Local Sport
SATURDAY’S
Showbiz Extra
High Score
■ The High Score 2025 program is turning up the volume on game audio
From cinematic scores to indie innovation, High Score 2025 delves into the creative and technical aspects of game audio with a dynamic two-day program.
Returning October 4-5 at ACMI as part of Melbourne International Games Week, High Score brings together composers, sound designers, developers and audio professionals for a weekend of insight, inspiration and industry connection.
An initiative of the Victorian Government, presented by the Victorian Music Development Office, this year’s event invites delegates to Turn Up The Volume and celebrate music, sound and audio as vital elements in shaping gameplay, enhancing narrative and deepening emotional impact. Award-winning television and radio presenter, Angharad 'Rad' Yeo returns to host High Score 2025
The program curated by Amy McNickle explores everything from adaptive sound design and interactive music to studio leadership, career development and the business of working in games.
Featuring keynote speakers, deep-dive sessions, and expert panels, High Score showcases global leaders alongside acclaimed Victorian and Australian talent. Combining creativity, technical skill and real-world industry advice, High Score 2025 is designed for professionals, students and anyone aspiring to work in game audio. High Score 2025 program highlights include:
■ The sounds of Indiana Jones – Pete Ward (MachineGames) shares how the iconic score and sound of Indiana Jones were reimagined in a behind-the-scenes masterclass on cinematic and interactive audio for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
■ An Australian game composing legend –Michael Allen, recipient of the inaugural APRA AMCOS Screen Music Award for Games, reflects on his creative journey and acclaimed score for Solium Infernum (League of Geeks).
■ Songwriting for games – Sarah Wolfe shares how she blends hyperpop with genre innovation in Don’t Stop Girlypop! (Funny Fintan Softworks) and Mystiques: Haunted Antiques (Lemonade Games)
■ Voice for games – Bringing characters to life – Spoonful of Wonder, creators of Copycat, reveals how voice performance enhances emotional depth, with practical tips on casting, directing and studio workflows.
■ Indie audio innovation – Discover how FMOD -powered soundscapes elevate storytelling in standout indie titles Cozy Caravan (5 Lives Studios) and Call of the Golden Valley (O’Saurus Studios).
■ The business of audio – A practical session on contracts, licensing, tax, funding, the Digital Games Tax Offset and AI’s impact on game audio. Gordon McGladdery (A Shell in the Pit) shares insights on growing an audio business, lead generation, and sustainable practices.
More speakers arer to be announced. Colin Brooks, Victorian Minister for Creative Industries, said:
“Victoria leads the way when it comes to Australia’s games industry. High Score celebrates the creativity, technology and people shaping the future of interactive sound, highlighting the importance of this sector, which drives jobs and the economy.”
High Score 2025 curator Amy McNickle said: “This year, we’re amplifying voices across the industry – from global leaders to emerging talent. Game audio is powerful, emotional and technical – High Score is where those worlds come together.”
Score – Game Audio Conference
October 4-5
ACMI, Fed Square, Melbourne
Part of Melbourne International Games
LOCAL FOOTBALL SIREN SCORES
Amateurs
■ Victorian Amateur Football Association. Premier B Men’s. Finals Round 1. Old Trinity 12.12 (84) d Old Ivanhoe 9.13 (67). Sunday, September 7: Caulfield Grammarians v Old Carey.
Premier B Men’s Reserves. Finals Round 1. Old Trinity 5.8 (38) d Old Ivanhoe 4.7 (31). Sunday, September 7: Fitzroy v Old Geelong.
Premier C Men’s. Finals Round 1. Beaumaris 13.23 (101) d Parkdale Vultures 7.8 (50). Sunday, September 7: St Bedes/ Metone v AJAX.
Premier C Men’s Reserves. Finals Round 1. Parkdale Vultures 11.6 (72) d Beaumaris 8.5 (53). Sunday, September 7: St Bedes/ Mentone v AJAX.
Division 1 Men’s. Preliminary Final. Sunday, September 7: Old Peninsula v Kew.
Division 1 Men’s Reserves. Preliminary Final. Sunday, September 7. Kew v Ormond.
Division 2 Men’s. Preliminary Final. Sunday, September 7. St Mary’s v South Melbourne.
Division 2 Reserves. Preliminary Final. Sunday, September 7. South Melbourne v St Mary’s Salesian.
Division 3 Men’s. Preliminary Final. Sunday, September 7. North Brunswick 8.6 (54) d Wattle Park 7.9 (51).
Division 3 Reserves. Preliminary Final. Sunday, September 7. Richmond Central v La Trobe University.
