Fifteen SOCAN members were honoured at the Screen Composers Guild of Canada’s (SCGC) second annual Canadian Screen Music Awards (CASMAs), held on Oct. 26, 2023, at El Mocambo in downtown Toronto.
SOCAN Senior Account Executive, Audiovisual, Paul Stillo co-hosted the event with SCGC Executive Director Tonya Dedrick, while SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown presented the Best Original Main Title Theme Music honour, sponsored by SOCAN. “SOCAN is always happy to partner with the Screen Composers Guild of Canada,” said Brown. “We’re very honoured to present this award.” Music Publishers Canada (MPC) CEO Margaret McGuffin presented the honour for Best Original Song, sponsored by MPC.
The CASMAs honour composers for their outstanding work in media and screen-based industries, and are the first to be juried and awarded by fellow composers in Canada. A total of 52 musical works received nominations in 11 categories covering feature film, television, animation, documentary, games, and interactive media.
And the winners are:
Best Original Main Title Theme Music
Presented by SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown
Layal Watfeh, for Under Guardianship – Taht Al Wisaya
Best Original Song (Sponsored by Music Publishers Canada)
Presented by Music Publishers Canada CEO Margaret McGuffin
Jesse Zubot, Wayne Lavallée, and Marie Clements, for “You Are My Bones”
Best Original Score, Animated Series or Special
Spencer Creaghan and Neil Parfitt, for Matchbox Adventures: Season 3
Best Original Score, Comedy Series or Special
Peter Chapman and Maylee Todd, for Workin’ Moms – “The End” episode
Best Original Score, Documentary, Factual, Reality Series or Special
Ben Fox, for The Climate Baby Dilemma
Best Original Score for a Documentary Feature Film
Jonathan Kawchuk, for True Survivors
Best Original Score, Dramatic Series or Special (Sponsored by DGC National)
Spencer Creaghan, for Slasher: Ripper – “The Slaughterhouse” episode
Best Original Score for Games and Interactive Media
Jim Guthrie, for Nobody Saves The World
Best Original Score for a Narrative Feature Film (Sponsored by Orchestral Tools)
Steph Copeland, for Outpost
Best Original Score for a Short Film (Sponsored by Cinesamples)
Amin Bhatia, for Jane Goodall’s Reasons for Hope
Best Original Score for a Television Special
Kristjan Bergey, for Swindler Seduction
Distinguished Services to the Industry Award
Darren Fung
In addition to these awards, an “In Memoriam” segment honoured the late screen composer, and 2022 CASMA winner, Phil Strong – who was fondly remembered as “a brilliant and kind creative spirit.”