61st Writers Guild of America Awards
The 61st Writers Guild of America Awards honored the best film, television, and videogame writers of 2008. Winners were announced on February 7, 2009.
Nominees
Names in bold denote the winners.Film
Best Adapted Screenplay
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Roth, Eric Roth and Robin Swicord ; F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Dark Knight - Jonathan and Christopher Nolan, Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer ; Bob Kane and Bill Finger
- Doubt - John Patrick Shanley
- Frost/Nixon - Peter Morgan
- Slumdog Millionaire - Simon Beaufoy ; Vikas Swarup
Best Original Screenplay
- Burn After Reading - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
- Milk - Dustin Lance Black
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Woody Allen
- The Visitor - Tom McCarthy
- The Wrestler - Robert Siegel
Best Documentary Feature Screenplay
- ' - Stefan Forbes and Noland Walker
- Chicago 10 - Brett Morgen
- Fuel - Johnny O'Hara
- ' - Alex Gibney; from the words of Hunter S. Thompson
- Waltz with Bashir - Ari Folman
Television
Dramatic Series
Comedy Series
New Series
Episodic Drama
Episodic Comedy
Long Form - Original
Long Form - Adaptation
Animation
Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) Series
Comedy/Variety – Music, Awards, Tributes – Specials
| Title | Writers | Network |
| 2008 Film Independent Spirit Awards | Written by Billy Kimball, Aaron Lee, Jennifer Celotta, and Rainn Wilson | IFC/AMC |
| Jimmy Kimmel's Big Night of Stars | Written by Jimmy Kimmel, Gary Greenberg, Molly McNearney, Bryan Paulk, Ned Rice, Jon Bines, Will Burke, Rick Rosner, Jake Lentz, Sal Iacono, and Tony Barbieri | ABC |
Daytime Serials
| Title | Writers | Network |
| As the World Turns | Written by Jean Passanante, Leah Laiman, Courtney Simon, Lisa Connor, David A. Levinson, Peter Brash, Richard Culliton, Susan Dansby, Cheryl Davis, and Leslie Nipkow | CBS Daytime |
| One Life to Live | Written by Ron Carlivati, Carolyn Culliton, Elizabeth Page, Aida Croal, Shelly Altman, Janet Iacobuzio, Chris Van Etten, Anna Theresa Cascio | ABC Daytime |
Children's
Episodic & Specials
Long Form or Special
Documentary
Current events
Other than current events
News
Regularly scheduled, bulletin, or breaking report
Analysis, feature, or commentary
Video games
Videogame Writing
- ' - Haden Blackman, Shawn Pitman, John Stafford and Cameron Suey
- ' - Writer Haris Orkin, story producer Mical Pedriana
- Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble! - Writing Keith Nemitz, additional writing Adrianne Ambrose
- Fallout 3 - Lead Writer Emil Pagliarulo, quest writing Erik J. Caponi, Brian Chapin, Jon Paul Duvall, Kurt Kuhlmann, Alan Nanes, Bruce Nesmith and Fred Zeleny, additional quest writing Nate Ellis, William Killeen, Mark Nelson and Justin McSweeney
- - Story Eric Lindstrom and Toby Gard, screenplay Eric Lindstrom
Paul Selwin Civil Rights Award
- Dustin Lance Black, "to the member whose script best embodies the spirit of constitutional and civil rights and liberties."