2016 Writers Guild Awards Announced; "Spotlight," "The Big Short" Lead

The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, video game, and new media writers. The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio and has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949.

On Saturday, February 13, 2016, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced the winners for outstanding achievement in screenwriting during 2015. Winners were honored at the 2016 / 68th Writers Guild Awards at concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City.

Richard LaGravenese received the 2016 Ian McClellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement. David Crane and Marta Kauffman received the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory scribe John August received the “Valentine Davies” award which is given to a member for their humanitarian efforts. John McNamara (a WGA nominee for Trumbo) was honored with the Paul Selvin award “given to a member whose script best embodies the spirit of constitutional and civil rights and liberties that are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere” per the WGA. Arthur Sellers received the Morgan Cox award for guild service.

2016 / 68th Writers Guild Awards (for the year 2015):

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Spotlight

Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy; Open Road Films

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Big Short

Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay; Based on the Book by Michael Lewis; Paramount Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

Written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films

DRAMA SERIES

Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Semi Chellas, Jonathan Igla, Janet Leahy, Erin Levy, Tom Smuts, Robert Towne, Matthew Weiner, Carly Wray; AMC

EPISODIC DRAMA

“Uno” (Better Call Saul)

Written by Vince Gilligan & Peter Gould; AMC

COMEDY SERIES

Veep

Written by Simon Blackwell, Jon Brown, Kevin Cecil, Roger Drew, Peter Fellows, Neil Gibbons, Rob Gibbons, Sean Gray, Callie Hersheway, Armando Iannucci, Sean Love, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Andy Riley, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO

EPISODIC COMEDY

“Sand Hill Shuffle” (Silicon Valley)

Written by Clay Tarver; HBO

COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES

Real Time with Bill Maher

Writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Billy Martin, Danny Vermont; HBO

COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS

Jimmy Kimmel Live: 10th Annual After The Oscars Special

Written by Jack Allison, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Greg Dorris, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Jimmy Kimmel, Bess Kalb, Jeff Loveness, Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker, Joe Strazzullo, Bridger Winegar; ABC

COMEDY / VARIETY – SKETCH SERIES

Inside Amy Schumer

Head Writer: Jessi Klein Writers: Hallie Cantor, Kim Caramele, Kyle Dunnigan, Jon Glaser, Kurt Metzger, Christine Nangle, Dan Powell, Tami Sagher, Amy Schumer; Comedy Centraland Jimmy Kimmel Live: 10th Annual After The Oscars Special won for Comedy/Variety Special.

LONG FORM ORIGINAL

Saints & Strangers

Written by Seth Fisher, Walon Green, Chip Johannessen, Eric Overmyer; National Geographic Channel

CHILDREN’S EPISODIC

“Gortimer and the Surprise Signature” (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street)

Written by Gretchen Enders & Aminta Goyel; Amazon Studios

CHILDREN’S LONG FORM

Descendants, Written by Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott; Disney Channel

TV NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

“Cuba” (60 Minutes)

Written by Scott Pelley, Nicole Young, Oriana Zill de Granados, Andy Court and Robert Anderson; CBS News

TV NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“The Storm After the Storm” (60 Minutes)

Written by Sharyn Alfonsi, Michael Rey and Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS

“American Terrorist” (Frontline)

Written by Thomas Jennings; PBS

LONG FORM ADAPTED

Fargo

Written by Steve Blackman, Bob DeLaurentis, Noah Hawley, Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert, Based on the film Fargo; FX

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS

“The Great Math Mystery” (Nova)

Written by Daniel McCabe; PBS

DAYTIME DRAMA

General Hospital

Writers: Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, Andrea Archer Compton, Suzanne Flynn, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Jean Passanante, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Chris Van Etten; ABC

RADIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“Passages”

Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News

EPISODIC COMEDY

“Sand Hill Shuffle” (Silicon Valley)

Written by Clay Tarver; HBO

RADIO DOCUMENTARY

“Marking the End of Vietnam: 40 Years Later”

Written by Andrew Evans; ABC News Radio

ANIMATION

“Housetrap” (Bob’s Burgers)

Written by Dan Fybel; Fox

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ORIGINAL

“Back to Reality” (Weight)

Written by Daryn Strauss; weighttheseries.com

NEW SERIES

Mr. Robot

Written by Kyle Bradstreet, Kate Erickson, Sam Esmail, David Iserson, Randolph Leon, Adam Penn, Matt Pyken; USA

VIDEOGAME WRITING

Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lead Narrative Designer John Stafford; Narrative Designer Cameron Suey; Lead Writer Rhianna Pratchett; Additional Writer Philip Gelatt; Microsoft

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Hollywood Game Night

Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers: Michael Agbabian, Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter, Dwight D. Smith; NBC

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ADAPTED

“Chapter Two: Phoebe” (Heroes Reborn: Dark Matters)

Written by Zach Craley; nbc.com

ON-AIR PROMOTION (TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA OR RADIO)

“The McCarthys and Under the Dome Promos”

Written by Erial Tompkins; CBS

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