We’re a month away from the Oscars—aka the Cinephile Super Bowl—and the crystal ball continues to get a bit clearer with precursor awards. And last night, both the writers and cinematographers of the industry honored their own.
Over at the WGAs, a duo of winners surprised prognosticators: Spike Jonze took Best Original Screenplay for “Her,” while Billy Ray nabbed honors for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Captain Phillips.” The Jonze win perhaps isn’t a huge shock, coming off the back of Golden Globes and Critics Choice wins, but it does move him into an unlikely frontrunner status at the Oscars. Meanwhile, though Ray took the prize here, it was in a field that didn’t include John Ridley‘s script for “12 Years a Slave” or Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope‘s work for “Philomena,” who are both considered strong contenders on Oscar night. But still, it does make “Captain Phillips” one you can’t dismiss.
Meanwhile, cinemtographers gave the feature film award to Emmanuel Lubezki for “Gravity.” Along with Alfonso Cuaron’s DGA win, this means that “Gravity” could really shake things up a in a few weeks.
Full list of winners for both awards below.
66th Writers Guild of America Awards
FILM CATEGORIES
Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, “Her”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Billy Ray, “Captain Philli[ps”
Best Documentary Screenplay: Sarah Polley, “Stories We Tell”
TELEVISION CATEGORIES
Comedy Series: “Veep”
Drama Series: “Breaking Bad”
New Series: “House of Cards”
Episodic Comedy: Kack Burditt and Robert Carlock, “30 Rock” (“Hogcock!”)
Episodic Drama: Gennifer Hutchison, “Breaking Bad” (“Confessions”)
Long Form – Adapted: Shawn Slovo, “Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight”
Animation: Joel H. Cohen, “The Simpsons” (“A Test Before Trying”)
Daytime Drama: “Days of Our Lives”
Childrens – Episodic & Specials: Vincent Brown, “A.N.T. Farm” (“InfluANTces”)
Documentary – Current Events: Marcela Gaviria and Martin Smith, “Frontline” (“Egypt in Crisis”)
Documentary – Other Than Current Events: Randall MacLowry and Michelle Ferrari, “American Experience” (“Silicon Valley”)
News – Analysis, Feature or Commentary: Michael Rey, Oriana Zill de Granados and Michael Radutzky, “60 Minutes” (“Lethal Medicine”)
Quiz and Audience Patricipation: John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Steve D. Tamerius and Billy Wisse, “Jeopardy!”
Television Graphic Art and Animation: David Rosen, CBS News Animations: “Brain Injury,” “Pills,” “Bionic Leg,” “Midland Parade,” “Concordia Salvage”
Promotional Writing and Graphic Animation: Erial Tompkins, “The Crazy Ones – Building a Better Comedy”
Video Game Writing: Neil Druckmann, “The Last of Us”
Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement: Paul Mazursky
Evelyn F. Burkey Award for Career Achievement: James Schamus
Valentine Davies Award: Sam Simon
28th Annual American Society of Cinematographers Awards:
FEATURE FILM
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC
Gravity
TELEVISION MOVIE/MINISERIES
Jeremy Benning, CSC
National Geographic Channel’s Killing Lincoln
TELEVISION EPISODIC SERIES (ONE HOUR)
Jonathan Freeman, ASC
HBO’s Game of Thrones (“Valar Dohaeris”)
TELEVISION EPISODIC SERIES (HALF HOUR)
Blake McClure
Comedy Central’s Drunk History (“Detroit”)
Career Achievement in Television Award
Richard Rawlings Jr. (previously announced)
ASC Bud Stone Award of Distinction: Beverly Wood
International Achievement Award
Eduardo Serra, AFC, ASC (previously announced)
Board of Governors Award
John Wells (previously announced)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Dean Cundey, ASC (previously announced)
Spotlight Award
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski for Ida