First up this week, the best precursor to determine the writing awards is the Writer's Guild Awards ... perhaps. The WGA winners were announced this past weekend ...
Winners of the 53rd Annual Writers Guild Awards
Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:
YOU CAN COUNT ON ME, Written by Kenneth Lonergan
Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published:
TRAFFIC, Screenplay by Stephen Gaghan, Based on the British series Traffik created by Simon Moore
I think this cements in the choice of Traffic for the Best Adapted Screenplay prize, plus since it's seeming more and more obvious that it will not win Best Picture, this will be the Academy's way of honoring that truly landmark film. The Original Screenplay award going to You Can Count On Me however, may not be the best bellwether for who wins the Oscar. It was not entirely unexpected from just a membership of peer writers that Ken Lonergan's wonderfully written screenplay would win.
The voting will be different at the Academy Awards though ... everyone will be voting on this category, and I still think Almost Famous has to be considered the front runner, as again, the writing categories will act as consolation prizes for two otherwise overlooked films amongst all the Gladiator and Crouching Tiger hoopla.
In other precursor news, the Producer's Guild of America presented their Best Produced Feature award to Gladiator, cementing it home even further that it will be the big winner come Oscar Night.
Now onto Oscar news ... The Beverly Hilton will once again serve as the venue for the Academy's annual Nominees Luncheon this coming Monday. Approximately 100 of the people nominated for Oscars this year from all 23 categories will gather at noon for the traditional pre-Awards lunch. This year will mark the 20th annual edition of the event.
In other Oscar telecast news, Michael Shapiro has been named producer of special segments for the 73rd Academy Awards. This year, Shapiro will create a special piece of film for the Oscar telecast as well as the traditional "In Memoriam" segment, which looks back at those in the film community who have died since the last Academy Awards.
The latest issue of Premiere magazine, as they have traditionally done the past few years, contains a fascinating behind the scenes look at the previous year's Oscar telecast ... you can read all about Richard and Lili Zanuck and their producing stories from last year's telecast, as well as Jack Nicholson's reaction when he arrived in the auditorium and peered into the orchestra pit, expecting to see a full piece orchestra! The Premiere Oscar articles are always fascinating to read, as they offer insight we usually do not hear about.
