Writers Guild sets 2023 WGA awards dates, new rules for limited series and more

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The Writers Guild of America has released the timeline for its 2023 WGA Awards. The 75th anniversary gala is set for Sunday, March 5. announced changes to the eligibility and submission criteria for some of the WGA Awards categories.

The film nominees for Original, Adapted and Documentary Screenplay will be announced Wednesday, January 25, with the nominees for TV and other media being announced two weeks earlier on January 11. The winners will be announced in a ceremony on March 5.

New or updates rules

Limited Series

• Limited Series will no longer submit in the Original Long Form and Adapted Long Form categories. Limited Series must now use the Series form to submit for WGA Awards consideration.
• The Guild will apply the same voting rules to the Limited Series category that it applies to the Drama, Comedy and New Series categories: the five Series which receive the most votes in each category will become the respective category nominees, and all writers employed to perform writing services on the Series will be eligible to be nominated and/or win.
• Limited Series are not eligible to compete for New Series awards consideration.

Television & New Media Motion Pictures

• With the migration of Limited Series to the Series voted categories, the Original Long Form and Adapted Long Form script submission categories have been combined into one script submission category: Television & New Media Motion Pictures.
• A Television or New Media Motion Picture is a motion picture, over one hour in length, which is broadcast on network or cable television or is exhibited on a streaming service, regardless of its original or adapted classification.
• A New Media Motion Picture that has/had a theatrical release and a simultaneous streaming exhibition must submit in the Original Screenplay or Adapted Screenplay category.

Animation

• WGA contractual coverage is now required for all animated television and new media script submissions.

Original Short Form New Media and Adapted Short Form New Media

The categories have been combined into a single Short Form New Media category.

• Short Form New Media series with episodes less than 15 minutes in length will now submit in one combined category, regardless of their original or adapted classification.

WGA Awards timeline

Tuesday, September 6:
Submissions Open in all Categories: Screenplays (Original, Adapted, Documentary), Series (Drama, Comedy, Limited, New), TV-Radio/Audio-New Media Scripts and Paul Selvin Award (WGAW)

Friday, November 18:
Deadline for submissions: Series (Drama, Comedy, Limited, New); TV-Radio/Audio-New Media Scripts and Paul Selvin Award (WGAW)

Monday, December 5:
Preliminary Series (Drama, Comedy, Limited, New) online voting begins

Friday December 9:
Deadline for submissions: Screenplays (Original, Adapted, Documentary)

Monday, December 26:
Deadline for Preliminary Series (Drama, Comedy, Limited, New) online voting

Monday, January 9:
Preliminary Screenplay (Original, Adapted, Documentary) online voting begins

Wednesday, January 11:
Television, New Media, News, Radio/Audio, and Promotional Writing Nominations Announced

Monday, January 23
Deadline for Preliminary Screenplay (Original, Adapted, Documentary) online voting

Wednesday, January 25
Screenplay (Original, Adapted, Documentary) Nominations Announced

February TBA
Beyond Words: Writers Guild Awards-nominated screenwriters panel

March TBA
“And the Nominees Are…” Writers Guild Awards nominees panel

Sunday, March 5
75th annual Writers Guild Awards