2009 Emmy® Nods for Writing

The 61st Annual Emmy® Nominations were announced this morning. Below, are the writing nominees:

Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming
American Experience • The Trials Of J. Robert Oppenheimer • PBS
Writer: David Grubin

American Masters • Jerome Robbins: Something To Dance About • PBS
Writer: Amanda Vaill

Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business Of America • When I'm Bad, I'm Better—The Groundbreakers • PBS
Writers: Michael Kantor, Laurence Maslon

Penn & Teller: Bullshit! • New Age Medicine • Showtime
Writers: Penn Jillette, Teller, Star Price, Rich Nathanson, Michael Goudeau,
David Wechter, Cliff Schoenberg, Sheryl Zohn

Roman Polanski: Wanted And Desired • HBO
Writers: Joe Bini, P.G. Morgan, Marina Zenovich


Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Flight Of The Conchords • Prime Minister • HBO
Writers: James Bobin, Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie

30 Rock • Reunion • NBC
Writer: Matt Hubbard

30 Rock • Apollo, Apollo • NBC
Writer: Robert Carlock

30 Rock • Mamma Mia • NBC
Writer: Ron Weiner

30 Rock • Kidney Now! • NBC
Writers: Jack Burditt, Robert Carlock


Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Lost • The Incident • ABC
Writers: Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof

Mad Men • A Night To Remember • AMC
Writers: Robin Veith, Matthew Weiner

Mad Men • Six Month Leave • AMC
Writers: Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Matthew Weiner

Mad Men • The Jet Set • AMC
Writer: Matthew Weiner

Mad Men • Meditations In An Emergency • AMC
Writers: Kater Gordon, Matthew Weiner


Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
The Colbert Report • Comedy Central
Writers: Stephen Colbert, Allison Silverman, Richard Dahm, Michael Brumm, Rob Dubbin, Opus Moreschi, Peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Tom Purcell, Glenn Eichler, Peter Grosz, Barry Julien, Meredith Scardino, Writer

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Head Writer: Steve Bodow
Writers: Jon Stewart, David Javerbaum, Josh Lieb, Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Jason Ross, Tim Carvell, John Oliver, Sam Means, Rob Kutner, J.R. Havlan, Rich Blomquist, Wyatt Cenac, Elliott Kalan, Rachel Axler

Late Night With Conan O'Brien • NBC
Head Writer: Mike Sweeney
Writers: Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Dan Cronin, Kevin Dorff, Andres du Bouchet, Michael Gordon, Berkley Johson, Brian Kiley, Todd Levin, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Matt O'Brien, Brian Stack, Andrew Weinberg

Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Head Writer: 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, David Letterman

Saturday Night Live • NBC
Head 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, Bryan Tucker

Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Special
81st Annual Academy Awards • ABC
Writers: Jon Macks, Jenny Bicks, Bill Condon, John Hoffman, Phil Alden Robinson, Bruce Vilanch
Special Material Written By: Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab, Ben Schwartz, Joel Stein

Chris Rock - Kill The Messenger • HBO
Writer: Chris Rock

Louis C.K.: Chewed Up • Showtime
Writer: Louis CK

Ricky Gervais: Out Of England – The Stand-Up Special • HBO
Writer: Ricky Gervais

Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W. Bush • HBO
Writer: Will Ferrell


Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
Generation Kill • Bomb In The Garden • HBO
Writer: David Simon

Grey Gardens • HBO
Writers: Michael Sucsy, Patricia Rozema

Into The Storm • HBO
Writer: Hugh Whitemore

Little Dorrit • PBS
Writer: Andrew Davies

Taking Chance • HBO
Writers: LtCol Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.), Ross Katz


The Emmy Awards Winners will be announced on Sunday, September 20th. For a complete list of Emmy Nominations, go to www.emmys.org.

Film Independent Announces Line-Up for 2009 LA Film Festival

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced the official selections for the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Film Festival will run from Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 28. Now in its 15th year, the Los Angeles Film Festival is widely recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to some of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world.

