The 2017 Screen Music Awards took place last night (Monday, 13 November 2017) at the Recital Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Staged jointly by APRA AMCOS and the AGSC (Australian Guild of Screen Composers), the event paid tribute to composers across 12 categories.
The 2017 Screen Music Awards were hosted by comedian Denise Scott and featured presenters Burkhard Dallwitz, Elisa Argenzio, Rob Collins, Jenni Tosi, Martin Foley MP, Daina Reid and Margaret Pomeranz. APRA AMCOS CEO Brett Cottle presented composer Martin Armiger with the inaugural Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award.
The evening featured performances from Missy Higgins and her brother David Higgins, rapper Briggs, singers Caiti Baker and Justin Shave, as well as opera singers Jacqueline Dark and James Egglestone.
Martin Armiger was presented with the Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award by APRA AMCOS CEO Brett Cottle
Screen composer Antony Partos (Animal Kingdom, The Rover, Redfern Now) took out the Feature Film Score of the Year award for his original score for the Australian feature film Jasper Jones.
Missy Higgins won her first ever Screen Music Award for Best Original Song Composed for the Screen. She was recognised for the song “Torchlight” from Don’t Tell, a story based on true events and the 2001 legal case that changed how Australia handles child abuse claims.
Fox League Super Saturday received an award for Best Television Theme. The track is composed by Briggs, Justin Shave and Charlton Hill.
Charlton HIll, Caiti Baker, Briggs and Justin Shave
Jed Kurzel’s score for Alien: Covenant took out the award for Best Soundtrack Album, while the award for Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie went to Bryony Marks for Barracuda, the four-part ABC television series based on the novel by acclaimed writer Christos Tsiolkas.
His work on Baz Luhrmann’s The Get Down earned Elliott Wheeler the award for Best Music for a Television Series or Serial.
Screen composer Ash Gibson Greig received the award for Best Music for a Documentary for Whiteley, a visual journey into the life and legacy of one of Australian artist Brett Whiteley.
Composer Me-Lee Hay has won the Best Music for a Short Film category for Last Tree Standing. This is the second consecutive year that she has won this award.
Bottersnikes & Gumbles: The Ugly Pageant was named the Best Music for Children’s Television.
The award for Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia has gone to co-composers Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks. For the 10th consecutive year, composer Neil Sutherland was named Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas. This takes his overall tally of Screen Music Awards to an unmatched 12.
2017 SCREEN MUSIC AWARDS
Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award
Martin Armiger
Feature Film Score of the Year
Title Jasper Jones
Composed by Antony Partos
Best Music for a Television Series or Serial
Title The Get Down
Composed by Elliott Wheeler
Published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie
Title Barracuda
Composed by Bryony Marks
Published by Kobalt Music Publishing obo Lillipilli IP
Best Television Theme
Title Fox League Super Saturday
Composed by Briggs, Justin Shave and Charlton Hill
Published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
Title Torchlight from Don’t Tell
Composed by Missy Higgins
Best Music for a Documentary
Title Whiteley
Composed by Ash Gibson Greig
Best Music for a Short Film
Title Last Tree Standing
Composed by Me-Lee Hay
Best Soundtrack Album
Title Alien: Covenant
Composed by Jed Kurzel
Published by Sony/ATV/FOX Music
Best Music for Children’s Television
Title Bottersnikes & Gumbles: The Ugly Pageant
Composed by Michael Szumowski
Published by BMG AM and Cheeky Little Media
Best Music for an Advertisement
Title Good Mood Water: The Bad Choice
Composed by Lindsay Jehan and Nathan Cavaleri
Published by Song Zu Publishing
Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia
Composers Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks
Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas
Composer Neil Sutherland