Eastern
■ Eastern Football League. Premier Division Seniors. Finals Round 2. Balwyn 13.13 (91) d Blackburn 6.8 (44). Sunday, september 7. East Ringwood v Rowville.
Division 1 Seniors. Preliminary Final. Sunday, September 7. South Belgrave v North Ringwood.
Division 2 Seniors. Preliminary Final. Wantirna South 17.14 (116) d Surrey Park 12.13 (85).
Division 3 Seniors. Grand Final. Scoresby 9.16 (70) d Donvale 10.8 (68).
Division 4 Seniors. Grand Final. Sunday, September 7. Chirinside Park v Whitehorse Pioneers.
Essendon
■ Premier Division. Finals Round 2. Starthmore 18.12 (120) d Keilor 12.8 (80). Sunday, September 7: Aberfeldie v Airport West.
Division 1. Preliminary Final. Hillside 18.7 (115) d Craigieburn 8.8 (56).
Division 2. Grand Final. Rupertswood 8.13 (61) d Westmeadows 8.10 (58).
Mornington
■ Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football Netball League. Division 1 Seniors. Finals Round 2. Rosebud 15.14 (104) d Frankston YCW13.4 (82). Sunday, September 7. Edithvale Aspendale v Mt Eliza.
Division 1 Reserves. Finals Round 2. Mt eliza 12.6 (78) d Rosebud 11.7 (73). Sunday, September 7. Frankston YCW v Red Hill.
Division 1 Under 19. Finals Round 2. Mornington 10.10 (70) d Edithvale Aspendale 5.8 (38). Sunday, September 7. Langwarrin v Frankston YCW.
Division 2 Seniors. Preliminary Final. Devon Meadows 16.10 (106) d Pearcedale 10.20 (80).
Division 2 Reserves. Preliminary Final. Frankston Bombers 10.16 (76) d Pearcedale 11.3 (69).
Division 2 Under 19. Preliminary Final 16.18 (114) d Crib Point 2.7 (19).
Northern
■ Northern Football Netball League. Division 1 Seniors. Finals Round 2. Heidelberg 18.18 (126) d Greensborough 4.10 934). Sunday, September 7. Banyule v Hurstrbidge. Division 1 Reserves. Finals Round 2. Heidelberg 9.8 (62) d Eltham 6.12 (48). Sun-
day, September 7. West Preston Lakeside v Greensborough.
Division 1 Under 19.5. Finals Round 2. Heidelberg 15.15 (105) d Eltham 6.13 (49).
Sunday, September 7. Diamond Creek v Banyule.
Division 2 Seniors. Preliminary Final. Macleod 11.16 (82) d Whittlesea 11.8 974).
Division 2 Reserves. Prelimibnary final. Whittlesea 18.15 (123) d Thomastown 6.15 (51).
Division 2 Under 19.5. Preliminary Final. North Heidelberg 15.10 (100) d South Morangt 8.10 (58).
Division 3 Seniors. Grand Final. Fitzroy Stars 15.10 (100) d Laurimar 7.5 (47).
Division 3 Reserves. Grand Final. Laurimar 9.9 (63) d Fitzroy Stars 7.14 (56).
Division 3 Under 19.5. Grand Final. Kilmore 10.15 975) d Bundoora 6.15 (51).
Outer East
■ Outer East. Premier Division Seniors. Finals Round 2. Wandin 13.8 (86) d Olinda Ferny Creek 9.11 (65). Sunday, September 7. Woori Yallock v Monbulk.
Premier Division Reserves. Finals Round 2. Mt Evelyn 5.5 (35) d Upwey Tecoma 4.7 (31). Sunday, September 7. Officer v Wandin.
Premier Division Under 18 Boys. Finals Round 2. Mt Evelyn 9.2 (56) d Officer 2.5 (17). Sunday, September 7. Wandin v Olinda Ferny Creek.
Division 1 Seniors. Preliminary Final. Warburton Millgrove 19.11 (125) d Pakenham 12.8 (80).
Division 1 Reserves. Preliminary Final. Seville 8.5 (53) d Pakenham 7.8 (50).
Premier Division Under 18 Boys. Seville 19.4 (118) d Yarra Glen 6.5 (41).
Southern
■ Division 1 Seniors. Finals Round 2. Dingley 7.13 (55) d Cheltenham 7.6 (48). Sunday, September 7. St Paul’s McKinnon v Springvale Districts.
Division 2 Seniors. Preliminary Final. Chelsea Heights 9.15 (69) d Highett 5.5 (35).
Division 3 Seniors. Preliminary Final. Hampton 9.9 (63) d Carrum Patterson Lakes 9.7 (61).
Division 4 Seniors. Grand Final. Hallam 11.6 (72) d Dandenong West 8.9 (57).
