The 62nd Writers Guild of America Awards honored the best film, television, and videogame writers of 2009. Winners were announced on February 20, 2010.
Nominees Names in bold denote the winners.
Film Best Adapted Screenplay Crazy Heart Julie & Julia Precious: Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire † Star Trek Up in the Air
Best Original Screenplay (500) Days of Summer Avatar The Hangover The Hurt Locker † A Serious Man
Best Documentary Feature Screenplay Against the Tide – Richard Trank; based on original material written by Richard Trank and Rabbi Marvin Hier Capitalism: A Love Story – Michael Moore The Cove – Mark Monroe Earth Days – Robert Stone Good Hair – Chris Rock, Jeff Stilson, Lance Crouther, and Chuck Sklar Soundtrack for a Revolution – Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman
Television Dramatic Series Title Writers NetworkBreaking BadSam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, George Mastras, J. Roberts, John Shiban, and Moira Walley-BeckettAMCDexterScott Buck, Charles H. Eglee, Lauren Gussis, Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, Melissa Rosenberg, Timothy Schlattman, and Wendy WestShowtimeFriday Night LightsBridget Carpenter, Kerry Ehrin, Ron Fitzgerald, Brent Fletcher, Etan Frankel, Jason Gavin, Elizabeth Heldens, David Hudgins, Rolin Jones, Jason Katims, Patrick Massett, Derek Santos Olson, and John ZinmanNBCLostCarlton Cuse, Adam Horowitz, Melinda Hsu Taylor, Edward Kitsis, Damon Lindelof, Greggory Nations, Kyle Pennington, Elizabeth Sarnoff, Brian K. Vaughan, and Paul ZbyszewskiABCMad MenLisa Albert, Andrew Colville, Kater Gordon, Cathryn Humphris, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Brett Johnson, Erin Levy, Marti Noxon, Frank Pierson, Robin Veith, Dahvi Waller, and Matthew WeinerAMC
Comedy Series Title Writers Network30 RockJack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Vali Chandrasekaran, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Steve Hely, Matt Hubbard, Dylan Morgan, Paula Pell, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, Josh Siegal, Ron Weiner, and Tracey WigfieldNBCCurb Your EnthusiasmLarry DavidHBOGleeIan Brennan, Brad Falchuk, and Ryan MurphyFoxModern FamilyPaul Corrigan, Sameer Gardezi, Joe Lawson, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O'Shannon, Brad Walsh, Caroline Williams, Bill Wrubel, and Danny ZukerABCThe OfficeJennifer Celotta, Danny Chun, Greg Daniels, Lee Eisenberg, Anthony Q. Farrell, Brent Forrester, Dan Goor, Charlie Grandy, Mindy Kaling, Ryan Koh, Lester Lewis, Paul Lieberstein, Warren Lieberstein, B. J. Novak, Michael Schur, Aaron Shure, Justin Spitzer, Gene Stupnitsky, and Halsted SullivanNBC
New Series Title Writers NetworkGleeIan Brennan, Brad Falchuk, and Ryan MurphyFoxThe Good WifeAngela Amato Velez, Corinne Brinkerhoff, Ted Humphrey, Dee Johnson, Todd E. Kessler, Michelle King, and Robert KingCBSHungColette Burson, Ellie Herman, Emily Kapnek, Brett C. Leonard, Dmitry Lipkin, and Angela RobinsonHBOModern FamilyPaul Corrigan, Sameer Gardezi, Joe Lawson, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O'Shannon, Brad Walsh, Caroline Williams, Bill Wrubel, and Danny ZukerABCNurse JackieTaii K. Austin, Liz Brixius, Rick Cleveland, Evan Dunsky, Nancy Fichman, Liz Flahive, Jennifer Hoppe, Mark Hudis, John Hilary Shepherd, Linda Wallem, and Christine ZanderShowtime
Episodic Drama Title Series Writers Network"Broken"HouseDavid Foster, Russel Friend, Garrett Lerner, and David ShoreFox"Come, Ye Saints"Big LoveMelanie MarnichHBO"The Grown-Ups" Mad MenBrett Johnson and Matthew Weiner AMC"Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency"Robin Veith and Matthew Weiner"I Will Rise Up"True BloodNancy OliverHBO"Phoenix"Breaking BadJohn ShibanAMC
Episodic Comedy Title Series Writers Network"Apollo, Apollo"30 RockRobert Carlock NBC"Broke"The OfficeCharlie Grandy"Chapter 1"Eastbound & DownJody Hill, Ben Best, and Danny R. McBrideHBO"Gossip"The OfficePaul LiebersteinNBC"Pilot"Modern FamilySteven Levitan and Christopher LloydABC"Reunion"30 RockMatt HubbardNBC
