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EMMYS: The Writers Race

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Sunday August 26, 2012 @ 8:00pm PDTTags: Awardsline, Emmys, TV, Writers

Ray Richmond is an AwardsLine contributor

This year’s crop of Emmy nominees in writing for drama series, comedy series, and movie/miniseries/special include a good mix of first-time nominees, including Lena Dunham for HBO’s Girls and Amy Poehler for NBC’s Parks and Recreation. But the real question is, which of the three writing noms that AMC’s Mad Men earned will turn into a statuette at this year’s ceremony? What follows is our handicap of everyone’s chances:

COMEDY SERIES

Chris McKenna Community, “Remedial Chaos Theory” (NBC)

Lena Dunham Girls, “Pilot” (HBO)

Louis C.K. Louie, “Pregnant” (FX)

Amy Poehler Parks and Recreation, “The Debate” (NBC)

Michael Schur Parks and Recreation, “Win, Lose or Draw” (NBC)

What really distinguishes the category this time is the rare presence of two women here: indie film prodigy Dunham for the Girls pilot and Poehler for the Parks and Recreation episode “The Debate.” It’s exceedingly rare to have two females in the comedy writing lineup in the same Emmy year. In fact, the last time it happened was 2002, when Jennifer Crittenden landed a nom for Everybody Loves Raymond and Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky were honored for Sex and the City

Related: EMMYS: The Directors Race READ MORE »

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Lily Collins, Kristen Bell Among Additions To ‘Writers’ Pic

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday March 6, 2012 @ 12:20pm PSTTags: Kristen Bell, Lily Collins, Writers

Lily Collins WritersKristen BellLily Collins, Logan Lerman, Nat Wolff, Liana Liberato, and Kristen … Read More »

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Emmy Countdown: Writers Honor Their Own At TV Academy Bash

By PETE HAMMOND | Friday September 16, 2011 @ 2:38pm PDTTags: 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards, Boardwalk Empire, Elisabeth Moss, Jon Hamm, Mad Men, Matt Weiner, Modern Family, Writers
Pete Hammond

Thursday night’s lively Emmy-nominee cocktail reception for the writers branch at the Television Academy was the 20th nightly peer group gathering taking place there during the past month, “an incredible pre-Emmy marathon,” said writers branch co-governor Margaret Nagle, who gave special mention to the Academy’s Barbara Chase for organizing each of the events.

The Academy transformed the interior lobby of the Goldenson Theatre into something that looked like a New Orleans bordello — “What better setting than to celebrate writing, the world’s true oldest profession,” said one wag –  and there was an elaborate setup outside as well in the plaza area for nominated and non-nominated writers to network and talk business.

Midway through, guests and nominees were shepherded inside the massive 600-seat theater for a breezy clip reel showcasing all the noms from the five writing categories and then the presentation of nominee certificates presided over by the evening’s host, The Office‘s Kate Flannery. The event made everyone feel like a winner before Sunday night, when the majority of them will become “losers.” Read More »

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DreamWorks Animation Looks To Develop Penguins Movie

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday March 29, 2011 @ 3:11pm PDTTags: DreamWorks Animation, Writers

It wasn’t on DreamWorks Animation’s updated release slate that came out earlier this month (that ends with How To Train Your Dragon 2 in June 2014), but Megamind writers Brent Simons and Alan J. Schoolcraft have been tapped to develop a movie starring the penguins from the studio’s Madagascar … Read More »

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MERGER WORRIES: WGAW Complains To FCC That Comcast-NBCU Threatens Competition & Content Diversity

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Monday June 21, 2010 @ 4:31pm PDTTags: Comcast-NBCU Merger, FCC, Movies, Regulation, TV, WGA, Writers

WGAW-LogoWashington, DC – The Writers Guild of America, West called on regulators today to impose strict guidelines on the proposed merger of Comcast-NBCU in order to protect competition, ensure the value of creative product, and to promote broadcast and cable

… Read More »

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WGAW’s 2010 Election Board Candidates

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Monday June 21, 2010 @ 3:18pm PDTTags: WGA, Writers

WGAW-LogoLOS ANGELES – The Writers Guild of America, West’s Nominating Committee has announced its initial list of candidates for the 2010 Board of Directors election.

There are 18 candidates nominated to run for eight open seats on the WGAW’s Board of

… Read More »

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WGA Approves Credit Revision Proposals

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Friday June 18, 2010 @ 4:09pm PDTTags: Directors, Producers, Scripts, WGA, Writers
Mike Fleming



WGAE president Michael Winship and WGAW president John Wells announced that members overwhelmingly approved amendments to the Screen and Television Credits Manuals that make it easier for hyphenates to get screen credit. On the movie side, 85.7% of membership (1237 … Read More »

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WHERE’S MY SCRIPT?! Warner Bros Cracks Down On Screenwriter’s Late Delivery Dates

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Friday June 18, 2010 @ 1:31pm PDTTags: Development, Scripts, Studios, Writers
Mike Fleming

barton_finkEXCLUSIVE: In a move that has writers and their reps buzzing, Warner Bros has just put out word that it will start to enforce delivery dates on first screenplay drafts. That means writers who signed contracts had better deliver on time, or risk the wrath of the studio. Deadlines are rarely enforced by studios, under the “better late and great” rationale. Writers function better under deadline, but scribes say procrastination isn’t the reason they fall behind on delivery dates. Low to mid-level writers are double-booking to make ends meet in an age when studios routinely slash writer quotes and offer one-step deals that leave scribes wondering if they’ll be jobless in three months. Some writers saw the Warner Bros move as another example of Read More »