Western
■ Division 1 Seniors. Finals Round 2. Werribee Districts 16.10 (106) d Caroline Springs 12.17 (89). Sunday, September 7. Yarraville Seddon Eagles v Hoppers Crossing. Division 2 Seniors. Preliminary Final. Wyndhamvale 21.18 (144) d West Footscray 10.16 (76).
Goulburn Valley
■ Seniors. Finals Round 2.Kyabram 20.12 (132) d Mansfield 7.6 (50). Sunday, September 7. Rochester v Echuca. Reserves. Finals Round 2. Kyabram 11.9 975) d Seymour 9.6 (60). Sunday, september 7. Shepparton Swans v Mansfield. Under 18. Finals Round 2. Mooroopna 10.13 (73) d Ky7abram 7.12 (54). Sunday, Septemebr 7. Shepparton v Echuca.
Kyabram District
■ Seniors. Preliminary Final. Lancaster 16.17 (113) d Rushworth 4.8 (32). Reserves. Preliminary Final. Stanhope 9.11 (65) d Lancaster 6.6 (42).
Under 18. Preliminary Final. Tallygarooopna 11.8 (74) d Murchison Toolamba 5.4 (34).
Riddell District
■ Seniors. Finals Round 3. Macedon 12.9 981) d Kyneton 10.11 (71). Reserves. Finals Round 3. Romsey 7.7 (49) d Riddell 4.4 (28). Under 19.5. Finals Round 3. Kyneton 10.6 (66) d Gisborne Giants 6.12 (48).
Arts House
■ Speculative fiction, sleeping bags and sperm donors
This October, Arts House will be home to a Melbourne Fringe program that champions complexity, power and possibility.
From intimate interviews to hybrid dance-theatre to a glitter-soaked experimental performance, these works challenge the norms and reimagine what’s possible both on stage and in life.
Flesh Mirror by Rebecca Jensen and Weave Movement Theatre blends speculative fiction with lived experience in a vivid, shape-shifting exploration of memory, identity and transformation.
IsAnyoneEvenWatching?by Olivia Muscat takes audiences back to the sleepovers of the early 2000s, reclaiming sparkle, rage and self-expression while challenging ableism with humour and heart.
■ FirstTrimesterby Krishna Istha continues a worldwide search for a sperm donor, turning queer family-making into a series of live conversations.
Ben Starick
Otomys
■ Otomys, a leading contemporary and commercial gallery in the heart of Melbourne, has announced Still Point, a landmark exhibition celebrating 15 years since the gallery’s inception.
Opening at Melbourne’s historic Villa Alba Museum in Kew Gardens from November 13-23, StillPointbrings together new works by emerging and established Australian and international artists responding to the mansion’s storied history.
Featured artists in dialogue with the setting will include Anna van der Ploeg, Caroline Collom, Chica Seal, Frances van Hasselt, Helen Redmond, Hermentaire, Joel Sorensen, Katy Papineau, Madisyn Zabel, Marie Bernard, Piet Raemdonck, Sophia Szilágyi, and Colin Pennock Co-curated by Directors Megan Dicks and Hannah Abbott - who remain committed champions of both established and emerging artists - StillPointwill be an open invitation for visitors to view contemporary works, each an invitation to pause, observe and connect more deliberately through painting, sculpture, textile and mixed media.
It calls for slow and quiet encounters and a moment of reflection.
Caroline Collum, Madisyn Zabel and Chica Seal are the latest artists to join Otomys, with all three presenting new work in the exhibition.
Caroline Collom is an abstract artist whose practice distils and reimagines visual forms, exploring the multi-dimensional possibilities of painting. Her process uncovers subtleties that might otherwise go unnoticed, creating works where form, colour and texture intersect to evoke both spatial depth and sensory engagement.
Madisyn Zabel explores the transformative nature of glass through geometric forms crafted using lamination, gluing and coldworking techniques. She is interested in the ways in which colour, light and form interact. The juxtaposition of machined and hand-finished surfaces creates dynamic contrasts, enhanced by shifting natural and artificial light.
Chica Seal is a British painter and sculptor whose interdisciplinary practice reclaims and reimagines the female perspective, responding to the historical misrepresentation of women.
Fascinated by the depiction of women throughout art history and the evolving nature of beauty ideals, Seal draws on contemporary culture, mythology, medieval folklore, storytelling and popular culture to construct layered narratives.
She continues to expand her practice through research and experimentation, exploring new ways of storytelling that centre women’s voices and experiences.
Other Still Point artists on the Otomys roster include Colin Pennock, Sophia Szilágyi and Helen Redmond.
Co-Director Megan Dicks: “The works reflect process perception and philosophy.”