Long Form – Original Title Writers NetworkGeorgia O'KeeffeMichael CristoferLifetimeGrey GardensTeleplay by Michael Sucsy and Patricia Rozema; Story by Michael SucsyHBOPedroScreenplay by Dustin Lance Black; Story by Paris Barclay and Dustin Lance BlackMTV
Long Form – Adaptation Title Writers NetworkAmericaTeleplay by Joyce Eliason and Rosie O'Donnell, Based upon the novel by E.R. FrankLifetimeTaking ChanceTeleplay by Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.) and Ross Katz, Based on the short story by Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.)HBO
Animation Title Series Writers Network"The Burns and the Bees" The SimpsonsStephanie Gillis Fox"Eeny Teeny Maya Moe"John Frink"Gone Maggie Gone"Billy Kimball and Ian Maxtone-Graham"Take My Life, Please"Don Payne"Wedding for Disaster"The SimpsonsJoel H. Cohen
Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) Series Title Writers NetworkThe Colbert ReportHead Writers Barry Julien, Thomas Purcell, Writers Michael Brumm, Stephen Colbert, Richard Dahm, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Peter Grosz, Peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Opus Moreschi, Meredith Scardino, Allison Silverman, and Max Werner Comedy CentralThe Daily Show with Jon StewartHead Writer Steve Bodow, Writers Rory Albanese, Rachel Axler, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist, Tim Carvell, Wyatt Cenac, Hallie Haglund, J.R. Havlan, DJ Javerbaum, J. R. Havlan, David Javerbaum, Elliott Kalan, Josh Lieb, Sam Means, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Daniel Radosh, Jason Ross, and Jon StewartReal Time with Bill MaherHead writer: Billy Martin, Writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Jonathan Schmock, and Danny VermontHBOSaturday Night LiveHead Writer: Seth Meyers, Writers: Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Alex Baze, Jessica Conrad, James Downey, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, John Lutz, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Paula Pell, Simon Rich, Marika Sawyer, Akiva Schaffer, John Solomon, Emily Spivey, Kent Sublette, Jorma Taccone, and Bryan Tucker; Additional Sketches by Adam McKay and Andrew Steele NBCThe Tonight Show with Conan O'BrienHead Writer: Mike Sweeney, Writers Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Kevin Dorff, Andres du Bouchet, Michael Gordon, Berkley Johnson, Brian Kiley, Rob Kutner, Todd Levin, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Matt O'Brien, Andy Richter, Brian Stack, and Andrew Weinberg
Comedy/Variety – Music, Awards, Tributes – Specials
Title Writers Network25th Independent Spirit AwardsBilly Kimball and Neal MacLennanAMC / IFCWe Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln MemorialGeorge Stevens Jr., Michael Stevens, and Sara LukinsonHBO
Daytime Serials
Title Writers NetworkAll My ChildrenJeff Beldner, Joanna Cohen, Kate Hall, Chip Hayes, Michelle Patrick, Charles Pratt Jr., Rebecca Taylor, Tracey Thomson, and Addie WalshABCAs the World TurnsPeter Brash, Lisa Connor, Susan Dansby, Cheryl L. Davis, Leah Laiman, David A. Levinson, Leslie Nipkow, Jean Passanante, Gordon Rayfield, and Courtney SimonCBSOne Life to LiveShelly Altman, Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, Aida Croal, Carolyn Culliton, Janet Iacobuzio, Frederick Johnson, Sharon Lennon, Elizabeth Page, Melissa Salmons, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, and Chris Van EttenABCThe Young and the RestlessAmanda L. Beall, Tom Casiello, Lisa Connor, Janice Ferri Esser, Eric Freiwald, Jay Gibson, Scott Hamner, Marla Kanelos, Beth Milstein, Natalie Minardi Slater, Melissa Salmons, Linda Schreiber, James Stanley, Sandra Weintraub, and Teresa ZimmermanCBS
