Joff Bush led the winners at the 2021 Screen Music Awards, recognised twice for his work scoring beloved children’s series, Bluey.
Bush’s first ever Screen Music Awards came in the form of Best Music for Children’s Programming, as well as Best Soundtrack Album with co-composers David Barber, Helena Czajka, Marly Lüske, Lachlan Nicolson and Steve Peach.
Jointly hosted by APRA AMCOS and the Australia Guild of Screen of Composers, the 2021 Screen Music Awards were originally meant to be held last November before being postponed until February. While planned in-person event, the awards shifted online due to the Omicron outbreak.
Feature Film Score of the Year was won by Brian Cachia for his work on Bloody Hell, another first time winner.
Following her AACTA Award win last year, Caitlin Yeo was honoured once again for her scoring of Playing with Sharks with Best Music for A Documentary.
The Best Original Song Composed for the Screen was voted Bagi-la-m Bargan from Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky, the work of Nathan Bird (pka Birdz), Fred Leone and Daniel Rankine (pka Trials). The song is viewed through the lens of a young Butchalla man seeing Captain Cook sail past Kgari (Fraser Island). Leone, a Butchulla Song-man and Birdz’ cousin, sings his part in language.
In TV, father and son duo Cezary Skubiszewski and Jan Skubiszewski took home Best Television Theme for Nine’s Halifax Retribution, while David McCormack and Antony Partos won Best Music for a Television Series or Serial for ABC’s Jack Irish and Roger Mason composed Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie for SBS’s Hungry Ghosts.
Composing duo Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks, of The DA’s Office, have taken out Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia for the eighth time. Their work spans projects such as MasterChef, The Biggest Loser, 20 to 1, and Anh’s Brush with Fame.
Neil Sutherland received the equivalent overseas award for a record 14th consecutive year, with his body of work including Border Security, MythBusters, Dancing with the Stars, Getaway and Bondi Vet.
The 2022 Screen Music Awards will be held in November.
The full list of winners:
Feature Film Score of the Year
Bloody Hell
Composed by Brian Cachia
Best Music for a Documentary
Playing with Sharks
Composed by Caitlin Yeo
Best Music for a Short Film
Yellow Jack
Composed by Adam Moses
Best Soundtrack Album
Bluey The Album
Composed by Joff Bush, David Barber, Helena Czajka, Marly Lüske, Lachlan Nicolson and Steve Peach
Published by Universal Music Publishing obo BBC Worldwide Limited
Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
Bagi-la-m Bargan from Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky
Composed by Nathan Bird, Fred Leone & Daniel Rankine^
Published by Sony Music Publishing obo Bad Apples Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing obo Blue Max Music Publishing^
Best Music for Children’s Programming
Bluey
Composed by Joff Bush
Published by Universal Music Publishing obo BBC Worldwide Limited
Best Television Theme
Halifax Retribution
Composed by Cezary Skubiszewski and Jan Skubiszewski*
Published by Sony Music Publishing obo Beyond Properties / Mushroom Music*
Best Music for a Television Series or Serial
Jack Irish
Composed by David McCormack & Antony Partos
Published by Sonar Music
Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie
Hungry Ghosts
Composed by Roger Mason
Best Music for an Advertisement
The Untold Tale of Isabelle Simi
Composed by Jonathan Dreyfus & Daniel Müller
Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia
Composers: Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks
For: Masterchef, 20 to 1, Anh’s Brush with Fame
Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas
Composer: Neil Sutherland
For: Border Security, Mythbusters, Bondi Vet