; PBS
Death and the Civil War(American Experience), Written by Ric Burns; PBS
The Fabric of the Cosmos: The Illusion of Time(Nova), Telescript by Randall MacLowry, Story by Joseph McMaster and Randall MacLowry; PBS
The Fabric of the Cosmos: Quantum Leap(Nova), Telescript by Josh Rosen and Julia Cort, Story by Joseph McMaster and Josh Rosen; PBS
Johnny Carson: King of Late Night(American Masters), Written by Peter T. Jones; PBS
________________________________________________________________________
Credits: Editing by Jessica Just for SydneysBuzz
________________________________________________________________________
Block Doc Workshops in Los Angeles February 2013 Ida Doc U
The International Documentary Association will be hosting Documentary Funding and Documentary Tune-Up Workshops with Block on February 9/10. http://www.documentary.org/news/february-documentary-producing-workshops-mitchell-block
Mitchell Block specializes in conceiving, producing, marketing & distributing independent features & consulting. He is an expert in placing both completed works into distribution & working with producers to make projects fundable. He conducts regular workshops in film producing in Los Angeles and most recently in Maine, Russia and in Myanmar (Burma).
Poster Girl, produced by Block was nominated for a Documentary Academy Award and selected by the Ida as the Best Doc Short 2011. It was also nominated for two Emmy Awards and aired on HBO. He is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Carrier, a 10-hour series that he conceived & co-created. Block is a graduate of Tisch School and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He is a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Television Academy, a founding member of BAFTA-la and has been teaching at USC School of Cinematic Arts since 1979. Currently Block teaches a required class in the USC Peter Stark Producing Program.
______________________________________________________________________
©2013Mwb All Rights Reserved All Rights Reserved. All information and designs on the Sites are copyrighted material owned by Block. Reproduction, dissemination, or transmission of any part of the material here without the express written consent of the owner is strictly prohibited.All other product names and marks on Block Direct, whether trademarks, service marks, or other type, and whether registered or unregistered, is the property of Block.
- 1/31/2013
- by Mitchell Block
- Sydney's Buzz
The Descendants, Breaking Bad, and the other winners for the 2012 Writers Guild Awards have been announced. The 64th Annual Writers Guild Awards is “a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different Us labor unions: The Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae), representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi. The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw), representing TV and film writers in Hollywood and southern California.”
The full listing of the 2012 Writers Guild Awards winners is below.
Screen Winners
Original Screenplay: Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Adapted Screenplay:The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash; Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings; Fox Searchlight
Documentary Screenplay: Better This World, Written by Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega; Loteria Films
Television Winners
Drama Series: Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison,...
The full listing of the 2012 Writers Guild Awards winners is below.
Screen Winners
Original Screenplay: Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Adapted Screenplay:The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash; Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings; Fox Searchlight
Documentary Screenplay: Better This World, Written by Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega; Loteria Films
Television Winners
Drama Series: Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison,...
- 2/20/2012
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has announced the winners of the WGA Awards for outstanding achievement in writing. In the Screenplay category, "Midnight in Paris," written by Woody Allen, took home the Original Screenplay award while "The Descendants," written by Alexander Payne, and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemming, received the Best Adapted Screenplay award.
Winners of the WGA awards were announced Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Zooey Deschanel and Joel McHale served as hosts of the ceremony.
Here is the full list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 2012 WGA Awards (to see winners/nominees of other award-giving bodies, visit our Awards Avenue coverage right here)
Screenplay Nominees
Original Screenplay
50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment
Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Studios
*** (Winner) Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Win Win,...
Winners of the WGA awards were announced Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Zooey Deschanel and Joel McHale served as hosts of the ceremony.
Here is the full list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 2012 WGA Awards (to see winners/nominees of other award-giving bodies, visit our Awards Avenue coverage right here)
Screenplay Nominees
Original Screenplay
50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment
Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Studios
*** (Winner) Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Win Win,...
- 2/20/2012
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
"Homeland," "Breaking Bad" and "Modern Family" each won two honors Sunday (Feb. 19) at the Writers Guild of America Awards.
