The 61st Writers Guild of America Awards honored the best film, television, and video game writers of 2008. Winners were announced on February 7, 2009.
Nominees Names in bold denote the winners.
Film
Best Adapted Screenplay The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Eric Roth (screenplay), Eric Roth and Robin Swicord (story); F. Scott Fitzgerald (author) The Dark Knight – Jonathan and Christopher Nolan (screenplay), Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer (story); Bob Kane and Bill Finger (creators) Doubt – John Patrick Shanley (screenplay and playwright) Frost/Nixon – Peter Morgan (screenplay and playwright) Slumdog Millionaire – Simon Beaufoy (screenplay); Vikas Swarup (author) †
Best Original Screenplay Burn After Reading – Joel Coen and Ethan Coen Milk – Dustin Lance Black † Vicky Cristina Barcelona – Woody Allen The Visitor – Tom McCarthy The Wrestler – Robert Siegel
Best Documentary Feature Screenplay Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story - Stefan Forbes and Noland Walker Chicago 10 - Brett Morgen Fuel - Johnny O'Hara Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson - Alex Gibney; from the words of Hunter S. Thompson Waltz with Bashir - Ari Folman
Television
Dramatic Series Title Writers NetworkDexterScott Buck, Daniel Cerone, Charles H. Eglee, Drew Greenberg, Adam E. Fierro, Lauren Gussis, Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, Melissa Rosenberg, and Timothy SchlattmanShowtimeFriday Night LightsBridget Carpenter, Kerry Ehrin, Brent Fletcher, Jason Gavin, Carter Harris, Elizabeth Heldens, David Hudgins, Jason Katims, Patrick Massett, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, and John ZinmanNBCLostCarlton Cuse, Drew Goddard, Adam Horowitz, Christina M. Kim, Edward Kitsis, Damon L. Lindelof, Greggory Nations, Kyle Pennington, Elizabeth Sarnoff, and Brian K. VaughanABCMad MenLisa Albert, Jane Anderson, Rick Cleveland, David Isaacs, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Marti Noxon, Robin Veith, and Matthew WeinerAMCThe WireEd Burns, Chris Collins, Dennis Lehane, David Mills, George Pelecanos, Richard Price, David Simon, and William F. ZorziHBO
Comedy Series Title Writers Network30 RockJack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Andrew Guest, Matt Hubbard, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, and Ron WeinerNBCEntourageDoug Ellin, Jeremy Miller, Ally Musika, Steve Pink, and Rob WeissHBOThe OfficeSteve Carell, Jennifer Celotta, Greg Daniels, Lee Eisenberg, Brent Forrester, Dan Goor , Charlie Grandy , Mindy Kaling, Ryan Koh, Lester Lewis, Paul Lieberstein, Warren Lieberstein , B. J. Novak, Michael Schur, Aaron Shure, Gene Stupnitsky, and Halsted SullivanNBCThe SimpsonsJ. Stewart Burns, Daniel Chun, Joel H. Cohen, Kevin Curran, John Frink, Tom Gammill, Stephanie Gillis, Dan Greaney, Reid Harrison, Al Jean, Billy Kimball, Tim Long, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Bill Odenkirk, Carolyn Omine, Don Payne, Michael Price, Max Pross, Mike Reiss, Mike Scully, Matt Selman, Matt Warburton, Jeff Westbrook, Marc Wilmore, and William WrightFoxWeedsRoberto Benabib, Mark A. Burley, Ron Fitzgerald, David Holstein, Rolin Jones, Brendan Kelly, Jenji Kohan, Victoria Morrow, and Matthew SalsbergShowtime
New Series Title Writers NetworkBreaking BadVince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Patty Lin, and George MastrasAMCFringeJ. J. Abrams, Jason Cahill, Julia Cho, David H. Goodman, Felicia Henderson, Brad Caleb Kane, Alex Kurtzman, Darin Morgan, J. R. Orci, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner, and Zack WhedonFoxIn TreatmentRodrigo García, Bryan Goluboff, Davey Holmes, William Meritt Johnson, Amy Lippman, and Sarah TreemHBOLife On MarsJosh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Scott Rosenberg, Becky Hartman Edwards, David Wilcox, Adele Lim, Bryan Oh, Tracy McMillan, Sonny Postiglione, Phil M. Rosenberg, and Meredith AverillABCTrue BloodAlan Ball, Brian Buckner, Raelle Tucker, Alexander Woo, Nancy Oliver, and Chris OffuttHBO
