Entries open for the 2015 Writers' Guild of South Africa Muse Awards; additional categories added for writers, awards ceremony set for 2 April 2016.

I wasn't aware of it, but entries have opened for the 2015 Writers' Guild of South Africa Muse Awards and closes on 15 October.

The 2015 WGSA Muse Awards is the only award in South Africa that exclusively honours the South African performance writer and has added additional categories for this year's competition which will take place on Saturday 2 April 2016.

The 2015 WGSA Muse Awards will likely be televised as well.

The Writers' Guild of South Africa is the only organised  industry association in South Africa with the sole purpose of protecting, developing and empowering performance writers in the local film, television, radio, stage, animation and new media industries and is a member of SASFED.

The 2015 WGSA Muse Awards now accept entries - until 15 October - in 8 different script categories:

1. Screen (Feature Film, Short Film)
2. Television (Drama, Soap, Sitcom/Comedy)
3. Documentary (Feature, Series, Short)
4. Stage Play
5. Radio Drama
6. Animation (Feature, Series, Short)
7. Games
8. Web Series

Unproduced scripts may be entered in any genre.

A panel of independent judges will be looking for excellence in concept and theme, characterisation, genre, language and style, story and structure, pace, dialogue, and professional format and presentation. 

Every nominee will receive a personalised nomination certificate, and each winner will receive a personalised Winner's Certificate and a WGSA Muse Trophy.

Judging for the 2015 WGSA Muse Awards will take place during November 2015 to middle February 2016, with the nominees announced at the end of February 2016.

This will be followed by the 2015 WGSA Muse Awards ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, 2 April 2016 at the Soweto Theatre.

All entries must be submitted online. The online entry system, competition rules and regulations can be found on the Writers' Guild of South Africa's website at writersguildsa.org/muse-awards.

Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) hands out Muse Awards in another monumental step forward in recognising TV and film writers in South Africa.

Shirley Johnston accepts her Muse Award Trophy for Felix as best feature script at the inaugural WGSA Muse Awards.

Recognising, valuing and rewarding writers in television and film in South Africa took yet another monumental step forward when the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) held the country's inaugural WGSA Muse Awards on Saturday evening at the Barnyard Theatre in Cresta Johannesburg.

Award winners who received a Muse Award Trophy include Fidel Namisi for Tooth and Nails (Best TV comedy script), Joshua Rous for the pilot episode of SABC3's High Rollers (Best TV drama script), Gisele Turner for eLimboland (Best stage play script), Shirley Johnston for Felix (Best feature script) and Kelsey Egan for The Chemist, a feature film (Best spec script, unproduced work).

Fidel Namisi who won for Tooth and Nails as Best TV comedy script.

Thandi Brewer received the WGSA Special Service Award.

"Finally there is an award which acknowledges the creators of local entertainment; the incredibly talented writers who take an idea and give it life, a face and unique character, which is then brought to the screen by the actors, directors and producer," says Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson.

The WGSA believes that the Muse Awards will grow to become a regular and much-anticipated event on the local calendar.

Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson addresses the Muse Awards audience.

WGSA member Richard H. Nosworthy of Plum Productions headed a team of musicians, vocalists and performers from the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) to produce the WGSA Muse Awards with Jack Devnarain (Rajesh in Isidingo) who was the master of ceremonies.

Zama Mkosi, the chairperson of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) delivered the keynote speech at the WGSA Muse Awards which ran for 100 minutes, as scheduled, with a wide cross-section of representatives from South Africa's broadcasting industry present.

Joshua Rous who won for High Rollers as Best TV drama script. 

Muse Award Trophies were presented to winners by Verona Duwarkah (the head of SABC Television), Ayanda Halimana (commissioning editor at Mzansi Magic and Mzansi Wethu TV channels), David Makubyane (the acting general manager of local conten tfor On Digital Media and StarSat), Paul Raleigh (producer of the Oscar-winning film Tsotsi, and Nkateko Mabaso (general manager of M-Net's local interest channels).

The WGSA Muse Awards was followed by dinner and a good networking session and many attendees stayed for the Barnyard show, Battle of the Sexes.

The WGSA says writers who are not yet members are invited to join the guild and become eligible to submit their work for the next WGSA Muse Awards and can email admin@writersguildsa.org

Time running out to enter scripts for the inaugural Writers' Guild of South Africa's Muse Awards.

It was a dark and stormy night.

And the number of those dark and stormy nights are fast running out to still enter for the inaugural Writers' Guild of South Africa's Muse Awards set to honour and celebrate writers labouring within South Africa's TV, stage and film community.

The WGSA Muse Awards forms part of the WGSA's schedule of initiatives to strengthen the writing profession by offering skills development programmes as well as protecting the interests of South African writers.

Writers still have until 15 November to enter, and can do so online here, visit www.wgsamuseawards.co.za or you can contact the WGSA office on admin@writersguildsa.org, tel: 011 888 4349 or cell 082 575 6901.

Entry for WGSA members is R100 per entry. Non-members who join the WGSA now will get membership until end February 2015. Winners will be announced at a gala event early in 2014.

The 6 categories for which entries will be accepted for the 2013 WGSA Muse Awards include:
• Feature Film
• TV Drama
• TV Comedy
• Documentary
• Stage Play
• Unproduced in any genre

"With the growth in the South African film and television industry it is critical that credit is given where credit is due," says Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson.

"Often it is an overlooked fact that it is the writers who are the backbone of the film and TV industry, as without their vivid imaginations there would be nothing to watch on our screens."

"WGSA has created the WGSA Muse Awards to recognise the hard work done by our members in the South African film, TV and entertainment industry. It is an award by writers for writers, which finally shines the spotlight on the often forgotten custodians of SA arts and culture."

For the WGSA Muse Awards, while the main language of the entries should be English, short dialogue sequences in other South African official languages are acceptable as long as English translations are supplied.

As the Muse Awards grow, more categories will be added, including new media, gaming, animation, shorts and a category for student writers, says the organisation.