Nebula Award for Best Script

The Nebula Award for Best Script was given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) for science fiction or fantasy scripts for movies or television episodes. Awards are also given out for published literary works in the novel, novella, novelette, and short story categories. The Nebula Award for Best Script was awarded annually from 1974 through 1978, and from 2000 through 2009. It was presented under several names; in 1974, 1975, and 1977 the award was for Best Dramatic Presentation, while in 1976 the award was for Best Dramatic Writing.[1] The award was discontinued in 2010 and replaced with The Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation; this award, though not a Nebula, is presented at the Nebula Awards Ceremony and follows Nebula rules and procedures.[2] The Nebula Awards have been described as one of "the most important of the American science fiction awards" and "the science-fiction and fantasy equivalent" of the Emmy Awards.[3][4]

Nebula Award for Best Script
The Nebula Award trophy
Awarded forThe best science fiction or fantasy movie or television episode script released in the prior calendar year
Presented byScience Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
First awarded1974
Last awarded2009
Websitesfwa.org/nebula-awards/

Selection process

Nebula Award nominees and winners are chosen by members of the SFWA, though the authors of the nominees do not need to be a member. Works are nominated each year between November 15 and February 15 by published authors who are members of the organization, and the six works that receive the most nominations then form the final ballot, with additional nominees possible in the case of ties. Members may then vote on the ballot throughout March, and the final results are presented at the Nebula Awards ceremony in May. Authors are not permitted to nominate their own works, and ties in the final vote are broken, if possible, by the number of nominations the works received.[1] Beginning with the 2009 awards, the rules were changed to the current format. Prior to then, the eligibility period for nominations was defined as one year after the publication date of the work, which allowed the possibility for works to be nominated in the calendar year after their publication and then reach the final ballot in the calendar year after that. Works were added to a preliminary ballot for the year if they had ten or more nominations, which were then voted on to create a final ballot, to which the SFWA organizing panel was also allowed to add an additional work.[5]

Award statistics

During the 15 nomination years, 14 awards for Best Script have been given, including the special award given to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1978 but not including 1977, since no nominee was given the award. No winner was declared that year as "no award" received the highest number of votes.[6] With three awards The Lord of the Rings film trilogy earned the most awards or nominations of any franchise. The Christopher Nolan Batman movies, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Doctor Who franchises have each had two nominations, but no wins. Hayao Miyazaki, Christopher Nolan, Joss Whedon, and The Lord of the Rings screenwriters have had the most nominations, with three each.

Winners and nominees

In the following table, the years correspond to the date of the ceremony, rather than when the work was first released. Entries with a blue background and an asterisk (*) next to the writer's name have won the award; those with a white background are the other nominees on the shortlist. Entries with a gray background and a plus sign (+) mark a year when "no award" was selected as the winner.

