USC Scripter Awards honor "Dopesick", Dune", "Passing" and more...

by Nathaniel R

The USC Scripter Awards are an annual event that is a gala fundraiser for the USC Libraries. The nominations are chosen by committee. They specifically honor the adaptations of printed works as well as the original authors. As such it's usually novels and plays that are honored. We're thrilled that Rebecca Hall's smart adaptation of Passing finally got some love. We don't know if West Side Story was ineligible but given that it's primarily canon due to its incredible musical score, it might not have felt literary enough in its original form to qualify? The nominations for film and television are after the jump...

FILM NOMINEES

• Dune (screenwriters Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve)
  Based on the novel of the same name (author Frank Herbert)
• The Lost Daughter (screenwriter Maggie Gyllenhaal)
  Based on the novel of the same name (author Elena Ferrante)
• Passing (screenwriter Rebecca Hall)
  Based on the novel of the same name (author Nella Larsen)
• The Power of the Dog (screenwriter Jane Campion)
  Based on the novel of the same name (author Thomas Savage)
• The Tragedy of Macbeth (screenwriter Joel Coen)
  Based on the play Macbeth (playwright William Shakespeare)

The winner of this prize goes on to the Oscar win about half the time... though the last time they aligned was Call Me Your Name (2017). We can't imagine Tony Kushner's take on West Side Story will be denied an Oscar nomination and we think Drive My Car is a threat to the shortlist as well so at least one but maybe two of these films will have to go. Our updated Oscar chart for screenplays. 

TV NOMINEES

• Dopesick episode “The People vs. Purdue Pharma” (writer Danny Strong)
  Based on the nonfiction book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company That Addicted America (author Beth Macy)
• Maid episode “Dollar Store” (writer Molly Smith Metzler)
  Based on the memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive (author Stephanie Land)
• Station Eleven episode “Wheel of Fire” (writer Patrick Somerville)
  Based on the novel Station Eleven (author Emily St. John Mandel)
• The Underground Railroad episode “Indiana Winter” (writer Barry Jenkins)
  Based on the novel The Underground Railroad (author Colson Whitehead)
• WandaVision episode “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience” (writer Jac Schaeffer)
  Based on Marvel Comics (characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)

Comments

[Frank Zappa]

It would have been historic if they'd nominated Kushner, since they've never nominated a musical. Ah, well...

[ScottC]

Pulling for Hall. Honestly kind of surprised that Dune made this list.