The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries.For the first time this year, international films will be included in the narrative and documentary competition categories.

“The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival is a celebration of culture, cinema and community: a festival where everyday movie lovers can see films they otherwise might not see, hear first-hand from the artists and filmmakers that inspire them, and get a sneak peek at the great movies of the summer,” said Los Angeles Film Festival Director Rebecca Yeldham. “It’s a beautiful program, and I can’t wait to share it with our audiences.”

“We’re very proud to be sharing a collection of outstanding work with the Los Angeles public this year,” said Los Angeles Film Festival Director of Programming Rachel Rosen. “Whether it’s discovering exciting new filmmaking talent, seeing an anticipated film from a favorite director, or getting an in-depth look at a beloved classic, audiences have a range of unique film experiences to choose from in the Festival slate.”

“Our goal at Film Independent is to represent the breadth of stories being told and to reflect the issues that are happening on a local and global level through the art of cinema,” said Dawn Hudson, Executive Director of Film Independent. “With the Los Angeles Film Festival, we at Film Independent further support our year-round work of cultivating a community of filmmakers and filmgoers alike.”

Universal Pictures’ action-thriller Public Enemies will screen as the Centerpiece Premiere at this year’s Festival. Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard in the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Depp)--the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the public.

The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen more than 70 feature films, 70 shorts, and 50 music videos.

Narrative Competition (7):

The Narrative Competition is comprised of films made by talented emerging filmmakers that compete for the Target Filmmaker Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Target. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors. Films in this section are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.

• Dear Lemon Lima, Suzi Yoonessi – WORLD PREMIERE

• Harmony & Me, Bob Byington

• Hollywood, je t’aime, Jason Bushman – WORLD PREMIERE

• Passenger Side, Matt Bissonnette – Canada - WORLD PREMIERE

• Turistas, Alicia Scherson – Chile – U.S. PREMIERE

• Wa Do Dem (What They Do), Sam Fleischner, Ben Chace – WORLD PREMIERE

• Zero Bridge, Tariq Tapa – USA/India – U.S. PREMIERE

Documentary Competition (7):

The Documentary Competition is comprised of films made by talented emerging filmmakers that compete for the Target Documentary Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Target. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors. Films in this section are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.

• After the Storm, Hilla Medalia – WORLD PREMIERE

• Bananas!*, Fredrik Gertten - Sweden – WORLD PREMIERE

• Branson, Brent Meeske – WORLD PREMIERE

• Convention, AJ Schnack

• The Last Beekeeper, Jeremy Simmons

• October Country, Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher – WORLD PREMIERE

• Those Who Remain, Juan Carlos Rulfo, Carlos Hagerman – Mexico - U.S. PREMIERE

International Showcase (21):

The International Showcase highlights innovative independent narrative and documentary features from outside of the United States. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

• Adhen, Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche – France/Algeria

• Autumn, Özcan Alper – Turkey

• Birdwatchers, Marco Bechis – Italy/Brazil (IFC Festival Direct)

• Bronson, Nicolas Winding Refn – England (Magnolia Pictures)

• Calimucho, Eugenie Jansen – Netherlands

• Call If You Need Me, James Lee – Malaysia – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

• Carmen Meets Borat, Mercedes Stalenhoef – Netherlands

• City of Borders, Yun Suh – Israel

• Elementary Training for Actors, Martín Rejtman – Argentina – INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE

• Extraordinary Stories, Mariano Llinás – Argentina

• High-Rise, Gabriel Mascaro – Brazil – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

• Los Bastardos, Amat Escalante – Mexico (Kino International)

• Mid-August Lunch, Gianni di Gregorio – Italy

• My Dear Enemy, Lee Yoon-ki – South Korea

• Our Beloved Month of August, Miguel Gomes – Portugal/France

• The Queen and I, Nahid Persson Sarvestani – Sweden (7th Art Releasing)

• Sacred Places, Jean-Marie Téno – France/Cameroon

• Stella, Sylvie Verheyde – France

• Unmade Beds, Alexis Dos Santos – England (IFC Festival Direct)