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Chris Hart Heading To UTA; Agency Gets Back Client Duo Lost To WME 6 Months Ago

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Friday June 18, 2010 @ 12:55pm PDTTags: Agents, Directors, Writers

United TalentI hear that Chris Hart, whose contract was coming up at ICM and signaled he wanted to leave, is UTA-bound. Meanwhile, I’ve learned about an interesting tiff between UTA and WME — or, more specifically, Jim Berkus and … Read More »

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‘Fanboys’ Scripter Makes Fat Book Deal

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday June 17, 2010 @ 5:41pm PDTTags: Books, Publishing, Rights, Writers
Mike Fleming

Fanboys screenwriter Ernie Cline scored a mid-six figure advance from Random House for North American rights to Ready Player One, his debut young adult novel. International rights are being shopped, and the movie crowd will be kicking the tires on it starting tomorrow Farah Films & Management’s Dan Farah and … Read More »

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‘Bree Tanner’ Set For Year’s UK Bestseller

By TIM ADLER in London | Thursday June 17, 2010 @ 5:07am PDTTags: Books, Finance, Foreign, Publishing, Writers

Bree TannerPublisher Little, Brown tells me Stephenie Meyer’s novella “for the fans” has sold 226,589 copies so far in the UK. Waterstones, the largest bookshop chain, expects it to be the biggest-selling book of the year.

The £11:99 ($17.8) Twilight novella … Read More »

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WGA East Unveils Candidates For 2010 Council Election

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Monday June 14, 2010 @ 7:48pm PDTTags: Guilds, WGA, Writers
Mike Fleming

Print

NEW YORK CITY – The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) announced the nominees for its Council (order determined by lot*) today. The term is for two years: 2010 – 2012. There are 10 open Council seats (six Freelance

… Read More »

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HBO Developing Female Orgasm Comedy

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday June 11, 2010 @ 11:16am PDTTags: Books, Cable, Comedy, TV, Writers
Nellie Andreeva

ns-outloud30_cov_0500412771EXCLUSIVE (Updated with a mini Q&A with Mara Altman): HBO is developing a comedy about a young woman’s quest to achieve the female orgasm. No, this is not a Sex and the City spinoff about Samantha’s twenties. The pay cable network … Read More »

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‘Long Way Down’ Producers Pick Own Writer For Edinburgh Masterclass

By TIM ADLER in London | Thursday June 10, 2010 @ 8:03am PDTTags: Books, Foreign, Movies, Producers, Writers

TypewriterFinola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, co-organisers of next week’s scriptwriting masterclass at the Edinburgh Film Festival, have chosen Jack Thorne to be one of the writers coached during the event. Thorne, who is adapting Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down for … Read More »

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Working Title Developing Astro Rom-Com

By TIM ADLER in London | Thursday June 10, 2010 @ 7:05am PDTTags: Books, Comedy, Foreign, Movies, Writers

Brand New MeEXCLUSIVE: The London-based production company is turning Shari Low’s bestselling chick-lit novel A Brand New Me into a romantic comedy. Mimi Hare and Clare Naylor, screenwriters of The Accidental Husband, are adapting the screenplay. Hare and Naylor … Read More »

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11 WRITERS LATER: How 20th Exec Alex Young Lost Control Of ‘The A-Team’

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Wednesday June 9, 2010 @ 7:04pm PDTTags: Movies, Studios, Summer Movies, WGA, Writers

a team poster2ND UPDATE (below): I can report exclusively that the Writers Guild recently decided the credits on The A-Team, the movie based on the ’80s TV show and opening this weekend. There were 11 screenwriters who worked on … Read More »

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Chris Moynihan Inks Deal At ABC Studios

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday June 9, 2010 @ 5:29pm PDTTags: Networks, Producers, Scripts, Studios, TV, Writers
Nellie Andreeva

Moynihan_WM88616107_150x200EXCLUSIVE: 100 Questions creator Christopher Moynihan has inked a two-script deal with ABC Studios to write and executive produce two comedy projects for the studio. The projects will be co-produced by Tagline Pictures whose sister management company Thruline Entertainment manages Moynihan. … Read More »

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Universal Returns Tony Gilroy To ‘Bourne 4′

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Wednesday June 9, 2010 @ 3:07pm PDTTags: Actors, Movies, Studios, Writers

bourne4Well, I’m excited by this breaking news. Universal is bringing back what it’s calling “the key screenwriter” behind the Bourne franchise to write the treatment for the fourquel, whose working title is the The Bourne Legacy. And he’s also writing what studio insiders … Read More »

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Award-Winning Playwright Pens Biopic

By TIM ADLER in London | Wednesday June 9, 2010 @ 10:59am PDTTags: Foreign, Movies, Scripts, Sports, Writers

Laurie CunninghamKwame Kwei-Armah, the BAFTA-nominated TV scriptwriter, has turned to the big screen. Kwei-Armah is writing Black Flash, a biopic of 70s soccer star Laurie Cunningham for production company Fulwell 73. Cunningham was the first black player to represent England … Read More »

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