The film, which raked US$250.4 million (RM1.1 billion) at the box office, won an Academy Award on Sunday for Best Animated Feature and is known for its catchy, well-produced music.
Wee, who also won the coveted Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Award in Hollywood, attributes his success to determination, forging relationships, and seizing opportunities.
“I have always been passionate about music, and when I pursued this career, I always made sure to put myself out there and get out of my comfort zone,” he told FMT.
“I kept working at it and refining my skills because I wanted to do what I loved.”
Born and raised in Kuching, the 34-year-old was active in the local music scene playing in bands before heading off to study at Berkeley College of Music in Boston.
In 2012, he moved to Los Angeles, where he apprenticed and worked with renowned composers such as Hans Zimmer, who has scored over 150 films.
“The first major film I was involved in was ‘Kingsman’ in 2014, and soon after I worked with American composer Germaine Franco on a coming-of-age comedy-drama called ‘Dope’.
“That’s how I collaborated with her on ‘Encanto’; she contacted me and the rest is history,” he says.
Wee worked on “Encanto” from August to October last year. As a score mixer, he brings to life the emotion of each scene with music.
“For instance, in the scene where Antonio is feeling nervous and afraid as he walks up to his door to determine his power, I put together the music to reflect his emotions so the audience, too, could experience his trepidation.
“And when Antonio discovers his power to communicate with animals, the music changes to reflect excitement, happiness and fun.”
Score mixing, he says, is the ability to understand transitions from scene to scene; the “cross-pollination of song and score to accurately capture and convey those sentiments”.
For him, the highlight of working on “Encanto” was the playback, which refers to the reproduction of an already recorded sound.
“One thing score mixers and composers hope is for everyone to love the music we put together. With the playback, it was a success: the team was delighted,” he recalls.
“It didn’t feel like work at all. I loved every minute of it. And because that was how we all felt, it was reflected in the film.”
Other projects Wee has scored include the live-action “Mulan” and the most recent James Bond movie, “No Time to Die”.
“It was an absolutely fun experience to work on these films, but there is so much more I wish to accomplish,” he says. “I would love to be considered for Marvel or DC projects, ‘Star Wars’, and – to satiate my inner child – a ‘Transformers’ film.”
Asked what advice he would give fellow Malaysians who aspire to pursue a career in Hollywood, Wee says it is important to create one’s own opportunities.
“Find a way to do what you love, but also be able to pay your rent,” he quips.
“But honestly, don’t give up on your passions. And, as I said before, get out of your comfort zone.
“Also, feel free to reach out to me, as I’m always happy to share my experiences and give advice.”