by FilmInk Staff
Emerging and seasoned composers named as 2024 Screen Music nominees.
Roll call includes Joff Bush, Amanda Brown, Antonio Gambale, Tim Minchin, Alex Olijnyk, Electric Fields, Jazz D’Arcy, Jed Kurzel and many more.
APRA AMCOS and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) are proud to announce nominees for the 2024 Screen Music Awards.
Featuring a mix of 29 first time nominees and seasoned screen composers, the list spans 15 categories including compositions for documentaries, short films, advertising, children’s programming, feature film scores and for the first time, music for games/interactive media and unscripted and reality television.
The nominated music and original songs are featured in some of Australia’s favourite screen moments of the past year, including homegrown animated phenomenon Bluey. Appearing in Best Music for Children’s Programming and Most Performed Composer – Overseas (Joff Bush), Bluey, is currently the most-watched show in the United States so far this year.
The Feature Film Score of the Year nominees include two-time previous winner, Jed Kurzel, for original music composed for Dev Patel’s action thriller Monkey Man. Sean Peter is nominated for Plan Bea, the movie musical about a Sydney high school and their creative challenges during the Covid lockdown. Not only is Sean the songwriter, but also the writer and director. With a background in theatre, rock ’n roll and mathematics, composer Stefan Gregory is nominated for indie film The Rooster, directed by Mark Leonard Winter and featuring Hugo Weaving. Rounding out the category is multiple Screen Music Award winner Michael Lira, who is recognised for Netflix’s hybrid live action and animation film, Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp.
In recognition of screen music composers on the rise, the brand-new Emerging Screen Composer of the Year category features four outstanding nominees – Alex Olijnyk, who most recently co-composed the original score for Fake and is also nominated for The Meaningless Daydreams of Augie and Celeste in the Short Film category; Ayda Akbal, an accomplished composer, songwriter and producer who explores emotion and culture in her work and has recently released Where Do I Belong? Here, about what it means to grow up first-generation Turkish-Australian; James Mountain, who in 2023 received a Screen Music Award for Best Music for a Short Film for his score for Mud Crab; and Luna Pan, an award-winning screen, advertising and game composer who has created soundtracks for feature films and TV programs including The Block, Bondi Rescue and Bluey.
The category formerly known as Best Music for a Television Series now features nominees across two distinct categories. In Best Music for a Television Comedy, the nominees are Jackson Milas and first-time nominee Josie Mann for Bump; Antony Partos for The Artful Dodger; Michael Yezerski for While The Men Are Away and Piers Burbrook de Vere for Wolf Like Me.
In Best Music for a Television Drama, creative father and son collaborators Cezary Skubiszewski and Jan Skubiszewski are nominated for High Country. Matteo Zingales receives a nod for his work on Ladies in Black. Amanda Brown and Antonio Gambale are recognised for Prosper, and the musical partnership of Cornel Wilczek and Thomas Rouch sees them nominated for The Newsreader.
The newly introduced Best Music for Unscripted & Reality Television Series category features composers Adam Gock, Dinesh Wicks, Cassie To, Marlon Grunden, Robert Upward, Anthony Ammar, David Bruggemann, Brontë Horder, David Huxtable, Richard LaBrooy, Adam Sofo, Mitch Stewart, Emma Greenhill, Charlton Hill, Justin Shave and David Barber, who between them have created music for popular programs Australia by Design Architecture, LEGO Masters, MasterChef and The Summit.
The newly minted Best Music for a Video Game or Other Interactive Media category features composers Meena Shamaly and Natalie Jeffreys for Every Hue of You, a game that follows the personal journey of Twyla, a jeweller battling grief who awakens the power to enchant her creations with the energy of emotions. Rory Chenoweth and Samuel Marks are nominated for their music from Nine Realms: Revolt, a deckbuilding adventure where players make alliances, grow powerful, and discover what lies within each battle. David Barber returns with another nomination, this time for Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire where players are a band of adventurers who face off against a variety of enemies using swords, axes and bows. Finally, composer Michael Allen has created the soundscape for Solium Infernum, a turn-based political strategy game set in hell.
The Best Original Song Composed for the Screen features some of Australia’s finest songwriters. Amanda Brown, Damien Lane and David Leha (Radical Son) have teamed up to write Carry You from RFDS. Tim Minchin is nominated for the upbeat Good Day Sunshine from the Netflix hit Eric. Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross (professionally known as Electric Fields) receive a nod for their song Tjukurpa from Faraway Downs. Composers Jack Doepel, Benjamin Freeman and Angus Mills round out the category with Echo from Lighting of the Sails for Vivid 2024.
The winners will be announced at the ceremony at Forum Melbourne/Naarm on Tuesday 29 October. Comedian, actor, writer and improviser, Susie Youssef, will host the Awards with Musical Director Erkki Veltheim leading a live orchestra, that will bring selections of works from the screen to life.
