Melody Chen

Melody is a Chinese-Australian writer based in Sydney.

In 2021, her short film, “Posthumous Forgiveness”, screened at the Short + Sweet Illawarra Film Festival and caught the attention of award-winning filmmakers worldwide. In 2023, Melody took part in ATYP’s prestigious Fresh Ink National Mentoring Program, where she developed two plays, “SUCKER!” and “The Zoo Play” under the mentorship of resident dramaturg Jane Fitzgerald. Melody’s work combines offbeat humour with vulnerability to tell stories about queer identity, family, girlhood and the Chinese diaspora.

Since completing First Break NSW, Melody has worked as a notetaker on a diverse slate of projects for Goalpost Pictures, See-Saw Films, Aquarius Films and Screen Australia. She has also cut her teeth on the sets of critically-acclaimed shows such as Appetite (SBS Digital Originals), The Disposables (ABC) and Year Of (Stan Originals), as well as the script department of Home and Away.

Melody is currently writing a coming-of-age sitcom about the Asian-Australian teen experience. She is also developing a surreal black comedy drama inspired by shows such as BEEF, Russian Doll and Atlanta. In 2025, her comedic pilot Penny Loafers was shortlisted for the AWG’s Emerging Writers’ Awards.

Projects on file