She’s in good company.
Film composer, Me-Lee Hay of North Katoomba, has been nominated for Australia's top industry Screen Music Awards alongside contemporary musicians Missy Higgins, Sarah Blasko as well as internationally acclaimed screen composers Lisa Gerard, Cezary Skubiszewski and more.
The nomination is for her composition of the score for the 30 minute short film Last Tree Standing, the dystopian story of a young girl called Lexie, who befriends a peculiar being in a bleak world – a half-man, half-tree – and is taken on a magical journey of discovery.
Ms Hay said it was her first nomination and she felt “honoured to be on the list next to some really big names and films such as Alien Covenant”.
“Though its a different category it's great to be part of the overall experience. Being a composer is quite a solitary experience, unlike being a performing artist who are more used to being in the public eye.”
Long days and computer failure combined to keep her blood pressure up during the five weeks over Christmas last year that it took to finish the composition. She said the film’s tones and textures “had to reflect the dark bleak world but still have an element of magic and hope, but not be "Disney". It features double cello [which] has so much depth and sorrow, as well as capacity for lightness and hope.”
The Screen Music Awards are staged jointly by APRA AMCOS and the AGSC at the Melbourne recital Centre on Monday November 13.
Former Blackheath resident Rachel Valentine from the Australian Opera Ballet Orchestra – also Ms Hay’s cello teacher – is featured on the dark orchestral and electronic score.
Ms Hay is now writing a score for a dance film that involves an ex-dancer of the Boravansky Ballet Company (now the Australian Ballet Company) and also working on cinema astronomy documentaries for Museum Victoria. She has also been accepted into Penrith Council's "DiG" Multimedia Creatives program.
She hopes the nomination builds her profile and “adds another string to the bow”. And hopes to encourage other female musicians and composers to get involved in industry functions.
“The film industry, like many other industries is very male dominant. I am glad to be part of the growing trend to acknowledge women in the film industry. Last year only 9.8 per cent of nominees were women, this year its 17.4 - though not 50/50, at least its growing.”
