Adam Gock, Alex Olijnyk, Amanda Brown, Dinesh Wicks, Jed Kurzel, Joff Bush, and more score awards for their composition contributions at the Screen Music Awards
Composers were recognised for their contributions to the screen and film industry last night at the 2024 Screen Music Awards. As presented by APRA AMCOS and Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) the annual event celebrates excellence in composition across the small and large screen.
Held at the Forum Melbourne, Naarm on Tuesday 29 October, the 2024 Screen Music Awards saw Feature Film Score of the Year go to Jed Kurzel with his composition from Monkey Man. It is Kurzel’s third win of the category following the 2011 win for Snowtown and 2015 for Slow West. The Dev Patel-directed and starring film, Monkey Man showcases Kruzel’s uniquely unconventional music composing style matches the kinetic energy of the action revenge thriller.
2024 Screen Music Awards
- When: Tuesday 29 October 2025
- Where: Forum Melbourne, Naarm
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The 2024 Screen Music Awards opened with a special musical tribute to the 2003 film, Japanese Story, with music composed by Elizabeth Drake. Erkki Veltheim led the Screen Music Awards Orchestra and the Consort of Melbourne to perform the four Feature Film Score of the Year nominated pieces, and the closing performance of the 2024 Screen Music Awards was “Carry You” from RFDS, performed by Radical Son. As the evening continued, the sweep of awards throughout the night showcased the diversity in film and screen across composition.
Dive into the 2024 Screen Music Awards list of winners below.
2024 Screen Music Awards Recipients
The Best Music For Children’s Programming
The Best Music for Children’s Programming goes to composers Joff Bush, Jazz D’Arcy, Daniel O’Brien and Joe Twist for Bluey: The Sign. With the music for Bluey often described as the voice of the show itself, this season finale episode saw Bluey, Bingo and Chilli coming to terms with leaving their beloved family home and made headlines around the globe for reducing adults to tears.
Emerging Screen Composer of the Year
The brand-new Emerging Screen Composer of the Year award was presented to Alex Olijnyk. With a background in contemporary classical and chamber music, Alex specialises in multimedia/sensory works and blends orchestral elements with electronic textures, strong melodies and improvisation.
Best Music for a Television Drama
Composers Cezary Skubiszewski and Jan Skubiszewski have created the Best Music for a Television Drama formystery drama series High Country, while the award for Best Music for a Television Comedy has gone to Michael Yezerski for the series that is an irreverent reimagining of 1940s Australia, While the Men Are Away.
Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
“Carry You” from RFDS is the Best Original Song Composed for the Screen, written by composers Amanda Brown, Damien Lane and David Lehā (Radical Son), while first time winner Stefan Gregory has created the original music for feature film The Rooster, which has taken out the Best Soundtrack Album.
Best Music for a Documentary
Composer Piotr Nowotnik has received his first Screen Music Award for Best Music for a Documentary for War Tails, the extraordinary documentary that follows an intrepid animal rescue team amidst the Russia-Ukraine war, capturing the stark realities faced by volunteers rescuing animals on the front lines of conflict.
Best Music for a Short Film
Best Music for a Short Film recipient, Michael Darren, composed the winning score for Blame the Rabbit, a surrealist, modern take on the Gorgon myth and a cautionary tale about what happens when you suppress and disrespect the Divine Feminine.
Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia, Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas, Best Music for Unscripted & Reality Television Series
The successful music partnership of Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks saw them receive three Screen Music Awards this year. Together they have been named Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia and Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas for their scores spanning across television juggernauts Married at First Sight, MasterChef Australia, Stars on Mars and Travel Guides. Along with co-writers Anthony Ammar, David Bruggemann, Brontë Horder, David Huxtable, Richard LaBrooy, Adam Sofo, Mitch Stewart and Cassie To, Gock and Wicks have also won the inaugural award for Best Music for Unscripted & Reality Television Series for LEGO Masters.
Best Music for a Video Game or Other Interactive Media
The maiden award for Best Music for a Video Game or Other Interactive Media goes to Michael Allen for creating the original soundscape for Solium Infernum. Michael has previously composed for award winning video games including The Forgotten City and Armello.
Best Opening Title Television Theme
Another Screen Music Awards debutante is composer Darren Lim, who has received the award for Best Opening Title Television Theme. Darren is recognised for the opening music for the SBS Viceland series Night Bloomers, an anthology of horror stories from the Korean diaspora.
Best Music for an Advertisement
The award for Best Music for an Advertisement was presented to Jeremy Richmond for Carlton Dry: Drylandia. Richmond’s music can be heard regularly on television and radio including work for Uber Eats, ANZ, NAB, Kit Kat, McDonald’s, Tourism Australia and NRMA.
Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award
The Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award went to writer, director and producer, Rachel Perkins, for her extraordinary contribution to film and television. The Award was presented by Missy Higgins, who, with the Screen Music Awards Orchestra, performed “Edge of Something” from Total Control (composed by Missy Higgins, Antony Partos and Matteo Zingales) in tribute to Perkins.
To learn more about the 2024 Screen Music Awards and the award winners, head here.
