With the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, and BAFTAs now all decided, we have only the Oscars of the big awards left to decide. Despite the King’s Speech doing well in all categories nominated, and the prospect of a year when us Brits might be able to say we did more than provide the inspiration to the story (the Titanic year), it isn’t the win I am most excited about. No, my unabashedly jubilant whoops (yes there was actual whooping) was reserved for the Writers Guild Award announcement that the first ever recipients to win the WGA for Outstanding Achievement in Writing Original New Media was none other than the writers of the little web series that could, Anyone But Me, Susan Miller and Tina Cesa Ward.
My opinion is biased; I make no secret of that. I think that ABM should win every single award it is nominated for and I do not apologise for my reaction when they do not. I am sure that when they do not win the awards the actual winners are deserving. As a fan I reserve the right to say that ABM were robbed. I wanted so very much for them to win the WGA. Of course this is not the first award ABM has won or been nominated for, nor is it the first award Susan or Tina have received for their writing. However, I am sure it is the first award that many people who are not familiar with the web series format have actually heard of. That is the hurdle that so many web series have to face, one of recognition.
For me the writing categories of any Award are the most important. Directing, acting, sound, yes they are all important, but without a story to tell then they will always be lacking something. By having the WGA recognise ABM, and new media as a whole, goes a big way to legitimising it and shows future writers and producers and directors and anyone with an idea, that it is possible for their creation to have a forum. To have the WGA award ABM for the writing, makes me as excited and joyous as I was a year ago when Rachael Hip-Flores won her Streamy Award.
ABM is the first, of many I am sure, to be recognised in this new WGA category. I am hopeful that the web series that follow will be of the same quality, and if possible, surpass the achievements and capitalise on the pioneering work that everyone in the web series community have worked so hard for.