About

Sam Weiss is an AACTA-nominated composer for film, television and media based in Sydney, Australia.

Sam has composed music for film and television professionally since age 20, with several feature film, short film and television (ABC, SBS) composer credits spanning drama, comedy, documentary, thriller and animation. Sam has composed music for Hans Zimmer’s LA-based custom scoring house Bleeding Fingers Music.

His work has been recognised with a 2024 AACTA Awards nomination for Best Original Score in Feature Film, and as a finalist in the 2023 APRA Professional Development Awards.

For Sam, the most important aspect of composition has always been to feel the music. His practice stems from his jazz improvisation background, which cultivated an ability to formulate new musical ideas and melodies as second nature.

Sam’s compositional voice is an ever-evolving amalgamation (and culmination) of his broad range of musical experiences and abilities, including performing, orchestrating, arranging and conducting across a diverse range of genres and projects.

It’s not just about the note, but the sound of every note.

Sam has first-hand experience in developing musical ides alongside the key creatives at all stages of production, and can add value to any screen project from preproduction through to the final mix.

Sam studied an MA: Screen (Music) degree at Australia’s foremost film school AFTRS and B.Mus (Hons)/B.Com degree at UNSW. Sam studied under leading Australian composers including Dr John Peterson, Dr Nicholas Vines, Andrew Scott, Alister Spence, Guy Gross, Cameron Patrick, Greg Wise and Paul Healy.

Sam also composes music for the stage. He was recently Composer in Residence for the Sydney Children’s Choir (2020/21), who commissioned him to write 5 pieces. His pieces have been sung by choirs all over the world, including the world-renowned Voces8/Apollo5, and performed at iconic venues including the Sydney Opera House.

In 2023/24, Sam has further stage commissions in the pipeline for Gondwana Choirs and the Luminescence Chamber Singers.

Sam is also known to many on the live scene as SAM JAKE, a moniker under which he performs as a DJ/Sax in Australia and internationally.

Sam is an active member of the Australian Guild of Screen Composers and the Music Arrangers’ Guild of Australia.

Sam's concert music scores are distributed by the Australian Music Centre and SingScore.

Sam works out of his studio at Church Street Studios in Camperdown, Sydney.

CV available upon request.