Episodic Drama Title Series Writers Network"Don't Ever Change"HouseDoris Egan & Leonard DickFox"Double Booked"Burn NoticeCraig O'Neill & Jason TraceyUSA"Gray Matter"Breaking BadPatty LinAMC"Pilot"Breaking BadVince GilliganAMC"Pilot"Eli StoneGreg Berlanti & Marc GuggenheimABC"There's Something About Harry"DexterScott ReynoldsShowtime
Episodic Comedy Title Series Writers Network"Believe in the Stars"30 RockRobert CarlockNBC"Cooter"30 RockTina FeyNBC"Crime Aid"The OfficeCharlie GrandyNBC"Crush'd"Ugly BettyTracy Poust & Jon KinnallyABC"Succession"30 RockAndrew Guest & John RiggiNBC"Vote for This and I Promise to Do Something Crazy at the Emmys"My Name Is EarlGreg GarciaNBC
Long Form - Original Title Writers NetworkAn American CrimeTommy O'Haver & Irene TurnerShowtimePilot (Fringe)J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman & Roberto OrciFoxRecountDanny StrongHBO
Long Form - Adaptation Title Writers NetworkGeneration Kill"Stay Frosty" - Teleplay by Ed Burns, Story by David Simon & Ed Burns, Based on the book by Evan Wright "Bomb in the Garden" - Teleplay by David Simon, Story by David Simon & Ed Burns, Based on the book by Evan WrightHBOJohn Adams"Join or Die" & "Independence" - Teleplay by Kirk Ellis; Based on the book by David McCullough)HBOThe Memory Keeper's DaughterTeleplay by John Pielmeier; Based on the book by Kim EdwardsLifetime
Animation Title Series Writers Network"Apocalypse Cow"The SimpsonsJeff WestbrookFox"The Debarted"The SimpsonsJoel H. CohenFOX"E Pluribus Wiggum"The SimpsonsMichael PriceFOX"Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words"The SimpsonsTim LongFOX"Life: A Loser's Manual"King of the HillDan McGrathFOX"Strangeness on a Train"King of the HillJim DauteriveFOX
Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) Series Title Writers NetworkLate Night with Conan O'BrienWriters Mike Sweeney, Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Dan Cronin, Kevin Dorff, Daniel J. Goor, Michael Gordon, Berkley Johnson, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Matt O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Brian Stack, and Andrew WeinbergNBCLate Show with David LettermanHead Writers Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel, Writers Michael Barrie, Jim Mulholland, Steve Young, Tom Ruprecht, Lee Ellenberg, Matt Roberts, Jeremy Weiner, Joe Grossman, Bill Scheft, Bob Borden, Frank Sebastiano, and David LettermanCBSReal Time with Bill MaherWritten by Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Billy Martin, and Danny VermontHBOSaturday Night LiveHead Writers Seth Meyers, Paula Pell, Andrew Steele, Writers Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Alex Baze, James Downey, Charlie Grandy, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, John Lutz, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Simon Rich, Marika Sawyer, Akiva Schaffer, Robert Smigel, John Solomon, Emily Spivey, Kent Sublette, Jorma Taccone, Bryan Tucker, Additional Sketches by Robert CarlockNBCThe Colbert ReportHead Writers Allison Silverman, Tom Purcell, and Rich Dahm, Writers Bryan Adams, Michael Brumm, Stephen Colbert, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Peter Grosz, Peter Gwinn, Barry Julien, Laura Krafft, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, and Meredith ScardinoComedy CentralThe Daily Show with Jon StewartHead Writer Steve Bodow, Writers Rory Albanese, Rachel Axler, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist, Tim Carvell, Wyatt Cenac, J.R. Havlan, DJ Javerbaum, Rob Kutner, Josh Lieb, Sam Means, John Oliver, Jason Ross and Jon StewartComedy Central
