The USC Libraries announced the winners of the 2017 USC Scripter Award Saturday night which is awarded to the screenwriter and the author of the material the film or television program is based on. And, in the television category at least, there was a rare tie.
“The Night Manager” (David Farr, John Le Carré) and “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (Scott Alexander and Larry Kraszewski, Jeffrey Tobin) both took the television prize. This is just the second time in the 28 year history of the Scripter that a tie has occurred. The last time was in 2003 when the writers of both “Mystic River” and “Seabiscuit” shared the honor in the film category. This is actually only the second year a television award has been handed out.
READ MORE: Analysis: BAFTA Awards Keeps The ‘La La Land’ Oscar Train Running With Few Surprises
The major film prize, however, went to “Moonlight” and screenwriter Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney who wrote the piece “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” for which the film was based on. Overall the Scripter has a mixed record in forecasting the Oscar for Adapted Screenplay, but over the last six years it has predicted it perfectly. It may be the only “lock” “Moonlight” has on an Oscar night many expect will be dominated by “La La Land.”
Here are all of this year’s nominees and winners.
FILM
“Arrival”
Screenwriter Eric Heisserer, adapted from the novella “Story Of Your Life” by Ted Chiang
“Fences”
August Wilson for the play (Plume) and screenplay
“Hidden Figures”
Screenwriters Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi, based on the nonfiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly
“Lion”
Luke Davies for the screenplay adapted from the nonfiction book “A Long Way Home” by Saroo Brierley
“Moonlight”
Barry Jenkins, adapted from “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,” by Tarell Alvin McCraney – WINNER
TELEVISION
“Game Of Thrones”
Screenwriters David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, for the episode “The Winds Of Winter,” adapted from the fantasy series “A Song Of Ice And Fire” by George R. R. Martin.
“The Man In The High Castle”
Frank Spotnitz, Erik Oleson, and Joe Kawasaki for the episode “Fallout,” based on the novel by Philip K. Dick.
“The Night Manager”
David Farr for the miniseries based on the espionage novel by John Le Carré. – WINNER (TIE)
“Orange Is The New Black”
Tara Herrmann and Jenji Kohan for the episode “Toast Can’t Never Be Bread Again,” adapted from the memoir by Piper Kerman, “Orange Is The New Black: My Year In A Women’s Prison.”
“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski for the episode “Manna From Heaven,” based on the nonfiction book “The Run Of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson” by Jeffrey Tobin. – WINNER (TIE)