On the film side, the scripts for "The Descendants" and "Midnight in Paris" earned awards from the guild. The WGA gave Laurel Awards -- for writers who have "advanced the literature" of movies or television -- to "Forrest Gump" and "The Insider" scribe Eric Roth for film and to "thirtysomething" and "Once and Again" creators Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz for television.
Here's the complete list of winners.
Television
Drama series: "Breaking Bad"
Comedy series: "Modern Family"
New series: "Homeland"
Episodic drama (tie): "Box Cutter" ("Breaking Bad"), written by Vince Gilligan; and "The Good Soldier" ("Homeland"), written by Henry Bromell
Episodic comedy: "Caught in the Act" ("Modern Family"), written by Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman
Long form - original: "Cinema Verite," written by David Seltzer
Long form - adapted: "Too Big to Fail,...
On the film side, the scripts for "The Descendants" and "Midnight in Paris" earned awards from the guild. The WGA gave Laurel Awards -- for writers who have "advanced the literature" of movies or television -- to "Forrest Gump" and "The Insider" scribe Eric Roth for film and to "thirtysomething" and "Once and Again" creators Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz for television.
Here's the complete list of winners.
Television
Drama series: "Breaking Bad"
Comedy series: "Modern Family"
New series: "Homeland"
Episodic drama (tie): "Box Cutter" ("Breaking Bad"), written by Vince Gilligan; and "The Good Soldier" ("Homeland"), written by Henry Bromell
Episodic comedy: "Caught in the Act" ("Modern Family"), written by Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman
Long form - original: "Cinema Verite," written by David Seltzer
Long form - adapted: "Too Big to Fail,...
- 2/20/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Midnight in Paris, Young Adult, and the other nominations for the 2012 Writers Guild Awards have been announced. The 64th Annual Writers Guild Awards is “a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different Us labor unions: The Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae), representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi. The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw), representing TV and film writers in Hollywood and southern California.” The 2012 Writers Guild Awards will be held on February 19, 2012.
The full listing of the 2012 Writers Guild Awards nominations is below.
Screenplay Nominees
Original Screenplay
50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment
Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Pictures
Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy; Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni; Fox Searchlight
Young Adult, Written by Diablo Cody; Paramount Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne...
The full listing of the 2012 Writers Guild Awards nominations is below.
Screenplay Nominees
Original Screenplay
50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment
Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Pictures
Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics
Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy; Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni; Fox Searchlight
Young Adult, Written by Diablo Cody; Paramount Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne...
- 1/6/2012
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
HollywoodNews.com: The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, news, radio, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2011 season. The winners will be honored at the 2012 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 19, 2012, at simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York.
Television Nominees
Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire, Written by Bathsheba Doran, Dave Flebotte, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Itamar Moses, Margaret Nagle, Terence Winter; HBO
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC
Game of Thrones, Written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson, George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss; HBO
The Good Wife, Written by Courtney Kemp Agboh, Meredith Averill, Corinne Brinkerhoff, Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Karen Hall, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Steve Lichtman, Matthew Montoya, Julia Wolfe; CBS
Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell,...
Television Nominees
Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire, Written by Bathsheba Doran, Dave Flebotte, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Itamar Moses, Margaret Nagle, Terence Winter; HBO
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC
Game of Thrones, Written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson, George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss; HBO
The Good Wife, Written by Courtney Kemp Agboh, Meredith Averill, Corinne Brinkerhoff, Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Karen Hall, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Steve Lichtman, Matthew Montoya, Julia Wolfe; CBS
Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell,...
- 12/7/2011
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
Washington -- When the University of Connecticut's undergraduate student government invited rapper Jasiri X to perform Monday, there was one condition: He was forbidden to perform his most popular song, "Occupy (We the 99)." Jasiri X defied the student group, first in a speech captured on YouTube and then by performing his Occupy Wall Street-themed song.
