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I believe the play was never officially published. The King’s Speech was also based on a play, but because that play was never published, it competed in the Original Screenplay. I think to compete in the Adapted Screenplay category, the film must acknowledge the source material in the credits.
ReplyCopy URLThis is a tricky question. Yes, it is technically an adaptation, but by the Academy’s rules, it has to be a significant-enough adaptation of a produced work to be considered for “Adapted Screenplay”. Moonlight’s source material was never formally published when Jenkins came across it. Because it was never published, the playwright is being given a “Story by” credit as it was a piece of material he developed and that Jenkins turned into a finished credit, which is cool because Mr. McCraney can now become a much-deserved Oscar nominee.
The line between original and adapted has always been kind-of thin. Let’s look at history:
* The biggest contradiction to Moonlight’s ruling is perhaps a bit out-dated. Back in 1943, Casablanca, also an adaptation of a differently-named unproduced play, won that year’s equivalent of Best Adapted Screenplay.
* Sequels are now considered adaptations even if based on original material, ala Before Sunrise, Toy Story 3 and Before Midnight. To me, this is ridiculous, because it’s not adapting anything…it’s just continuing that original story.
* Whiplash got an Adapted Screenplay nomination because it was considered an adaptation of the Sundance-released short film, which was, in fact, an adaptation of the original screenplay.
* Syriana got an Original Screenplay nomination despite earning WGA and USC scripter nods for Adapted Script and being based on a book by George Clooney’s character. The reason, if I remember correctly, was that it was a loose-enough adaptation to be considered an original work…but whatever, I still don’t get it…
ReplyCopy URLSequels being seen as adapted is based on the fact you can only be a virgin once. So once you’re an established entity everything else afterwards is adapting ideas from a previously produced source for a new movie.
This is still a relatively new distinction, because THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS (sequel to the Oscar-nominated DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE) was nominated in the Original Screenplay category as recently as 2003.
ReplyCopy URLSequels being seen as adapted is based on the fact you can only be a virgin once. So once you’re an established entity everything else afterwards is adapting ideas from a previously produced source for a new movie.
This is still a relatively new distinction, because THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS (sequel to the Oscar-nominated DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE) was nominated in the Original Screenplay category as recently as 2003.
Any chance that they forgot it was a sequel? Lol
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