2024 Screen Music Awards Nominations
Feature Film Score of the Year
Monkey Man
Composed by Jed Kurzel
Published by Universal/MCA Music Publishing
Plan Bea
Composed by Sean Peter
The Rooster
Composed by Stefan Gregory
Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp
Composed by Michael Lira
Published by Universal/MCA Music Publishing
Emerging Composer of the Year
Alex Olijnyk
Ayda Akbal
James Mountain
Luna Pan
Best Music for Children’s Programming
Beep and Mort: Today! The Musical
Composed by Harry Covill
Bluey: The Sign
Composed by Joff Bush, Jazz D’Arcy, Daniel O’Brien & Joe Twist
Published by Universal Music Publishing
The Sloth Lane
Composed by Ack Kinmonth
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
Composed by Hamish Francis
Best Music for a Documentary [composers pictured]
Every Little Thing
Composed by Caitlin Yeo
Published by Kobalt Music Publishing obo LILLIPILLI
Fungi: Web of Life
Composed by Piers Burbrook de Vere & Angela Little
Secrets of the Octopus
Composed by Rafael May
Published by Sony Music Publishing
War Tails
Composed by Piotr Nowotnik
Best Music for a Short Film
Blame the Rabbit
Composed by Michael Darren
The Meaningless Daydreams of Augie and Celeste
Composed by Alex Olijnyk
Quiet Night Thought
Composed by Madeleine Mallis
We Used To Own Houses
Composed by Joel Byrne & Wade Keighran
Published by GAGA Music Publishing
Best Music for a Television Comedy
Bump: Work
Composed by Jackson Milas & Josie Mann
Published by Sonar Music Publishing
The Artful Dodger: Season 1 Episode 1
Composed by Antony Partos
Published by Sony Music Publishing
While The Men Are Away: Furrowing The Fuhrer’s Brow!
Composed by Michael Yezerski
Wolf Like Me: Season 2 Episode 4
Composed by Piers Burbrook de Vere
Published by Universal/MCA Music Publishing
Best Music for a Television Drama
High Country: Season 1 Episode 1
Composed by Cezary Skubiszewski and Jan Skubiszewski
Ladies in Black: Season 1 Episode 1
Composed by Matteo Zingales
Published by Sonar Music Publishing
Prosper: Season 1 Episode 2
Composed by Amanda Brown & Antonio Gambale
Published by Kobalt Music Publishing obo LILLIPILLI
The Newsreader: Fireworks
Composed by Cornel Wilczek & Thomas Rouch*
Published by Concord Music Publishing ANZ*
Best Music for Unscripted & Reality Television Series
Australia By Design Architecture
Composed by Marlon Grunden & Robert Upward
Published by Mushroom Music
LEGO Masters
Composed by Adam Gock, Dinesh Wicks, Anthony Ammar, David Bruggemann, Brontë Horder, David Huxtable, Richard LaBrooy, Adam Sofo, Mitch Stewart, Cassie To
Published by Universal Music Publishing obo Endomol Australia Pty Ltd
MasterChef
Composed by Adam Gock, Dinesh Wicks, Anthony Ammar, Emma Greenhill, Brontë Horder, Richard LaBrooy, Adam Sofo, Mitch Stewart & Cassie To
Published by Universal Music Publishing obo Endomol Australia Pty Ltd
The Summit
Composed by Charlton Hill, Justin Shave, David Barber
Published by Universal Music Publishing obo Uncanny Valley
Best Music for a Video Game or Other Interactive Media
Every Hue of You
Composed by Meena Shamaly & Natalie Jeffreys
Nine Realms: Revolt
Composed by Rory Chenoweth & Samuel Marks
Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire
Composed by David Barber
Solium Infernum
Composed by Michael Allen
Best Opening Title Television Theme
Night Bloomers
Composed by Darren Lim
The Mission
Composed by Joel Farland
The Way We Wore
Composed by Ned Beckley & Josh Hogan
Zip and the Tiny Sprouts
Composed by Jazz D’Arcy
Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
Carry You from RFDS
Composed by Amanda Brown*, Damien Lane* & David Leha
Published by Kobalt Music Publishing obo LILLIPILLI*
Echo from Lighting of the Sails for Vivid 2024
Composed by Jack Doepel, Benjamin Freeman & Angus Mills
Good Day Sunshine from Eric
Composed by Tim Minchin
Published by Kobalt Music Publishing/David Platz Music (Australia)
Tjukurpa from Faraway Downs
Composed by Zaachariaha Fielding & Michael Ross
Published by Sony Music Publishing
Best Soundtrack Album
Sleeping Dogs
Composed by David Hirschfelder
Published by Cas Music Australia
Talk To Me
Composed by Cornel Wilczek & Thomas Rouch*
Published by Concord ANZ*
The Rooster
Composed by Stefan Gregory
Travels on My Donkey
Composed by Burkhard Dallwitz
Best Music for an Advertisement
Carlton Dry: Drylandia
Composed by Jeremy Richmond
Published by Rumble Studios
Husk
Composed by Matteo Zingales & Josh Pearson
Published by Sonar Music
Life Giving Learning
Composed by Finn Clarke
The Voice 2024 Launch aka Team Unite
Composed by Charlton Hill, Justin Shave, Reigan Derry* & Graham Donald^
Published by Universal Music Publishing obo Uncanny Valley, Mushroom Music Publishing obo Young&Vicious*, Red Music Publishing^
Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia
Adam Gock & Dinesh Wicks MasterChef Australia, Travel Guides, Married At First Sight
Jay Stewart The Block, Better Homes & Gardens, The Force
Mitchell Stewart MasterChef Australia, Travel Guides, Married At First Sight
Neil Sutherland Border Security, Australian Crime Stories, Bondi Vet
Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas
Joff Bush Bluey
Adam Gock & Dinesh Wicks MasterChef Australia, Stars on Mars, Lego Masters Australia
Mitchell Stewart Stars on Mars, Lego Masters Australia, The Biggest Loser
Neil Sutherland Border Security, Mythbusters, Bondi Vet
2024 SCREEN MUSIC AWARDS
Tuesday 29 October 2024
Forum Melbourne, Naarm
Hosted by Susie Youssef
Musical Director Erkki Veltheim
