Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC)

Overview

The Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) is the professional association representing composers working in film, television, advertising, gaming, and digital media in Australia. Founded in 1997, the AGSC is the only dedicated national organisation for Australian screen composers. The Guild provides professional community, rates survey data, contract guidance, advocacy, and the annual Screen Music Awards presented jointly with APRA AMCOS.

The AGSC was formerly known as the Screen Composers Guild of Australia (SCGA). The organisation rebranded to the Australian Guild of Screen Composers and now operates at agsc.org.au. The 2025-2026 board and sub-committee members are listed on the AGSC About page.

Membership Levels and Fees

The AGSC offers three membership levels with annual fees:

All members receive access to the AGSC Historical Rates Survey Data, which documents fees composers have charged across various project types. Members also receive Screenhub subscriptions, discounted film festival tickets, and special industry rates. Full members are listed in the Members Directory, which producers routinely access when hiring composers.

Applications can be submitted through the AGSC Join page.

Composer Rights and APRA AMCOS

Screen composers in Australia do not automatically retain authorship rights in the music they compose for films. Under the work-for-hire doctrine, composers working under standard production agreements assign their copyright in the score to the production company. The AGSC advocates for contract terms that protect composers' interests within this framework, particularly around synchronisation fees, adaptation rights, and performing rights management.

APRA AMCOS distributes performing rights royalties to composers when their music is broadcast on Australian television or streamed on platforms operating in Australia. These royalties are based on usage data, not the initial composition fee, and can generate ongoing income that is commercially significant for composers with successful scores. Registering compositions correctly with APRA AMCOS is essential for any composer working in Australian screen production.

The AGSC maintains Copyright and Licensing resource pages, a Frequently Asked Questions section, and a list of Do's and Don'ts for composers navigating rights and contracts. These resources are available on the AGSC website.

Screen Music Awards

The AGSC presents the Screen Music Awards annually in partnership with APRA AMCOS. The awards have run for 25 years, since the first event in 1996. The 2025 Screen Music Awards were held on Tuesday 28 October 2025 at the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, hosted by David Wenham AM with guest presenters Mark Coles Smith and Nathalie Morris.

The awards recognise excellence across 16 categories covering feature films, television drama, television comedy, documentary, children's programming, advertising, short film, unscripted and reality television, and soundtrack albums. Two categories are determined by APRA AMCOS statistical analysis based on performance earnings: Most Performed Screen Composer (Australia) and Most Performed Screen Composer (Overseas). The remaining categories are judged by panels of established Australian film and television composers. The Distinguished Services to Australian Screen award is given at the discretion of the APRA Board.

Notable 2025 nominees include Antony Partos (three nominations), Jed Kurzel (three nominations, including Feature Film Score of the Year for Tornado), and Adam Gock, Cassie To, Dinesh Wicks and Mitch Stewart (three nominations each). Christopher Gordon received the Distinguished Services to Australian Screen award in 2025.

Credit Maker Program

The AGSC runs the Credit Maker program, a placement initiative that pairs emerging composers with productions to help them attain their first professional screen credit. The program covers the cost of AGSC membership for selected participants. Placees are remunerated at applicable industry award or accepted industry rates, with fringes and superannuation paid. Carer costs and some relocation costs may also be covered. The mentor and production company receive a modest fee for hosting the placee.

The program is open to non-members. Registrants do not need to be an AGSC member to apply. Details are on the Credit Maker 2025 page.

Games Rates Survey

In 2025, the AGSC launched a Games Rates Survey to gather data on game composer rates across different budget tiers. The survey is open to all games composers, not just AGSC members, and the resulting rate card will help the composer community understand current rates and industry standards for game music composition. The survey is accessible via SurveyMonkey.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Australian directors and producers, the AGSC Members Directory is the primary resource for finding professional screen composers. The AGSC Historical Rates Survey Data provides benchmark fee information across project types, helping producers budget appropriately for music. Understanding what a professional screen composer brings to a production includes thematic development, orchestration knowledge, technical delivery skills, and the creative collaboration to translate directorial intent into music.

For composers building Australian screen careers, AGSC membership provides professional community, rates data, contract guidance, awards recognition, and the Credit Maker program for attaining a first professional credit. Membership at the Full level ($165/year) requires two screen credits and enables listing in the Members Directory that producers use to hire composers.

See Also

For the broader Australian screen industry context, see Screen Producers Australia (SPA) in this directory. For the federal funding body that finances many Australian productions, see Screen Australia in this directory. For the World Soundtrack Awards recognising screen composers internationally, see World Soundtrack Awards in this directory. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to budget for composer fees and music licensing costs in your production.