SUNDAY 7 December

Time: 11:10am – 12:10pm | Location: Cinema | Moderated by: Jessica Wells

A discussion of the creative process and working relationship between composer Elliott Wheeler and music editor Jamieson Shaw, including their work on The Get Down, Elvis, EPiC and others. Moderated by long time collaborator and legend, Jessica Wells.

Time: 11:30 – 12:30pm | Location: Lecture Theatre | Moderated by: Louis Moore

Composers Tristan Barton, Lance Gurisik and Cassie To with OTIS deconstruct their work for major advertising campaigns, including Palmolive, Toyota and AAMI. Moderated by Creative Producer Louis Moore, this session will unpack briefs, creative approaches and client feedback – offering a rare insight into how great commercial music comes to life.

Time: 1:30 – 2:30pm | Location: Cinema | Moderated by: Josh Hogan

Generative AI is on the brink of reshaping how music is made for film, TV, games, and advertising — bringing both opportunity and risk. For composers, AI tools could potentially speed up creative work and help with tasks like mixing or idea generation. But many fear that cheap, AI-generated music could replace human creators, driving down fees, and reducing collaboration across the industry.

At the same time, questions about copyright and consent are growing louder, as AI models are often trained on existing music without credit or payment. This session explores what’s at stake for screen composers — and what needs to happen to protect creativity, fairness, and the future of the profession.

Join Composer Michael Yezerski, Composer and Innovator Charlie Chan, leading technology lawyer Schellie-Jayne Price, and Nicholas Pickard, APRA AMCOS Executive Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for a wide-ranging discussion. Moderated by Josh Hogan.

Time: 1:50 – 2:50pm | Location: Lecture Theatre | Moderated by: Dale Cornelius

Join award-winning composer Bryony Marks (Savage River, The Family Next Door) and acclaimed director Matthew Saville (Black Snow, Upright) for an in-depth conversation about their creative partnership, including their collaboration on Please Like Me. Reflecting on key projects and upcoming productions, they’ll explore how music and storytelling inform one another, the artistic and practical decisions that shape their work, and how a shared creative language develops over time. Moderated by award-winning composer Dale Cornelius.

Time: 3:20 – 4:20pm | Location: Cinema | Moderated by: Aaron Wyatt

Mark Buys (orchestrator) and Kylie Davies (Assoc Principal Double Bass Orchestra Victoria and Director at The Newmarket Collective) discuss how to record your score effectively from MIDI to the scoring stage. Jessica Wells (composer and orchestrator) shows recent cues from the upcoming documentary “Endangered Australia” where a combination of improvisation and notated parts were used to fuse with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Time: 3:40 – 4:40pm | Location: Lecture Theatre | Moderated by: Me-Lee Hay

A new generation of screen composers is redefining what Australian screen music can sound like — blending technology, identity, and experimentation in bold new ways. From the electronic storytelling of Thalia Sylvena Skopellos, to the international achievements of Ayda Akbal in film and the Marvel Universe, to the award-winning cinematic scoring of James Mountain, and the dynamic screen and sound design of Felix Wallis — these artists represent the future of the craft.

Join this conversation with four of Australia’s most exciting emerging voices as they share their creative journeys, influences, and insights into building a career in today’s evolving screen industry. Moderated by Me-Lee Hay.