Inspiration
In this day and age, they say it is impossible to have an original idea; even the supposed snowflakes have their routes in some other property, which isn't to say this is a bad thing. Many ideas have seen the silver screen, sure, but very few have ever perfected it and those that appear to have been set a jumping off points to explore other ideas with some of their sensibilities. Then again, to nail down every draw the average creative uses is near impossible as an entire life time of moments, both big and small, play a part in shaping the final product. However, there are some instances - SYNTH being no stranger to - in which inspiration is very obvious to the point of homage and in breaking down what made that original idea so appealing, you can go on to create something greater than the sum of either works parts.
Moving Image
In making SYNTH, I'd say there were 3 very influential properties that shaped how the final product came to be as it is:
You're Next - You're Next is a modern horror movie originally released in 2011 that sported a colorful cast of very humanized killers (at least by comparison to genre contemporaries) running around to retro synth music is animal masks slaughtering a family one by one. Fun. The plot however cheesy it may be it executed with a surprising degree of sophistication without going into 'sweaty film' levels of dreary drabness, the amazing female protagonist puts up one hell of a fight and by the films end the production as developed from less of a home invasion movie to a game of cat and mouse as the titular Animals and our heroine run circles around one another. There are some distinct elements however that I pulled from:
- Warm versus cold color correction for inside and outside scenes
- Humanized killers with a motive
- Black hooded antagonist fighting with brutal melee weapons
- Retro soundtrack that uses electronica to break the trope of tense orchestral riffs
- Warm versus cold color correction for inside and outside scenes
- Humanized killers with a motive
- Black hooded antagonist fighting with brutal melee weapons
- Retro soundtrack that uses electronica to break the trope of tense orchestral riffs
Cabin In The Woods - The role that Cabin In The Woods had to play in the creation of SYNTH is a lot more downplayed that the previous entry as it is more to do with the ideas behind it than the content on the disk. Joss Wedons entry into 2011 details a cliched and played out scenario where in 5 teens visit an old lodge in the middle of no where for a weekend get away, as you'd expect something goes horribly wrong and one by one they're picked off by the freak of the week. Pretty standard affair right? What I didn't mention was the sinister yet satirical set up that involves a mysterious agency controlling literally every element of the kill from a cozy control room, events unravel slowly, drip feeding clues between the genius script and the juxtaposition of hunting ground and control center to a finale that will have every horror nerd crying with happiness. Whilst I won't spoil, the way that this film deconstructs and comments on the horror formula is inspiring and lead me to want to craft elements of SYNTH that had something to say about cinematic violence as opposed to just being another throw away slasher.
- Omniscient controllers distanced from the action
- Social commentary through cliche set up
- Witty and realistic dialogue
- Omniscient controllers distanced from the action
- Social commentary through cliche set up
- Witty and realistic dialogue
It Follows - I've name dropped this film quite a few times over this website and for good reason, see to me, much like the other two, 2014's It Follow exemplifies how to make a respectful and adventurous horror film with beautiful cinematography, a stellar script and enough nods to the golden age of the genre with a majority of new and interesting ideas to justify watching it. The poster alone should tell you more about this film that anything else, a neon sign typeface over an eerie landscape shot of two teens in a car under a lonely lamp speaks volumes about the atmosphere and tone; this is what I'd call a smart horror in the same vein as Alien, Halloween and The Silence of the Lambs, movies that aren't content to let what came before them act as some carrot they must follow and instead in unshackling themselves from the tropes and expectations, create truly chilling and artistic experiences.
- Adventurous cinematography with a lot of long shots
- 80's soundtrack that pulses with electronica
- Intelligent film making
- Adventurous cinematography with a lot of long shots
- 80's soundtrack that pulses with electronica
- Intelligent film making
Finally, I thought it only fitting to mention another media property that played a huge role in what this OTS turned out to be, Hotline Miami. Set in an alternate timeline, Devolutions visceral game comments on and completely deconstructs the meaning of entertaining violence whilst still being an insanely addictive, hyper stylized and visually stunning game complete with the crazy killer kicking the front door in with loud electronic music blazing. The song that will play throughout SYNTH, Escape From Midwich Valley by Carpenter Brut is taken directly from the second games soundtrack just to make that link extra apparent.
- Thoughtful commentary on violence in the media
- The idea of a masked killer running rampage in a hype stylized world
- Duality
- More 80's electronica
- Thoughtful commentary on violence in the media
- The idea of a masked killer running rampage in a hype stylized world
- Duality
- More 80's electronica