Comedy/Variety – Music, Awards, Tributes – Specials
Title Writers Network2008 Film Independent Spirit AwardsWritten by Billy Kimball, Aaron Lee, Jennifer Celotta, and Rainn WilsonIFC/AMCJimmy Kimmel's Big Night of StarsWritten by Jimmy Kimmel, Gary Greenberg, Molly McNearney, Bryan Paulk, Ned Rice, Jon Bines, Will Burke, Rick Rosner, Jake Lentz, Sal Iacono, and Tony BarbieriABC
Daytime Serials
Title Writers NetworkAs the World TurnsWritten by Jean Passanante, Leah Laiman, Courtney Simon, Lisa Connor, David A. Levinson, Peter Brash, Richard Culliton, Susan Dansby, Cheryl Davis, and Leslie NipkowCBS DaytimeOne Life to LiveWritten by Ron Carlivati, Carolyn Culliton, Elizabeth Page, Aida Croal, Shelly Altman, Janet Iacobuzio, Chris Van Etten, Anna Theresa CascioABC Daytime
Children's
Episodic & Specials Title Series Writers Network"Elmo's Christmas Countdown"Sesame WorkshopWritten by Joey MazzarinoABC"Spencer's 18th Birthday"South of NowhereWritten by Arika Lisanne MittmanThe N"The Un-Party"Imagination MoversWritten by Scott C. Gray & Rick GitelsonDisney Channel
Long Form or Special Title Series Writers Network"Polar Bears"The Naked Brothers BandWritten by Polly DraperNickelodeon
Documentary
Current events Title Series Writers Network"Bush's War: Part One"FrontlineWritten by Michael KirkPBSDepression: Out of the ShadowsWritten by Larkin McPheePBS"Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial"NOVAWritten by Joseph McMasterPBS"Rules of Engagement"FrontlineWritten by Arun RathPBS"The Medicated Child"FrontlineWritten by Marcela GaviriaPBS
Other than current events Title Series Writers NetworkAndrew Jackson: Good, Evil, and the PresidencyWritten by Carl BykerPBS"Kit Carson"American ExperienceWritten by Michelle FerrariPBS "Secrets of the Parthenon"NOVAWritten by Gary GlassmanPBSEpisode Two: "The Best of Times, The Worst of Times (1924-1945),"The Jewish AmericansWritten by David GrubinPBSThe Truth about CancerWritten by Linda GarmonPBS
News
Regularly scheduled, bulletin, or breaking report Title Series Writers NetworkABC Weekend NewsJoel Siegel, Karen Mooney, and David MuirABC"Up to the Minute"CBS NewsMatt NelkoCBS
Analysis, feature, or commentary Title Series Writers Network"Exonerated"60 MinutesTom Anderson and Jenny DubinCBS"Show Me the Love: Amazing Pen Pal Connection"Good Morning AmericaRaquel HeckerABC"The Warren Buffett Challenge: Are the Rich Taxed Enough?"Good Morning AmericaLisa FerriABC"Yankee Stadium and the New Gilded Age"Bill Moyers JournalBill Moyers & Michael WinshipPBS
Video games
Videogame Writing Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Haden Blackman, Shawn Pitman, John Stafford and Cameron Suey Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Writer Haris Orkin, story producer Mical Pedriana Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble! - Writing Keith Nemitz, additional writing Adrianne Ambrose Fallout 3 - Lead Writer Emil Pagliarulo, quest writing Erik J. Caponi, Brian Chapin, Jon Paul Duvall, Kurt Kuhlmann, Alan Nanes, Bruce Nesmith and Fred Zeleny, additional quest writing Nate Ellis, William Killeen, Mark Nelson and Justin McSweeney Tomb Raider: Underworld - Story Eric Lindstrom and Toby Gard, screenplay Eric Lindstrom
Paul Selwin Civil Rights Award Dustin Lance Black, "to the member whose script best embodies the spirit of constitutional and civil rights and liberties."
References
2. † indicates the winners of the Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay.
External links