Official StoryLink Blog

Emmy® Winners for Outstanding Writing

The 61st Annual Emmy® Awards were on Sunday, September 20. 30 Rock and Mad Men won for Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series, respectively.

Below are the winners in the writing categories, presented at the ceremony:

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series:
30 Rock - Reunion - NBC
Writer: Matt Hubbard

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series:
Mad Men - Meditations In An Emergency - AMC
Writers: Kater Gordon, Matthew Weiner

Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Series:
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
(Rob Kutner was StoryLink's featured screenwriter for September. Read the interview here.)

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special:
Little Dorrit - PBS
Writer: Andrew Davies

For a complete list of Emmy Awards Winners go to www.emmys.com.

Sep 20, 2009 11:31 PM | Link | Comments (0) | Add Comment | Report Content

Post A Question for Rob Kutner by Tomorrow - 9/1/09

Emmy season is upon us! StoryLink is thrilled to have writer Rob Kutner, a nominee this year for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as our Featured Screenwriter. Kutner will be answering questions from the StoryLink Community in the September eZine.

A four-time Emmy winner, Kutner is now a writer for The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. He contributed to the bestseller America (The Book) and is the author of the satirical end-of-times bestseller Apocalypse How: Turn the End Times into the Best of Times! Other writing includes HBO's Dennis Miller Live, as well as pieces for the Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Esquire, and Maxim.

For those in the Los Angeles area, the Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild Foundation will be presenting Sublime Primetime 2009: A selection of the year's best television writers for a lively discussion of their craft, nominated projects, and the business of writing for television. The event, moderated by Rainn Wilson (The Office), will be on Thursday, September 10, starting at 7:30 pm at the Writers Guild Theater, 135 S. Doheny in Beverly Hills. For more information and a complete list of panelists, check out the Event Page.

StoryLink Community, post your question for Rob Kutner in the StoryLink Forum by Tuesday, September 1. If your question is chosen, you'll receive a The Dialogue: Learning from the Masters DVD (Winner's Choice) from The Writers Store.

Post your question here.

Aug 31, 2009 9:21 AM | Link | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Report Content

Sublime Primetime - Emmy Nominees Panelists Announced!

Celebrating excellence in writing for television, the Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild Foundation present a selection of the year's best television writers for a lively discussion of their craft, their nominated projects, and the business of writing for television. Sponsored by Variety.

PANELISTS INCLUDE:
Jack Burditt - 30 Rock
"Kidney Now!" - Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock

Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton and Matthew Weiner - Mad Men
"Six Month Leave" - Written by Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton and Matthew Weiner

Rob Kutner - Staff Writer - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse - Lost
"The Incident" - Part 1: Written by Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse; Part 2: Written by Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof

Ian Maxtone-Graham - The Simpsons
"Gone Maggie Gone" - Written by Billy Kimball & Ian Maxtone-Graham

Michael Sucsy - Grey Gardens
Teleplay by Michael Sucsy and Patricia Rozema; Story by Michael Sucsy

MODERATOR: Rainn Wilson - The Office

7:30 pm: Panel
9:00 pm: Reception

For details, ticket pricing, and event info, go to www.wgfoundation.org or read the Event Page on StoryLink.

Aug 19, 2009 9:27 AM | Link | Comments (0) | Add Comment | Report Content

Blake Snyder, Rest in Peace

StoryLink is sad to learn of the passing of mentor and friend Blake Snyder (Save the Cat®). Blake died of cardiac arrest on August 4, 2009. A friend to everyone he met, Blake loved helping writers achieve their goals and inspired everyone who met him. He will be missed.

Aug 5, 2009 10:48 AM | Link | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Report Content

2009 Emmy® Nods for Writing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Jul 16, 2009 10:03 AM | Link | Comments (1) | Add Comment | Report Content

2009 Los Angeles Film Festival WInners

Congratulations to the winners of Film Independent's 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival, which wraps up with tonight's Closing Screening of Ponyo, by Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki.

Winner of the Narrative Competition - and The Target Filmmaker Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Target - goes to Sam Fleischner and Ben Chace for Wa Do Dem (What They Do).

Documentary Competition winner - and recipient of The Target Documentary Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Target, goes to Those Who Remain (Los Que se Quedan), Juan Carlos Rulfo and Carlos Hagerman (Mexico).

The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature went to The Stoning of Soraya M., directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh (and written by Nowrasteh and Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh), while Soul Power, directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, took home the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature. Born Without (Nacido Sin), written and directed by Eva Norvind, won the Audience Award for Best International Feature.

The Festival's other winners:

- Outstanding Performance in the Narrative Competition: Shayne Topp, Dear Lemon Lima, directed by Suzi Yoonessi

- Best Narrative Short Film: Antonio Mendez Esparza's Time and Again

- Best Documentary Short Film: Anna Gaskell's Replayground

- Best Animated Short Film: Jeremy Clapin's Skhizein

- Audience Award for Best Short: Instead of Abracadabra, directed by Patrick Eklund

- Audience Award for Best Music Video: Grapevine Fires, directed by Walter Robot, music by Death Cab for Cutie

The Target Dream in Color Award - new this year - recognizes a short film in the Festival's Future Filmmaker Showcase for high school students. The prize includes a Target Gift card for the winning director and a desktop editing system for the winner's school media arts program. This year's award was given to Sam Rubin for Lipstick.

