The origination of this organization is rather strange in itself. A collegiate group who honor adapted screenplays, both acknowledging the original writer and the screenwriter. It’s a very bizarre kind of thing to generate, but they have sometimes been a fairly accurate barometer of the Oscars. Sometimes, though, they’ve been completely left-field in their approach.

USC SCRIPTER AWARDS

The Nominations

Best Adapted Screenplay

Bad Education
First Cow (Tripp)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Nomadland (Peter, Thomas)
One Night in Miami (Wesley, RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: It’s very difficult to pin this group down. Sometimes, they go for the bigger name on the original work. Other times, they go for the best screenplay regardless of origin. With that known, the nominees this year were a strange batch with one television drama, two stage-to-screen adaptations, and two novels making the cut. Nomadland has done well so far this year in terms of precursors, but this is one of the few places I wouldn’t say they are assured a win. I’ve gone back and forth between the two stage plays. Ma Rainey is by the celebrated August Wilson while One Night in Miami is an expanded screenplay that clearly takes advantage of the medium. While I am leaning towards One Night, I can’t help but think they’ll go for Ma Rainey just because of the Wilson connection. Then again, they could go with the other literary adaptations, which has been their more commonplace decision. It’s almost impossible to know for sure at this point.
Peter J. Patrick: Slim pickings this year. Bad Education is a made-for-TV movie which puts it at a disadvantage. First Cow is a love-it or hate-it independent film. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is basically a literal translation of the play. One Night in Miami is a wonderful adaptation, but I think Nomadland will continue its near-sweep of this year’s awards.
Tripp Burton: The Scripter awards have deviated from the norm the last couple of years, and while Nomadland is our adapted front-runner right now, it still does not feel like a screenplay winner to me. That’s why I think the Scripters could throw a curveball here and give the award to First Cow, which takes a big book and narrows it down to a unique motion picture. But I could really see anything winning here!
Thomas LaTourette: Nomadland looks to be the easy winner of this group. Both Ma Rainey and One Night have gotten some high remarks on their screenplays, but Nomadland has had the lion’s share of wins so far and that should continue with this one.