• A Week Alone, Celina Murga – Argentina

• West of Pluto, Henry Bernadet, Myriam Verreault – Canada

Summer Showcase (11):

The Summer Showcase section offers an advance look at this summer’s most talked about independent film releases from the festival circuit. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

• 35 Shots of Rum, Claire Denis – France (Cinema Guild)

• Big River Man, John Maringouin

• Cold Souls, Sophie Barthes (Samuel Goldwyn Films)

• Facing Ali, Pete McCormack (Lionsgate)

• Humpday, Lynn Shelton (Magnolia Pictures)

• In the Loop, Armando Iannucci – England (IFC Films)

• It Might Get Loud, Davis Guggenheim (Sony Pictures Classics)

• No Impact Man, Laura Gabbert & Justin Schein

• Paper Heart, Nicholas Jasenovec (Overture Films)

• Still Walking, Hirokazu Kore-eda – Japan (IFC Films)

• We Live in Public, Ondi Timoner

Free Screenings (8):

• Amreeka, Cherien Dabis (National Geographic Films) – Project:Involve Screening

• Crude Oil, Wang Bing – China – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

• Election, Alexander Payne (1999) – 10th Anniversary

• Ghostbusters, Ivan Reitman (1984) – 25th Anniversary

• Hot Rod Girl, Leslie H. Martinson (1956)

• How I See It: Youth Filmmaking From Streets to Streams,

• The Muppet Movie, James Frawley (1979) – 30th Anniversary

• Those Who Remain, Juan Carlos Rulfo, Carlos Hagerman – Mexico - U.S. PREMIERE

This Festival’s Opening and Closing Night Films, Guest Director, Artists in Residence, and special guests – as well as programming for the Festival Talks, Director Lunch Talks, Coffee Talks, Kodak Focus and the Financing Conference – will be announced shortly.

Passes to attend the Festival are available immediately for Film Independent members, and beginning May 18 for the general public. In addition to screenings and events, Festival passes provide access to a series of networking receptions and entry to the ZonePerfect live.create. lounge, where Festival pass holders can interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community. General admission tickets to individual films go on sale beginning May 29. Contact the Festival Ticketing Center for passes, tickets and event information by calling 866.FILM.FEST (866.345-6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com. Festival Passes and tickets can also be purchased in person beginning on Friday, June 12 at the Festival Ticketing Center located at 1038 Westwood Blvd.

For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.FilmIndependent.org.

Write On! Online Author Q&A: Dustin Lance Black

I had the opportunity to interview Oscar®-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, Milk, back in January at the Critics Choice Awards (where he won Best Writer). Since then, his screenplay—about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official—has been recognized by BAFTA, the Chicago Film Critic Association, Writers Guild of America (Best Original Screenplay as well as the Paul Selvin Honorary Award, which recognizes written work that embodies the spirit of constitutional rights and civil liberties), and others, including last weekend’s double-whammy screenwriting nods: the Film Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay and the Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay.

Read the interview, this week's Author Q&A, at Write On! Online.

The Film Independent 2009 Spirit Awards

Film Independent presented the 2009 Spirit Awards on the beach in Santa Monica on Saturday, February 21. A celebration honoring films made by filmmakers who embody independence and who dare to challenge the status quo, the Spirit Awards-- which began as a small grassroots program--has grown into one of the most anticipated events of the film year.

BEST PICTURE
The Wrestler, Producers: Darren Aronofsky and Scott Franklin

BEST DIRECTOR
Tom McCarthy, Director, The Visitor

BEST SCREENPLAY
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen

BEST FIRST FEATURE
Synecdoche, New York, Director: Charlie Kaufman, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, and Sidney Kimmel

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Milk, Writer: Dustin Lance Black

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (for the Best Feature made for under $500,000)
In Search of a Midnight Kiss, Writer/Director: Alex Holdridge, Producers: Seth Caplan and Scoot McNairy

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
James Franco, Milk

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Melissa Leo, Frozen River

BEST MALE LEAD
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Maryse Alberti, The Wrestler

BEST FOREIGN FILM
The Class, Director: Laurent Cantet

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire, James Marsh

Heather Rae, producer of Frozen River and Ibid, received the 13th annual Piaget Producers Award, which honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The winner of the Producers Award receives an unrestricted grant of $25,000 funded by Piaget.