"So a gangster said to me, 'You could come to UConn, man, and we'll give you a little bit of money, but it's under the [deal] that you don't do 'Occupy (We the 99),'" Jasiri X tells the audience in the video.
The banned song was inspired by the Ows movement, which has seen local occupations emerge in all 50 states and multiple other countries, including England, Israel and Spain. The U.S. movement's central message focuses on the inequality between the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans and the other 99 percent, with the top 1 percent controlling more than 40 percent of the wealth.
"So a gangster said to me, 'You could come to UConn, man, and we'll give you a little bit of money, but it's under the [deal] that you don't do 'Occupy (We the 99),'" Jasiri X tells the audience in the video.
The banned song was inspired by the Ows movement, which has seen local occupations emerge in all 50 states and multiple other countries, including England, Israel and Spain. The U.S. movement's central message focuses on the inequality between the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans and the other 99 percent, with the top 1 percent controlling more than 40 percent of the wealth.
- 11/8/2011
- by Hayley Miller
- Huffington Post
Exclusive: HBO has optioned the book Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency by Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Barton Gellman for a miniseries to be executive produced by Paula Weinstein. The mini, which will be based on the bestselling book and the Frontline documentary The Dark Side, tells the story of Richard Bruce Cheney from his early days as Donald Rumsfeld’s protégé in the Nixon administration, to the nation's youngest Chief of Staff under President Ford, to serving as Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, through two controversial terms as Vice President under President George W. Bush. According to the producers, the project will center on Cheney's "single-minded pursuit of enhanced power for the Presidency (that) was unprecedented in the nation's history." Rick Cleveland (Six Feet Under), who shared a writing Emmy with Aaron Sorkin for NBC's White House drama The West Wing, is writing the mini, produced by Spring Creek Prods.
- 3/21/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
As soon as we thought we could predict the outcome of the Oscars, here comes another surprise! This one's brought to you by the Writers Guild of America. Picked for Best Original Screenplay was Christopher Nolan's "Inception." The director, famously dissed for not getting a Best Director Oscar nomination, may just win the Best Original Screenplay come Oscar night. Oscar front-runner, "The King's Speech" was not nominated because it didn't quality under union rules which prompted Nolan to say during his WGA acceptance award that he looked forward to a time when he could accept the award "without qualification."
That could be the beginning of a great script Mr. Nolan, go write it :happy
For adapted screenplay, I'm happy to report that Aaron Sorkin's fantastic script won! Based on "The Accidental Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich, "The Social Network" was the only film last year that I predicted to win this very category.
That could be the beginning of a great script Mr. Nolan, go write it :happy
For adapted screenplay, I'm happy to report that Aaron Sorkin's fantastic script won! Based on "The Accidental Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich, "The Social Network" was the only film last year that I predicted to win this very category.
- 2/7/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
"I Love You Phillip Morris" came out of nowhere and secured a nod for the 2011 Writers Guild Awards. Based on the book by Steven McVicker, the film starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGRegor as prisoners in love received a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination.
"Phillip Morris" will be competing with awards-favorites "127 Hours" (screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy), "The Social Network" (screenplay Aaron Sorkin), "The Town" (screenplay by Peter Craig and Ben Affleck & Aaron Stockard), and True Grit (screenplay by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen).
In the Original Screenplay category, critics-darlings "Black Swan" (screenplay by Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin), "The Fighter" (screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson), "Inception" (Christopher Nolan), and "The Kids Are All Right" (written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg) will be competing with "Please Give" by Nicole Holofcener. Much like "I Love You Phillip Morris," "Please Give," a family dramedy set in New York,...
"Phillip Morris" will be competing with awards-favorites "127 Hours" (screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy), "The Social Network" (screenplay Aaron Sorkin), "The Town" (screenplay by Peter Craig and Ben Affleck & Aaron Stockard), and True Grit (screenplay by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen).
