29th Annual Scripter Award Winner

The 2017 USC Scripter awards were presented last night in a ceremony held on the University of Southern California campus and as previously announced, for the first time there was also an award for television; category that usually I don't share info BUT the first TV award was a tie and one of the winners is a favorite of mine directed by Susanne Bier, The Night Manager.  Great.

Feature film award went to screenwriter of Moonlight and to the author of the drama school project In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.  No doubt this award increases Moonlight adapted screenplay chances to win Oscars category as, for example, last year Scripter Award winner went to the Academy Award.

Winner is in *BLUE.  Press release is not up yet at official site but eventually will be here.

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1/11/17
The USC Libraries have named the authors and screenwriters of Arrival, Fences, Hidden Figures, Lion and Moonlight as finalists for the 29th annual Scripter Award.

Since 1988, Scripter has honored the authors of printed works alongside the screenwriters who adapt their stories. Last year, the USC Libraries inaugurated a new Scripter award, for television adaptation. Television and film finalists compete in separate categories.

Chaired by Howard Rodman, USC professor and president of the Writers Guild of America, West, the 2017 Scripter selection committee selected the finalists from a field of 80 film and 45 television adaptations.

These are the finalists for film adaptation.

Screenwriter Eric Heisserer for Arrival, adapted from the novella “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang
August Wilson for the play and screenplay of Fences
Screenwriters Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi for Hidden Figures, based on the nonfiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly
Luke Davies for the screenplay for Lion, adapted from the nonfiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley
*Barry Jenkins for Moonlight, adapted from In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, by Tarell Alvin McCraney



Serving on the selection committee, among many others, are film critics Leonard Maltin, Anne Thompson and Kenneth Turan; authors Lisa Belkin, Michael Ondaatje and Mona Simpson; screenwriters Geoffrey Fletcher and Erin Cressida Wilson; producers Lawrence Kasdan and Paula Wagner; and USC deans Elizabeth Daley of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Catherine Quinlan of the USC Libraries.  To check nominees in television go to press release at official site here.

The USC Libraries will announce the winning authors and screenwriters at a ceremony on February 11 at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library.