Cowgirls and Synthesizers

Cowgirls and Synthesizers follows the synthpop 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 and theremin.

Along the way, Hyperbubble members Jeff and Jess meet cartoon cult hero Samantha Newark of Jem and the Holograms, 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, synthpop sweeties Freezepop, Lederhosen Lucil, Helen Love, and Our Daughters Wedding, and somehow end up getting featured as the winners in Dolly Parton's Netflix song contest.

Directed by Joe Wallace, and narrated by UK top 20 producer Ricardo Autobahn, 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 Wallace
    Director
    45 RPM, The Camera Is Your Friend, Bubblegum Fiesta, The Making of an Air Force Recruiter
  • Joe Wallace
    Writer
  • Jess DeCuir
    Writer
  • Jeff DeCuir
    Writer
  • Joe Wallace
    Producer
    45 RPM, The Camera Is Your Friend, Making of an Air Force Recruiter
  • Jessica DeCuir
    Producer
    A Synthesizer For Christmas, Candy Apple Daydreams
  • Jeff DeCuir
    Producer
    A Synthesizer For Christmas, Candy Apple Daydreams
  • Hyperbubble
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Music, Indie, art
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 2, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    30,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Fellowshipwreck Film Festival
    San Antonio
    United States
    February 19, 2023
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Joe Wallace

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.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

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.