In the Original Screenplay category, critics-darlings "Black Swan" (screenplay by Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin), "The Fighter" (screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson), "Inception" (Christopher Nolan), and "The Kids Are All Right" (written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg) will be competing with "Please Give" by Nicole Holofcener. Much like "I Love You Phillip Morris," "Please Give," a family dramedy set in New York,...
- 1/4/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
HollywoodNews.com: The Writers Guild of America, West and the Writers Guild of America, East have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, news, radio, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2010 season to be honored at the 2011 Writers Guild Awards on February 5, 2011, in Los Angeles and New York.
Television Nominees
Dramatic Series
Boardwalk Empire, Written by Meg Jackson, Lawrence Konner, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Margaret Nagle, Tim Van Patten, Paul Simms, Terence Winter; HBO
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Tom Schnauz, John Shiban, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC
Dexter, Written by Scott Buck, Manny Coto, Charles H. Eglee, Lauren Gussis, Chip Johannessen, Jim Leonard, Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, Melissa Rosenberg, Tim Schlattmann, Wendy West; Showtime
Friday Night Lights, Written by Bridget Carpenter, Kerry Ehrin, Ron Fitzgerald, Etan Frankel, Monica Henderson, David Hudgins, Rolin Jones, Jason Katims, Patrick Massett, Derek Santos Olson, John Zinman; NBC
Mad Men,...
Television Nominees
Dramatic Series
Boardwalk Empire, Written by Meg Jackson, Lawrence Konner, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Margaret Nagle, Tim Van Patten, Paul Simms, Terence Winter; HBO
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Tom Schnauz, John Shiban, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC
Dexter, Written by Scott Buck, Manny Coto, Charles H. Eglee, Lauren Gussis, Chip Johannessen, Jim Leonard, Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, Melissa Rosenberg, Tim Schlattmann, Wendy West; Showtime
Friday Night Lights, Written by Bridget Carpenter, Kerry Ehrin, Ron Fitzgerald, Etan Frankel, Monica Henderson, David Hudgins, Rolin Jones, Jason Katims, Patrick Massett, Derek Santos Olson, John Zinman; NBC
Mad Men,...
- 12/8/2010
- by Linny Lum
- Hollywoodnews.com
How many of your favorite scifi stories involve spies, secret organizations, black-ops or shadowy conspiracies? When you watch genre films, how often do you encounter Top Secret groups, with hidden secrets that will blow your mind. Yeah, a lot. The funny thing is, I'm starting to think the movies underplay the amount of secrets and groups out there.
This week, Frontline goes inside The Washington Post's major two-year examination into the massive, unwieldy, top secret world the U.S. government has created in response to 9/11. Coming fall 2010 to PBS.
A major examination by Washington Post reporters Dana Priest and William Arkin is the subject of an upcoming Frontline documentary produced by veteran producer Michael Kirk. The Post's two-year investigation looked at the top secret world the government created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001—a world that has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that few...
This week, Frontline goes inside The Washington Post's major two-year examination into the massive, unwieldy, top secret world the U.S. government has created in response to 9/11. Coming fall 2010 to PBS.
A major examination by Washington Post reporters Dana Priest and William Arkin is the subject of an upcoming Frontline documentary produced by veteran producer Michael Kirk. The Post's two-year investigation looked at the top secret world the government created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001—a world that has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that few...
- 7/19/2010
- doorQ.com
As hard as it may be to believe sometimes, someone (or someones) actually sits down and writes a movie or TV show before you end up seeing it at your local multiplex or on your favorite TV network. The people who do the sitting and the writing are, surprisingly, called writers and, like the Directors, the Golden Globes and the Oscars, they have their own awards show.
This week, the Writers Guild of America, which is the trade group and advocate for writers, announced its nominations for outstanding achievement in feature film and television, radio, news, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2009 season to be honored at the upcoming 2010 Writers Guild Awards on February 20, 2010, in Los Angeles and New York.
We realize that these nominations may not be as glamorous as the Golden Globes or the Oscars, but we kinda like writers around here and think they do a pretty important job.
