Writers Guild Announces Screenplay Nominations

Embracing an eclectic mix ranging from fables to character-driven dramas and even a dog show comedy replete with quirky human pet owners, the Writers Guild of America on Wednesday nominated writers from 10 films for WGA screenwriting awards.

Nominated for best original screenplay were Cameron Crowe for “Almost Famous”; Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy for “Best in Show”; Lee Hall for “Billy Elliot”; Susannah Grant for “Erin Brockovich”; and Kenneth Lonergan for “You Can Count on Me.”

Best adapted screenplay nominations went to Robert Nelson Jacobs for “Chocolat”; Wang Hui-Ling, James Schamus and Tsai Kuo Jung for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”; D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, John Cusack and Scott Rosenberg for “High Fidelity”; Stephen Gaghan for “Traffic”; and Steve Kloves for “Wonder Boys.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the nomination for “Best in Show,” whose script was worked out after extended improvisations by its cast, who included Guest and Levy. The winners will be announced March 4.

Crowe said that what struck him about this year’s films was that “it just feels like men and women dug down deep” and the results were intensely personal stories.

Crowe had reason to be pleased. “Almost Famous” was almost counted out of the Oscar race when it failed to ignite at the box office, even though it had received strong reviews. He noted: “It’s sort of quietly stayed on people’s minds.”

Jacobs, who adapted “Chocolat” from a novel, reflected the mood of several nominees when he remarked how special it feels to be recognized by one’s peers. “These are the people who know how hard it is putting a script together, who know the process.”

Gaghan noted that fellow writers can always spot the strengths and weaknesses in a script, so the fact that he was able to mold multiple stories into one script for “Traffic” and still receive this recognition was gratifying.

“I think you want to be recognized by the people who know your craft and understand what you do, who look at a movie and say, ‘It’s hard to structure a thriller’ or ‘That was easy,’ ” Gaghan said.

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Unlike last year, when six of the 10 nominees were writer-directors, only two of this year’s screenwriters fit that bill: Crowe and Lonergan. But some nominees, nonetheless, have forged strong ties with a particular director.

Schamus, for example, has worked with director Ang Lee on several films, including “The Ice Storm” and “Sense and Sensibility.” Schamus said Wednesday that he views the guild nomination as a “miracle” because “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” is a Chinese-made, English-subtitled film based on a Chinese novel, and the script bounced back and forth from the U.S. to Taiwan with the English version being translated into Chinese and vice versa.’

“As you often see, these credits are shared,” Schamus remarked, “and when that’s the case, many times in Hollywood, with the exception of writing teams, people tend to think of that as an unfortunate event.

“I, on the other hand, am kind of triply happy to be part of an amazing collaboration with colleagues across the Pacific in Taiwan,” he added.