Children's Episodic and Specials Title Series Writers Network"A Monster Problem"Imagination MoversRandi Barnes, Rick Gitelson, and Scott GrayDisney Channel"Frankly, It's Becoming a Habitat"Sesame StreetJoseph MazzarinoPBS"Mouse and Home"Imagination MoversMichael G. Stern, Randi Barnes, Rick Gitelson, and Scott GrayDisney Channel"The Rival"True Jackson, VPDan Kopelman Nickelodeon"Welcome to the Jungle"The TroopMax Burnett"Wild Nature Survivor Guy"Sesame StreetChristine FerraroPBS
Long Form or Special Title Writers NetworkAnother Cinderella StoryWritten by Erik Patterson and Jessica ScottABC Family
Documentary Current events Title Series Writers Network"Black Money" FrontlineLowell Bergman and Oriana Zill de Granados PBS"Heat"Martin Smith"The Hugo Chávez Show"Ofra Bikel"Inside the Meltdown"Michael Kirk"The Madoff Affair"FrontlineMarcela Gaviria and Martin Smith"Poisoned Waters"FrontlineHedrick Smith and Rick Young
Other than Current Events Title Series Writers Network"The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln"American ExperienceWritten by Barak Goodman PBS"Episode Two: 1890–1915: The Last Refuge"The National Parks: America's Best IdeaWritten by Dayton Duncan"The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer"American ExperienceWritten by David GrubinSoul of a People: Writing America's StoryWritten by David A. Taylor, Olive Emma Bucklin, and Andrea KalinSmithsonian Channel"We Shall Remain: Episode Three: Trail of Tears" American ExperienceWritten by Mark Zwonitzer PBS"We Shall Remain: Episode Two: Tecumseh's Vision"Written by Ric Burns
News Regularly scheduled, bulletin, or breaking report Title Series Writers NetworkCBS Evening NewsJoe Clines, Jerry Cipriano, and Jared Crawford CBSRecession CandyR. Polly LeiderWorld News with Charles GibsonLee Kamlet, Julia Kathan, and Joel SiegelABC
Analysis, Feature, or Commentary Title Series Writers Network"All Night Long"Good Morning AmericaMary PflumABC"A Private War: Expose: America's Investigative Reports"Bill Moyers JournalThomas M. Jennings PBS"Election Day"Bill Moyers JournalBill Moyers and Michael Winship"Financial Fingers"CBS NewsR. Polly LeiderCBS"The Words That Won the White House"Good Morning AmericaLisa FerriABC
Radio Documentary 2008 Year in Review – Written by Gail Lee; CBS
News – Regularly Scheduled or Breaking So Many Goodbyes – Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio WCBS News Radio – Written by Robert Hawley; CBS Radio World News This Week − July 11, 2009 – Written by Darren Reynolds; ABC Radio
News – Analysis, Feature or Commentary Black History Month – Written by Arleen Lebe; CBS Radio End of Summer – Written by Duane Tollison; CBS Radio Farewells – Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio Paul Harvey: An American Life – Written by Stu Chamberlain; ABC Radio
Promotional Writing and Graphic Animation On-Air Promotion (Radio or Television) How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Promo Process – Written by Michelle Straebler; WNBC "Vegas" (Dateline), "The Wanted" Promo, NBC Nightly News Promo, "Iran" (Dateline), "Cheat" (Dateline) – Written by Barry Fitzsimmons; NBC
Television Graphic Animation "Hudson Splashdown" (CBS Evening News with Katie Couric) – Written by David M. Rosen and Shannon L. Toma; CBS
Video games Videogame Writing Assassin's Creed II – Story by Corey May, Script Writers Corey May, Joshua Rubin, Jeffrey Yohalem; Ubisoft Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – Written by Jesse Stern; Additional Writing Steve Fukuda; Story by Todd Alderman, Steve Fukuda, Mackey McCandlish, Zied Rieke, Jesse Stern, Jason West, Battlechatter Dialogue, and Sean Slayback; Activision Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – Written by Amy Hennig; Sony Computer Entertainment Wet – Written by Duppy Demetrius and Bethesda Softworks X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Written by Marc Guggenheim; Activision
References
3. † indicates the winners of the Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay.
External links WGA.org