Scripts Ineligible for WGA Nomination
It might be amusing, but it's not necessarily narrow-minded, and it's arguably justified. There's no way Monahan could have written his script without the work of Mak & Chong having come before him, but the scripts are substantially different enough that it would be reasonable for WGA members to consider the adaptation award-worthy, and the original not, for reasons other than the guild status of the writers.
The situation may be similar to that of this WGA award-winner:
Airplane!
screenplay by Jim Abrahams, David and Jerry Zucker
based on the teleplay by Arthur Hailer
I prefer the honesty of a group like the WGA which limits its field of view to what its members know, than to groups that, behind a show of inclusiveness, end up picking mostly the same kinds of films anyway (out of ignorance and inertia, not malice), implying that they judge the best of all bests from a position of all-knowing wisdom. (though I won't go so far as Uri and root against foreign films in these stacked "competitions.")
Monahan won the Oscar as well, and Mak & Chong were not nominated for Infernal Affairs. (side note: they did win a few Asian awards for their script, but they lost the Golden Horse award to the script for PTU, a decision I agree with.)
The situation may be similar to that of this WGA award-winner:
Airplane!
screenplay by Jim Abrahams, David and Jerry Zucker
based on the teleplay by Arthur Hailer
I prefer the honesty of a group like the WGA which limits its field of view to what its members know, than to groups that, behind a show of inclusiveness, end up picking mostly the same kinds of films anyway (out of ignorance and inertia, not malice), implying that they judge the best of all bests from a position of all-knowing wisdom. (though I won't go so far as Uri and root against foreign films in these stacked "competitions.")
Monahan won the Oscar as well, and Mak & Chong were not nominated for Infernal Affairs. (side note: they did win a few Asian awards for their script, but they lost the Golden Horse award to the script for PTU, a decision I agree with.)
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What I find amusing about the WGA is that their designations include original source material, to whit:
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE DEPARTED, Screenplay by William Monahan, Based on the Motion Picture Infernal Affairs, Written by Alan Mak and Felix Chong, Warner Bros. Pictures
If the writers of Infernal Affairs are good enough to be singled out because their screenplay was later adapted, why wasn't the original good enough to be considered? Answer: because they didn't pay dues to the Guild. It's that kind of narrow minded thinking that forced teh DGA and SAG to modify their rules years ago.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE DEPARTED, Screenplay by William Monahan, Based on the Motion Picture Infernal Affairs, Written by Alan Mak and Felix Chong, Warner Bros. Pictures
If the writers of Infernal Affairs are good enough to be singled out because their screenplay was later adapted, why wasn't the original good enough to be considered? Answer: because they didn't pay dues to the Guild. It's that kind of narrow minded thinking that forced teh DGA and SAG to modify their rules years ago.
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Anything that crushes The King's Speech is okay in my book. :p
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Oh, sorry. Yeah, those are my predictions.
It's not their job to predict the Oscars. It's their job to honor people within the guild. Just as it's the job of the American Society of Cinematographers and the American Cinema Editors. We always complain about the Oscars being too predictable. I'm sure they do want to influence the Oscars, but let's not forget that the Oscars began as a way to honor people within their constituency. Mike Leigh isn't part of the WGA's constituency, so why would they change what they're doing?
It's not their job to predict the Oscars. It's their job to honor people within the guild. Just as it's the job of the American Society of Cinematographers and the American Cinema Editors. We always complain about the Oscars being too predictable. I'm sure they do want to influence the Oscars, but let's not forget that the Oscars began as a way to honor people within their constituency. Mike Leigh isn't part of the WGA's constituency, so why would they change what they're doing?
"How's the despair?"
Of course they're trying to influence the Oscars, but what's the point of influencing them if you're not doing so from a particular point of view? Any other approach is really more like playing predictor than puppeteer.
The SAG and DGA may feel that their more inclusive rules give them more credibility as influencers, but there's no way to know for sure whether it's the dog or the tail doing the wagging.
The SAG and DGA may feel that their more inclusive rules give them more credibility as influencers, but there's no way to know for sure whether it's the dog or the tail doing the wagging.
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I think they should be commended. They haven't amended their rules in order to be merely a precursor, but instead continue their tradition of honoring the best achievement in their guild.Big Magilla wrote:It's time the WGA revised their rules. The DGA and SAG long ago amended theirs to allow non-guild members to be recognized. They should be thoroughly embarrassed.
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Via Awards Daily, quoting Steve Pond:
“The King’s Speech,” “Winter’s Bone,” “Toy Story 3,” “Blue Valentine” and “Another Year” may be among the most acclaimed film scripts of the year, and they may well become contenders in the writing categories at the Oscars, but you won’t hear any of their names called when the WGA Awards nominations are announced on January 4.
Also missing from the WGA ballot: “The Ghost Writer,” “Nowhere Boy,” “The Way Back,” “Never Let Me Go,” “Love & Other Drugs,” “Made in Dagenham,” “Green Zone,” “Biutiful” and “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World.”
“The King’s Speech,” “Winter’s Bone,” “Toy Story 3,” “Blue Valentine” and “Another Year” may be among the most acclaimed film scripts of the year, and they may well become contenders in the writing categories at the Oscars, but you won’t hear any of their names called when the WGA Awards nominations are announced on January 4.
Also missing from the WGA ballot: “The Ghost Writer,” “Nowhere Boy,” “The Way Back,” “Never Let Me Go,” “Love & Other Drugs,” “Made in Dagenham,” “Green Zone,” “Biutiful” and “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World.”