This week, the Writers Guild of America, which is the trade group and advocate for writers, announced its nominations for outstanding achievement in feature film and television, radio, news, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2009 season to be honored at the upcoming 2010 Writers Guild Awards on February 20, 2010, in Los Angeles and New York.
We realize that these nominations may not be as glamorous as the Golden Globes or the Oscars, but we kinda like writers around here and think they do a pretty important job.
- 1/13/2010
- by Joe Gillis
- The Flickcast
Awards heavyweights "Mad Men," "30 Rock" and "The Office" and buzzed-about newcomer "Modern Family" led the TV field for the 2010 Writers Guild Awards with three nominations each.
AMC's "Mad Men" and NBC's "30 Rock" and "The Office" are in the running for best drama/comedy series, and each received two nominations for episodic writing. "Family" made the cut for best comedy series, best new series and best episodic writing for a comedy series.
ABC's "Family" was one of two new shows to break into the best series categories along with Fox's quirky high-school dramedy "Glee," which faces "Family" in the best comedy series and best new series fields.
While the WGA Awards are still in its nomination phase, Fox's "The Simpsons" can already uncork the champagne. The veteran series is assured to win the animation category after landing all five nomination slots.
The biggest surprise among the series nominees was HBO's low-key baseball comedy "Eastbound & Down,...
AMC's "Mad Men" and NBC's "30 Rock" and "The Office" are in the running for best drama/comedy series, and each received two nominations for episodic writing. "Family" made the cut for best comedy series, best new series and best episodic writing for a comedy series.
ABC's "Family" was one of two new shows to break into the best series categories along with Fox's quirky high-school dramedy "Glee," which faces "Family" in the best comedy series and best new series fields.
While the WGA Awards are still in its nomination phase, Fox's "The Simpsons" can already uncork the champagne. The veteran series is assured to win the animation category after landing all five nomination slots.
The biggest surprise among the series nominees was HBO's low-key baseball comedy "Eastbound & Down,...
- 12/14/2009
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Milk" emerged with an original screenplay honor at the 2009 WGA awards!
Dustin Lance Black, the film's scriptwriter said:
.I want to thank God for making my dreams come true, and I want to thank God for giving us Harvey Milk.
.Milk. beat the screenplays for "Burn After Reading," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."
Black was also honored by the WGA with the Paul Selvin award for his work on civil rights. According to Variety, Black revealed:
.We need to dream bigger than Proposition 8...I.m a child of Harvey Milk, and I.m a child of the movies. Those two things can inspire a guy to dream big..
I love that, "a child of the movies." Yay!
Meanwhile, "Slumdog Millionaire" continues to dominate awards circuit. Scriptwriter Simon Beaufoy won for best adapted screenplay. "Slumdog" is based on a Vikas Swarup novel.
Oscar prognosticators take note!
Dustin Lance Black, the film's scriptwriter said:
.I want to thank God for making my dreams come true, and I want to thank God for giving us Harvey Milk.
.Milk. beat the screenplays for "Burn After Reading," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."
Black was also honored by the WGA with the Paul Selvin award for his work on civil rights. According to Variety, Black revealed:
.We need to dream bigger than Proposition 8...I.m a child of Harvey Milk, and I.m a child of the movies. Those two things can inspire a guy to dream big..
I love that, "a child of the movies." Yay!
Meanwhile, "Slumdog Millionaire" continues to dominate awards circuit. Scriptwriter Simon Beaufoy won for best adapted screenplay. "Slumdog" is based on a Vikas Swarup novel.
Oscar prognosticators take note!
- 2/8/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
It's award time yet again. Now, the 2009 WGA winners have been announced! Took place at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City. Film-wise, "Milk" won the best original screenplay, "Slumdog Millionaire" once again impressed with Simon Beaufoy winning in the adapted screenplay category. "30 Rock" won again in TV and "Black Radio Month" written by Anthony J. McHugh, won the award in Radio for documentary. As listed, here are the winners of the 2009 Writers Guild Awards: Screen Winners Original Screenplay Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features Adapted Screenplay Slumdog Millionaire, Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, Based on the Novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup, Fox Searchlight Pictures Documentary Screenplay Waltz with Bashir, Written by Ari Folman, Sony Pictures Classic Television Winners Dramatic Series Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Jane Anderson, Rick Cleveland, Kater Gordon,...