The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival screened over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. This year, the Festival received more than 4,600 submissions from filmmakers around the world, with the final selections representing several World, International, North American, and U.S. premieres. For the first time this year, international films were included in the narrative and documentary competition categories.

Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Spirit Awards. For more information on the 2009 LA Film Festival and Film Independent, go to www.filmindependent.org.

Jun 28, 2009 6:54 PM | Link | Comments (0) | Add Comment | Report Content

Post A Question for Simon Kinberg, "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Jumper" - Deadline 6/26/09

Simon Kinberg (X-Men: The Last Stand, Jumper), one of the busiest - and most prolific - screenwriters in Hollywood, will be the Featured Screenwriter in our July StoryLink eZine.

Kinsberg's gift for action, graphic novels, and genre films has been present for years: the original script Mr and Mrs Smith was his final thesis project for Columbia University's Film School. While still in film school, Kinberg sold an original pitch to Warner Brothers, and went on to write scripts for Disney, Sony, and Dreamworks, working with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Jonathan Mostow, Stephen Sommers, and McG.

This year, Kinsberg has Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr, opening Christmas Day. Plus, he co-wrote Date Night, starring Steve Carrell and Tina Fey. He is currently writing an original script for Nicole Kidman at 20th Century Fox, as well as Hardy Men starring Tom Cruise and Ben Stiller, and more. In addition, Kinberg is producing the prequel X-Men: First Class.

Post a Question for Simon Kinsberg in the StoryLink Forum by June 26. If your question is chosen, receive a The Dialogue: Learning from the Masters DVD (Winner's Choice) from The Writers Store.

Post your Question Now in the StoryLink Forum.

Jun 25, 2009 11:03 AM | Link | Comments (0) | Add Comment | Report Content

2009 Los Angeles Film Festival Opens Today - 6/18/09

Film Independent's 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival, now in it's 15th year, will run from Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 28. 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.

If you're in the area, you must check it out! There a lot to see, listen to, and learn.

The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen more than 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.

"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."

The Opening Night (June 18) film is Paper Man, the coming-of-middle-age story of Richard Dunn, a writer caught between the pressures of deadlines, the expectations of his wife, and the constant presence of the superhero who's lived inside his head since 2nd Grade. And then he meets a girl--a Long Island teenager whose friendship shows him that no matter how much it hurts, it's never too late to grow up.

The Closing Night (June 28) Film is Ponyo, from Academy Award-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki. Ponyo, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Little Mermaid," is about a young and overeager goldfish (Ponyo) on a quest to become human and befriend a young boy named Sosuke.

Centerpiece Premiere: Public Enemies. Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Marion Cotillard in the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger, the charismatic bank robber whose raids made him the No. 1 target of J. Edgar Hoover's fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis, and a folk hero to much of the public.

Also, Michael Bay's highly-anticipated Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 22, before it releases in theaters on June 24, 2009.

Narrative Competition: 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: 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: 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: 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)
- (500) Days of Summer, Marc Webb (Fox Searchlight)
- Big Fan, Robert Siegel
- 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
- The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, Julien Nitzberg

For more information and a complete schedule, including details on Artists in Residence (critically acclaimed author Khaled Hosseini and Pritzker Prize winning architect Thom Mayne) and other special guests--as well as programming for the Festival Talks, Director Lunch Talks, Coffee Talks, Kodak Focus and the Financing Conference, go to www.lafilmfestival.com.

Jun 18, 2009 10:10 AM | Link | Comments (0) | Add Comment | Report Content

Post a Question for TV & Film Writer/Producer Peter Elkoff - Deadline Today 4/28/09

Great news for TV fans! In the May StoryLink eZine writer/producer Peter Elkoff will be answering questions from the StoryLink Community. Elkoff has worked in both film and television in Los Angeles for the past 15 years. His film, The Education of Charlie Banks, was released last month. Elkoff also serves as a writer/producer on the staff of ABC's Ugly Betty.

Additional TV credits include Dirty Sexy Money and Six Degrees. He has also created shows and written pilots for both Fox Broadcasting and HBO. Among Elkoff's upcoming film projects is the junkie love story A Life Without Grace.

Submit a question for Peter in the StoryLink Forum by April 28, and if your question is chosen, receive a The Dialogue: Learning from the Masters DVD (Winner's Choice) from The Writers Store.

Post your question here.

Apr 28, 2009 11:26 AM | Link | Comments (0) | Add Comment | Report Content

Susannah Grant, "The Soloist :" The StoryLink Interview

The Soloist opens today, April 24.

Read the StoryLink interview with screenwriter Susannah Grant, best known for her Oscar®-nominated screenplay Erin Brockovich. In her latest project--The Soloist--she takes on another true story. Based on the book by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, The Soloist tells of his encounter and subsequent friendship with homeless musician Nathaniel Ayers.

Read the article here.

Apr 24, 2009 9:09 AM | Link | Comments (0) | Add Comment | Report Content