Cowgirls and Synthesizers
UK hit-maker and Eurovison songwriter Ricardo Autobahn follows the synthesizer pop duo Hyperbubble, described by Alternative Press as "the sonic equivalent of a truckload of Twizzlers", as they drive to Nashville to record a country and western album using only synthesizers, drum machines, and theremin.
Along the way, Hyperbubble members Jess and Jeff meet cartoon cult heroes Samantha Newark of Jem and the Holograms and Manda Rin of Bis/Powerpuff Girls fame, Theremin diva Dorit Chrysler, music fashion guru Manuel Cuevas, cosmic cowboy Garett T Capps, air-drumming filmmaker Ari Gold, Do-It-Yourself vinyl pioneers Shoes, synth-pop sweeties Freezepop, Lederhosen Lucil, Helen Love, and Our Daughters Wedding, and somehow end up winners in Dolly Parton's Netflix song contest.
Directed by Joe Wallace, Cowgirls and Synthesizers is a fast, fun, fanzine telling the true story of Hyperbubble's over 20-year career, splattered with color, animation, and comedy.
-
Joe WallaceDirector45 RPM, The Camera Is Your Friend, Bubblegum Fiesta, The Making of an Air Force Recruiter
-
Joe WallaceWriter
-
Jess DeCuirWriter
-
Jeff DeCuirWriter
-
Joe WallaceProducer45 RPM, The Camera Is Your Friend, Making of an Air Force Recruiter
-
Jessica DeCuirProducerA Synthesizer For Christmas, Candy Apple Daydreams
-
Jeff DeCuirProducerA Synthesizer For Christmas, Candy Apple Daydreams
-
HyperbubbleKey Cast
-
Project Type:Documentary
-
Genres:Documentary, Music, Indie, art
-
Runtime:1 hour 20 minutes
-
Completion Date:January 9, 2023
-
Production Budget:24,000 USD
-
Country of Origin:United States, United States
-
Country of Filming:United States, United States
-
Language:English
-
Shooting Format:Digital
-
Aspect Ratio:16:9
-
Film Color:Color
-
First-time Filmmaker:No
-
Student Project:No
-
Fellowshipwreck Film FestivalSan Antonio, TX
United States
February 19, 2023
North American Premiere
Official Selection Screening -
Ely Film, Art, and Music FestivalEly, NV
United States
March 12, 2023
Nevada Premiere
Official Selection Screening -
Boomtown International Film FestivalBeaumont, TX
United States
May 13, 2023
Official Selection Screening -
Creation Film FestivalLos Angeles, CA
United States
Spring Session
California Premiere
Best Cult Film / Best Direction / Best Editing -
Tennessee International Independent Film FestivalNashville, Tennessee
United States
August 3, 2023
Tennessee Premiere
Official Selection Screening -
Viva Texas Film FestivalVictoria, Texas
United States
August 5, 2023
Official Selection Screening -
SAFILM San Antonio Film FestivalSan Antonio, Texas
United States
August 28, 2023
Official Selection Screening -
Wild West Film FestivalVacaville, CA
United States
September 30, 2023
Official Selection Screening -
Reel East Texas Film FestivalKilogore, TX
United States
November 9, 2023
Official Selection Screening -
New Jersey International Film FestivalNew Brunswick
United States
June 9, 2024
Northeast American Premiere Screening
Honorable Mention -
Comfort FilmsChicago
United States
June 26, 2024
Chicago Premiere Screeining -
New York International Film FestivalNew York
United States
June 28, 2024
Official Selection -
New York Lift-Off Film FestivalNew York
United States
July 1, 2024
Official Selection -
Lonely Seal International Film FestivalBoston
United States
August 20, 2024
Boston Premiere
Official Selection Screening -
Berlin Indie Film FestivalBerlin
Germany
January 2, 2025
May 2024
Best Editing -
Milan International Film FestivalMilan
Italy
November 22, 2024
Italian Premiere
Official Selection -
Wales International Film FestivalSwansea, Wales
United Kingdom
December 20, 2024
Wales Premiere
Official Selection -
London International Film FestivalLondon, England
United Kingdom
February 5, 2025
London Premiere
Official Selection
Director Joe Wallace is a die-hard fan of genre cinema and indie oddball weirdness such as Death Race 2000, Norway, and Black Tight Killers.
Wallace's gateway to indie filmaking was as a videographer and reporter for the Air Force. During this time Joe interviewed a wide range of familiar faces; Cheap Trick, Toto, Survivor, Gang of Four and Nine Inch Nails, as well as more mainstream household names including Joan Lunden and the Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Most reporters would find meeting with a powerful leader such as Jesse Jackson a daunting assignment, but it was interviewing synthpop pioneer Gary Numan that Wallace found more intimidating. Not because Numan is a tough interview, but because Joe has been hooked on Numan's work since hearing Cars for the first time in 1979.
It is this love of electronic music, storytelling, and the art of the interview that ultimately led to Wallace transforming Hyperbubble's 20 years of synthpop, performance, and art into the 70-minute documentary, Cowgirls and Synthesizers.
As a documentary director, my job is often finding a fine line between representing reality and interpreting the mindset behind the people involved. Reality is an interesting thing, but sometimes documenting it requires striking a balance between facts and feelings.