- 2/8/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Slumdog Millionaire continued its winning streak this awards season, with Simon Beaufoy winning the 2009 Writers Guild of America award this evening for adapted screenplay. Dustin Lance Black won the award for best original screenplay for Milk. Slumdog has already won DGA, SAG, PGA and Golden Globe awards, and is a multi-award favorite for the Oscars. Milk has won SAG and PGA awards and is also a strong Oscar contender in multiple categories.
On the television side, awards went to the writers of Mad Men (drama), 30 Rock (comedy), Recount and John Adams in long-form categories, and In Treatment, Breaking Bad, and The Simpsons in various other fields. Controversially, among other awards was one for videogame writing (to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). Some publishers declined to submit their titles for consideration, viewing the award as primarily an organizing tool for a guild seeking to gain a foothold in a non-unionized sector.
On the television side, awards went to the writers of Mad Men (drama), 30 Rock (comedy), Recount and John Adams in long-form categories, and In Treatment, Breaking Bad, and The Simpsons in various other fields. Controversially, among other awards was one for videogame writing (to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). Some publishers declined to submit their titles for consideration, viewing the award as primarily an organizing tool for a guild seeking to gain a foothold in a non-unionized sector.
- 2/8/2009
- by noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan Handel)
Fox Searchlight's Indian drama "Slumdog Millionaire" put another notch in the kudos-season win column Saturday, copping a WGA Award for best adapted screenplay for Simon Beaufoy.
Focus Features' Harvey Milk biopic "Milk," penned by Dustin Lance Black, won best original screenplay.
"This wasn't the easiest movie to produce, you know -- it's pretty gay!" said a grinning Black, who also was honored with the guild's Paul Selvin Award for championing constitutional rights and civil liberties.
Black added that he prayed a lot during the writing of the "Milk" screenplay.
"Mostly, I'll admit, I prayed for a green light," he said. "So I have to thank God, and I want to thank God for making my dreams come true."
In addition to "Milk," nominees in the original screenplay category included "Burn After Reading, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."
In winning the best-adapted laurels, "Slumdog" overcame competition from...
Focus Features' Harvey Milk biopic "Milk," penned by Dustin Lance Black, won best original screenplay.
"This wasn't the easiest movie to produce, you know -- it's pretty gay!" said a grinning Black, who also was honored with the guild's Paul Selvin Award for championing constitutional rights and civil liberties.
Black added that he prayed a lot during the writing of the "Milk" screenplay.
"Mostly, I'll admit, I prayed for a green light," he said. "So I have to thank God, and I want to thank God for making my dreams come true."
In addition to "Milk," nominees in the original screenplay category included "Burn After Reading, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."
In winning the best-adapted laurels, "Slumdog" overcame competition from...
- 2/7/2009
- by By Carl DiOrio and Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"The Dark Knight," "Slumdog Millionaire," "Doubt," "Frost/Nixon," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" are among the nominees in the Adapted Screenplay category for the WGA's (Writers Guild Awards) 61st Anniversary awards show.
Winners will be announced February 7th, and will be held simultaneously between two ceremonies -- West Coast at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and the East Coast at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.
What about "Milk" or "The Wrestler?" Click Read More to see full list of nominees!
Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features
Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen, The Weinstein Company
The Visitor, Written by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films
The Wrestler, Written by Robert Siegel, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay...
Winners will be announced February 7th, and will be held simultaneously between two ceremonies -- West Coast at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and the East Coast at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.
What about "Milk" or "The Wrestler?" Click Read More to see full list of nominees!
Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features
Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen, The Weinstein Company
The Visitor, Written by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films
The Wrestler, Written by Robert Siegel, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay...
- 1/7/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
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