Lynn Shelton, director of My Effortless Brilliance, won the 16th annual Acura Someone To Watch Award, a $25,000 unrestricted grant created to honor a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award is funded by Acura.

Margaret Brown, director of The Order of Myths, won the 15th annual LACOSTE Truer Than Fiction Award, presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant attention. The award is accompanied by a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by LACOSTE.

Also given was the 2nd annual Robert Altman Award, given to one film’s director, casting director, and ensemble cast. Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut Synecdoche, New York received this award, along with casting director Jeanne McCarthy, and ensemble cast members Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, and Michelle Williams.

For more information, go to http://www.spiritawards.com/.

A Healthy Energy Solution for Creative People … Started by a Creative Person

Screenwriter Declan Daly became a writer by accident.

“When I first got out of college I took a temp job working for a finance company,” he recalls. “One day, we were talking about people we dated in college. I told my story, and someone had said that it should be a movie.” The idea appealed to Daly, so he started reading screenwriting books at lunch, and then working on the screenplay when he had down time in the afternoons. He was writing a romantic comedy, and “fell in love with writing” in the process.

“I love the rush when you randomly come up with ideas that move your story forward,” he says.

At the time, Daly worked across the street from the World Trade Center. After 9/11, he realized life was too short, and left his unfulfilling finance job and did some soul searching. “I wrote a screenplay that I am currently trying to produce myself about being single in New York City. I took a temp job with an ad agency, since I was around some creative people, then ended up then at a fragrance company working as a sales analyst.”

It was during the time of writing and working full-time that Daly came up with the idea for Foculate.

“A lot of writers I knew talked about how they were so mentally fatigued by the time they had a chance to write that they ended up writing garbage,” he explains. “A lot of them would take drastic measures to try to get into the zone, such as massive amounts of coffee, prescription drugs, or a smorgasbord of herbal supplements. It just left them jittery and even in a worse state. All the energy in the world isn't any good if it isn't focused.

“It's like trying to stab a cereal box with a spoon: all the force in the world won’t pierce it,” he elaborates. “But if you use a knife when attacking a cereal box, then it's focused and much more effective.”

Daly took the idea of finding a focused, comprehensive energy supplement, and talked to some venture capitalists. “We searched out the top experts in nutrition and health. We spoke to nutritionists, doctors, herbalists, you-name-it, to finally come up with the formula to create a focused energy, without the jitters, that increases blood flow to the brain so that you are at your top capability when need be. It also has a cumulative effect so that you are much sharper the more you take it.”

So, by becoming a writer by accident, Daly helped create something for those writers who fell into the field on purpose. And, as a writer, Daly knows what writers need. “A lot of writers block is stress and anxiety, so we added some herbal ingredients so you are in a much calmer state of mind,” Daly says. “And it also infuses you with energy and focus.

“My cousin's boyfriend in Ireland is a professional screenwriter,” Daly relays. “He had a deadline for a rewrite and had horrible writers block. I sent him over a bottle and he broke through the block and said it was his best draft that he could possibly imagine.”

For more information on Foculate,
Visit: www.foculatelabs.com

WGA 2009 Award Winners

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) tonight announced the winners of the 2009 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for screen, television, radio, news, promotional, and videogame writing at simultaneous ceremonies at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.


