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The Brady organization against gun violence is calling on Hollywood writers, directors and producers to examine onscreen gun violence and depictions of gun safety, asking the creative community to sign a pledge that’s already garnered more than 200 signatures of such names as Judd Apatow, Shonda Rhimes, Damon Lindelof and Jimmy Kimmel and the writers of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The pledge, while noting that the “responsibility lies with lax gun laws supported by those politicians more afraid of losing power than saving lives,” acknowledges that “America’s storytellers” have the power to “effect change.”

“Cultural attitudes toward smoking, drunk driving, seatbelts and marriage equality have all evolved due in large part to movies’ and TV’s influence. It’s time to take on gun safety,” the Brady pledge states, and goes on to ask writers, directors and producers to, whenever possible, to:

Use creativity “to model responsible gun ownership and...

Hollywood has come together to make a change over the portrayal of gun violence onscreen.

Judd Apatow, Mark Ruffalo, Jimmy Kimmel, Damon Lindelof, Adam McKay, Julianne Moore, Shonda Rhimes, Eli Roth, Mark Ruffalo, Amy Schumer, and John Glickman are among the first round of signatures for a petition calling for the film and TV industry to re-examine its influence on national gun violence in the U.S.

The petition, titled “Open Letter to Our Colleagues in the Creative Community,” calls for studios to model responsible gun safety practices in productions and curb portrayals of guns in scenes involving children. The effort, led by activists Christy Callahan, the co-chair of the Brady United Against Gun Violence organization’s Regional Leadership Council, and Robert Bowers Disney, comes after the Uvalde elementary school mass shooting on May 24.

“Considering there have been over 250 other mass shootings so far this year, it’s an almost incomprehensible tragedy.

Exclusive: Village Roadshow is teaming with the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts to develop a film based on New York Times bestselling-author Don Yaeger’s Turning of the Tide: How One Game Changed the South as a USC Original Film, a new initiative designed to support emerging and diverse filmmakers. This partnership supports Village Roadshow’s aim to consistently source fresh voices, and to support the next generation of innovators.

“We could not be more thrilled to partner with USC and Dean Daley to tell this unbelievable true story. Our ongoing initiatives at Village Roadshow Pictures align with the strong social message of this project and allow us to foster a creative environment for the future of filmmakers,” said Village Roadshow CEO Steve Mosko.

Under the guidance of veteran producer and USC professor John Watson, Vrp has assembled a small group of recent USC alumni to collaborate...

The USC Libraries revealed the winners for the 34th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award on Saturday as a virtual event, which honors the year’s best film and television adaptations (along with the works on which they are based). This group of academics, industry professionals, and critics is often predictive of the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s “The Lost Daughter” (Netflix) won the film award, while the television prize went to author Beth Macy and screenwriter Danny Strong for the Hulu series “Dopesick.”

Of the five finalist writers for film adaptation, three are also Oscar nominees. Rebecca Hall (Nella Larsen’s “Passing”) and Joel Coen (William Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth”) did not make that cut. “The Lost Daughter,” therefore, advances in the Oscar race ahead of “Dune” (Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures and Ace) screenwriters Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts, and Denis Villeneuve,...

The USC Libraries has revealed the finalists for the 34th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the year’s best film and television adaptations, as well as the works on which they are based. This group of academics, industry professionals, and critics (for which I vote) is often predictive of the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race.

Last year’s Scripter film winners were “Nomadland” screenwriter Chloé Zhao and author Jessica Bruder (non-Scripter nominee “The Father” took home the Oscar); past winners include “Call Me By Your Name,” “Moonlight,” “The Big Short,” and “The Imitation Game,” which all won Oscars. In fact, before 2019, eight Scripter Award winners went on to win Oscars.

The finalist writers for film adaptation are, in alphabetical order by film title:

Screenwriters Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts, and Denis Villeneuve for “Dune” (Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures and Ace), based on the novel by Frank Herbert

Maggie Gyllenhaal...

The USC Scripter Awards has announced its nominees for its 34th annual ceremony, recognizing the best film and television adaptations. Netflix dominated the film category with three films making the cut, all from women screenwriters who also directed their movies: “The Lost Daughter” from Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Power of the Dog” from Jane Campion and “Passing” from Rebecca Hall. This is the first nomination for all three acclaimed filmmakers.

Joel Coen, a two-time nominee for “No Country for Old Men” (2007), for which he won with his brother Ethan, and “True Grit” (2010), was recognized for adapting his black-and-white interpretation of “The Tragedy of Macbeth” for Apple Original Films and A24. This is a huge pick-up for the movie, as no film adaptation of the cursed play has been recognized in the screenplay category at the Oscars.

Another significant boost was given to “Dune” and its three scribes, Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve.

Robert C. Jones, an Oscar-winning writer and editor whose credits include It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Coming Home and Love Story, has died. He was 84.

“It is with deep sadness that I am writing to tell you the passing of Robert C. Jones, who was a celebrated editor and screenwriter, and a beloved professor at our School,” said Elizabeth Daley of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, where Jones served as a professor for 15 years.

Jones was born on March 30, 1936 in Los Angeles. His foray into film work began upon his drafting into the U.S. Army, when he joined the Army Pictorial Center from 1958 to 1960 as a film editor. At the Pictorial Center he edited Army training films, documentaries and several segments of the television program The Big Picture.

After his Army stint, Jones further developed his editing skills for A Child Is Waiting...

The USC Libraries has revealed the finalists for the 32nd-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the year’s best film and television adaptations, as well as the works on which they are based. This group of academics, industry professionals and critics (for which I vote) is often predictive of the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race.

Last year’s Scripter winners were the exception that prove the rule: “Leave No Trace” screenwriters Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini were not nominated for the Oscar; they adapted Peter Rock, author of “My Abandonment.”

The year before was more typical, as the Scripter Award went to “Call Me by Your Name” screenwriter James Ivory (who won the Oscar), and author André Aciman; past winners include “Moonlight,” “The Big Short,” and “The Imitation Game,” which all won Oscars. In fact, before 2019 eight Scripter Award winners went on to win Oscars.

Netflix dominated this year’s nominations with three adapted scripts,...

The USC Libraries has revealed the finalists for the 31st-annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the year’s best film and television adaptations, as well as the works on which they are based. This group of academics, industry professionals and critics (for which I vote) is often predictive of the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race.

Last year’s Scripter winners were “Call Me by Your Name” screenwriter James Ivory (who won the Oscar), and author André Aciman; past winners include “Moonlight,” “The Big Short” and “The Imitation Game,” which all won Oscars. In fact the past eight Scripter Award winners have gone on to win Oscars.

The finalist writers for film adaptation (listed in alphabetical order by film title):

Screenwriters Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole for “Black Panther,” based on the character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Screenwriters Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty and author Lee Israel...

The jury vote for the 30th USC Libraries Scripter Award nominees was so close that two ties resulted for the film and television categories. Due to a three-way tie in the nomination round, the writers of seven films and the works on which the films are based will compete for the honors this year.

The winner of the Scripter Award often goes on to other honors, including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Winners in recent years include “Moonlight,” “The Big Short,” “The Imitation Game,” “12 Years a Slave” and “Argo,” which all won the Oscar in that category.

The finalist writers for film adaptation are, in alphabetical order by film title:

Author André Aciman and screenwriter James Ivory for “Call Me By Your Name” Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber for “The Disaster Artist” and authors Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell for their nonfiction book “The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside ‘The Room,...