  *   Winners and joint winners   +   No winner selected

Year Writer(s) Work Publisher Ref.
1974 Stanley R. Greenberg (script), Harry Harrison (original novel)*Soylent GreenMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer [7]
Michael CrichtonWestworldMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer [7]
Bruce Jay FriedmanSteambathPBS [7]
Brian Moore (script, original novel)CatholicsITV [7]
1975 Woody Allen*SleeperUnited Artists [8]
Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy (script), Mary Shelley (original novel)Frankenstein: The True StoryNBC [8]
René Laloux and Roland Topor (script), Stefan Wul (original novel)Fantastic PlanetArgos Films [8]
1976 Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder (script), Mary Shelley (original novel)*Young FrankensteinUnited Artists [9]
John Carpenter and Dan O'BannonDark StarJack H. Harris Enterprises [9]
L. Q. Jones (script) Harlan Ellison (original novella)A Boy and His DogLQ/JAF [9]
William Harrison (script, original story)RollerballUnited Artists [9]
1977 (no award)+ [10]
Harlan EllisonHarlan! Harlan Ellison Reads Harlan EllisonAlternative World Recordings [10]
David Zelag Goodman (script), William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson (original novel)Logan's RunUnited Artists [10]
Paul Mayersberg (script), Walter Tevis (original novel)The Man Who Fell to EarthColumbia Pictures [10]
1978 George Lucas*Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope[lower-alpha 1]20th Century Fox [11]
2000 M. Night Shyamalan*The Sixth SenseHollywood Pictures [12]
Robert J. Avrech (script), Jane Yolen (original novel)The Devil's ArithmeticShowtime Networks [12]
Brad Bird and Tim McCanlies (script), Ted Hughes (original novel)The Iron GiantWarner Bros. [12]
John MillermanThe Uranus Experiment: Part 2Private Black Label [12]
Larry and Andy WachowskiThe MatrixWarner Bros. [12]
2001 David Howard and Robert Gordon*Galaxy QuestDreamWorks [13]
Frank Darabont (script), Stephen King (original novel)The Green MileWarner Bros. [13]
Hayao Miyazaki (script) and Neil Gaiman (English translation)Princess MononokeStudio Ghibli/Miramax Films [13]
Charlie KaufmanBeing John MalkovichPropaganda Films [13]
M. Night ShyamalanUnbreakableTouchstone Pictures [13]
Kevin SmithDogmaView Askew Productions [13]
2002 James Schamus, Kuo Jung Tsai, and Hui-Ling Wang (script), Wang Dulu (original novel)*Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonSony Pictures Classics [14]
Ethan and Joel CoenO Brother, Where Art Thou?Touchstone Pictures [14]
Tom DeSanto and Bryan Singer (story), David Hayter (screenplay)X-Men20th Century Fox [14]
Joss WhedonBuffy the Vampire Slayer: "The Body"Fox Television Studios/Mutant Enemy Productions [14]
2003 Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson (script), J. R. R. Tolkien (original novel)*The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingNew Line Cinema [15]
Ted Elliott and Terry RossioShrekDreamWorks [15]
Michael Taylor (script), Stephen King (original concept)The Dead Zone: "Unreasonable Doubt"DreamWorks [15]
Joss WhedonBuffy the Vampire Slayer: "Once More, With Feeling"Warner Bros. [15]
2004 Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair, and Peter Jackson (script), J. R. R. Tolkien (original novel)*The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersNew Line Cinema [16]
Scott Frank and Jon Cohen (script), Philip K. Dick (original story)Minority Report20th Century Fox/DreamWorks [16]
David A. GoodmanFuturama: "Where No Fan Has Gone Before"Fox Broadcasting Company [16]
Hayao Miyazaki (script), Cindy Davis Hewitt, and Donald H. Hewitt (English translation)Spirited AwayStudio Ghibli/The Walt Disney Company [16]
Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, and David ReynoldsFinding NemoPixar/The Walt Disney Company [16]
2005 Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson (script), J. R. R. Tolkien (original novel)*The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingNew Line Cinema [17]
Brad BirdThe IncrediblesPixar/The Walt Disney Company [17]
J. Mackye Gruber and Eric BressThe Butterfly EffectNew Line Cinema [17]
Charlie Kaufman & Michel GondryEternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindFocus Features [17]
2006 Joss Whedon*SerenityUniversal Studios/Mutant Enemy Productions [18]
Carla Robinson, Bradley Thompson, and David WeddleBattlestar Galactica: "Act of Contrition/You Can't Go Home Again"Sci-Fi Channel [18]
2007 Hayao Miyazaki (script), Cindy Davis Hewitt, and Donald H. Hewitt (English translation)Howl's Moving CastleStudio Ghibli/The Walt Disney Company [19]
Christopher Nolan and David S. GoyerBatman BeginsWarner Bros. [19]
Michael TaylorBattlestar Galactica: "Unfinished Business"Sci-Fi Channel [19]
Steven MoffatDoctor Who: "The Girl in the Fireplace"BBC Cymru Wales/BBC One [19]
2008 Guillermo del Toro*Pan's LabyrinthPicturehouse [20]
Alfonso Cuarón, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby (script), P. D. James (original novel)Children of MenUniversal Studios [20]
Steven MoffatDoctor Who: "Blink"BBC Cymru Wales/BBC One [20]
Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan (script), Christopher Priest (original novel)The PrestigeTouchstone Pictures [20]
Larry and Andy Wachowski (script), David Lloyd (original graphic novel)V for VendettaWarner Bros. [20]
Marc Scott Zicree and Michael ReavesStar Trek: New Voyages: "World Enough and Time"Cawley Entertainment Company/The Magic Time Company [20]
2009 Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter*WALL-EPixar/The Walt Disney Company [21]
Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, and David S. GoyerThe Dark KnightWarner Bros. [21]
Brad WrightStargate Atlantis: "The Shrine"Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [21]

See also
  • Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
  • Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation

Notes
  1. Star Wars was given a special Nebula Award in 1978, and no other works were nominated.

References
  1. "Nebula Rules". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. October 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  2. "Ray Bradbury Award". Locus. 2009-01-15. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  3. Flood, Allison (2009-04-28). "Ursula K Le Guin wins sixth Nebula award". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2009-08-01. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  4. Garmon, Jay (2006-10-03). "Geek Trivia: Science-fiction double feature". TechRepublic. Archived from the original on 2012-02-14. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  5. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: About the Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  6. Franson, Donald; DeVore, Howard (1978). A History of the Hugo, Nebula and International Fantasy Awards. Misfit Press. pp. 9–11.
  7. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 1974 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  8. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 1975 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  9. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 1976 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  10. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 1977 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  11. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 1978 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  12. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2000 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  13. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2001 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  14. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2002 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  15. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2003 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  16. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2004 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  17. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2005 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  18. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2006 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  19. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2007 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  20. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2008 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  21. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2009 Nebula Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-12-06.

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