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 and A by Vikas Swarup, Fox Searchlight Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY:
Waltz with Bashir, Written by Ari Folman, Sony Pictures Classics


TELEVISION WINNERS

DRAMATIC SERIES:
Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Jane Anderson, Rick Cleveland, Kater Gordon, David Isaacs, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Marti Noxon, Robin Veith, and Matthew Weiner; AMC

COMEDY SERIES:
30 Rock, Written by Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Andrew Guest, Matt Hubbard, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, and Ron Weiner; NBC

NEW SERIES:
In Treatment, Written by Rodrigo Garcia, Bryan Goluboff, Davey Holmes, William Merritt Johnson, Amy Lippman,and Sarah Treem; HBO

EPISODIC DRAMA – any length – one airing time:
“Pilot” (Breaking Bad), Written by Vince Gilligan; AMC

EPISODIC COMEDY – any length – one airing time:
“Succession” (30 Rock), Written by Andrew Guest & John Riggi; NBC

LONG FORM – ORIGINAL – over one hour – one or two parts, one or two airing times:
Recount, Written by Danny Strong; HBO

LONG FORM – ADAPTATION – over one hour – one or two parts, one or two airing times:
John Adams, “Episode 1, Join or Die,” Teleplay by Kirk Ellis, Based on the book by David McCullough; “Episode 2, Independence,” Teleplay by Kirk Ellis, Based on the book by David McCullough; HBO

ANIMATION – any length – one airing time
“Apocalypse Cow” (The Simpsons), Written by Jeff Westbrook; Fox

COMEDY/VARIETY – (INCLUDING TALK) SERIES:
Saturday Night Live, Head Writers Seth Meyers, Andrew Steele, Paula Pell, Writers Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Alex Baze, Jessica Conrad, James Downey, Charlie Grandy, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Paula Pell, Simon Rich, Marika Sawyer, Akiva Schaffer, Robert Smigel, John Solomon, Emily Spivey, Andrew Steele, Kent Sublette, Jorma Taccone, and Bryan Tucker, Additional Sketches by Robert Carlock; NBC

COMEDY/VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS:
2008 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Written by Billy Kimball, Aaron Lee, Jennifer Celotta,and Rainn Wilson; IFC/AMC

DAYTIME SERIALS:
As the World Turns, Written by Jean Passanante, Leah Laiman, Courtney Simon, Lisa Connor, David A. Levinson, Peter Brash, Richard Culliton, Susan Dansby, Cheryl Davis, and Leslie Nipkow; CBS


VIDEOGAME WRITING
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Writers Haden Blackman, Shawn Pitman, John Stafford and Cameron Suey, LucasArts


The Writers Guild of America, West presented special honors to: William Blinn – Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television; Dustin Lance Black (Milk) – Paul Selvin Award; Carl Reiner and Victoria Riskin – Valentine Davies Award; Larry DiTillio – Morgan Cox Award; and Suso D’Amico for the WGAW’s first-ever Jean Renoir Award for Screenwriting Achievement.

The Writers Guild of America, East presented special honors to: John Patrick Shanley - Ian McLellan Hunter Lifetime Achievement Award; Norman Stiles – Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence; The Committee To Protect Journalists accepted by Board Chairman Paul Steiger and Executive Director Joel Simon – Evelyn F. Burkey Award for contributions bringing honor and dignity to writers everywhere; Chris Albers and Tom Fontana - Jablow Award for devoted service to the Guild; and Sarah Tobianski - John Merriman Award for Study of Broadcast Journalism at American University. In addition, the Writers Guild of America, East Foundation presented the first Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting to Sara Van Acker of New York University.

For a complete list of winners and/or more information about the 2009 Writers Guild Awards, please visit www.wga.org or www.wgaeast.org.

"Starter Wife" Premieres Tonight - 10/10/08 - on USA Network

Last summer, The Starter Wife mini-series became a must-see event. This fall, with scribes Sara Parriott and Josanna McGibbon on board, USA Network hopes The Starter Wife series inspires the same must-see fever.

Check out my interview with showrunners Sara Parriott and Josanna McGibbon in September/October script magazine's "The Small Screen" column.

For more information:
www.scriptmag.com
www.usanetwork.com/series/starterwife

Also, read my guest blog about the show in The TV Guy column:
www.macon.com/thetvguy