2nd UPDATE: As of November 1, 2023, this film has not been completed nor have I heard any followup information.

UPDATE: I recorded this episode about 4 years ago. Having produced a mini-documentary myself, I can understand that it can take some time to release a finished product. I personally donated to this project so understandably after four years I’m anxious to see the finished film. It’s July of 2020 at the time I’m writing this update. Real soon now?

Musician and documentary film producer Jason Amm talks with me about the film Electronic Voyager that he and director & filmmaker Robert Fantinatto are currently working on.

Electronic Voyager follows Michelle Moog-Koussa as she retraces the footsteps of her late father, iconic synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog.

As you listen to this fascinating conversation with Jason Amm, you will note the sense of urgency in bringing this documentary to life. Many of the pioneers of electronic music makers who used Moog synthesizers have died. The recent, tragic passing of Bob Moog's close friend and important collaborator, Keith Emerson - perhaps the most iconic Moog keyboardist - was just another reminder of how important it is to document Bob Moog's crucial chapter in the history of electronic music, NOW. Jason and Robert are keen to capture the legacy of Bob Moog before it’s too late from those who knew and worked with him.

Director/Filmmaker Robert Fantinatto and Producer/Musician Jason Amm

Jason and Robert are imminently qualified to tell such an important story. They produced the critically acclaimed documentary I Dream of Wires (released in 2014). I talked about I Dream of Wires back in episode 171 of the DCP. It's a documentary about the rise, fall and rebirth of a machine that shaped electronic music: the modular synthesizer. Over 100 inventors, musicians and enthusiasts are interviewed about their relationship with the modular synthesizer.

Whereas I Dream of Wires was a tour-de-force of the history of the modular synthesizer, Electronic Voyager focuses on the person who is most identified as the father of modern electronic music synthesis: Bob Moog.

This conversation with Jason Amm should prove an inspiration to all filmmakers and digital media creatives.

I Dream Of Wires is available NOW on DVD, iTunes, Vimeo on Demand, and many more streaming services. For details on where to purchase/download/stream in your country, please see http://idreamofwires.org. I Dream Of Wires (2014 Waveshaper Media, directed by Robert Fantinatto) is a documentary about the rise, fall and rebirth of a machine that shaped electronic music: the modular synthesizer. Over 100 inventors, musicians and enthusiasts are interviewed about their relationship with the modular synthesizer - for many, it’s an all-consuming passion. Beginning with an historical primer, I Dream Of Wires explores the early development of modular synthesizers in the 1960s, from pioneering companies Moog and Buchla. We speak to early adopters of the modular synthesizer, forward-thinking musicians like Morton Subotnick and Herb Deutsch, offering insight into the modular synthesizer's conception. Electronic pioneers like Gary Numan and Daniel Miller discuss the modular synthesizer's 1970s heyday, through to its near-extinction in the 1980s, while established musicians including Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Vince Clarke (Erasure) talk about their ongoing passion for the modular synthesizer, and how it influences their music. Meanwhile, a new generation of dance and electronica artists including Carl Craig and James Holden explain why they’ve stepped away from laptops to embrace the sound and physicality of modular synthesizers. Innovative companies Modcan and Doepfer reveal how they planted the seeds that have now grown into a major cottage industry. Through tracing the history of the modular synthesizer, I Dream Of Wires also outlines the history of electronic music as a whole, from its very beginnings at the dawn of the electric age. The film provides a fascinating look at how technology has shaped the electronic music landscape. Additional credits: Director: Robert Fantinatto Producer: Jason Amm Soundtrack: Solvent (OST via Suction Records) Trailer: Kevan Byrne "I Dream Of Wires shows how, in the same way that the instruments themselves are rewiring both performers' and listeners' expectations about electronic music, the community that has evolved around modular synths is changing the relationships between users, sellers, and makers…" - The Wire magazine (UK) "As far as documentaries go, this is a slick, polished production. The film looks great, and as one would hope and suspect, the audio is wonderful, with the score by Solvent setting the perfect mood throughout...." - Film Threat (USA) "…lingering close-up shots of analog synths aside (and there are a lot of these), perhaps what's most joyous about I Dream of Wires is that it profiles a subculture that has almost nothing to do with the music industry." - The List Film (UK) "I would highly recommend Robert Fantinatto's documentary film not only to anyone interested in modular analog synthesizers, but to anybody interested in sound and the electronic reproduction of audio in general. This film is so well made it should appeal to anyone curious about people who are obsessed with minutiae, weird sounds, and music that 97 percent of the planet would find annoying." - Tape Op magazine (USA) "With its excellent narration and top-notch interviews with pioneers and popularizers like Morton Subotnick, Gary Numan, and Trent Reznor, I Dream of Wires gives us a glimpse into the mind of electronically-minded musicians and their often revolutionary perspectives on music, technology, and human ingenuity.... If you’re curious about the wide world of synths but intimidated by the steep learning curve, check out this movie...." - DigBoston weekly (USA) "A recommended watch for those with any degree of interest in synths and synth music. 10/10 Excellence" - Music Tech magazine (UK) "…if synthesizers are your thing this documentary provides a huge amount of insight and should appeal in particular to musicians or engineers." - HMV (UK) "…this is as thorough a study of the unique appeal of modular synths as you’ll find." - Attack Magazine (UK) I Dream Of Wires http://idreamofwires.org http://twitter.com/IDOWdocumentary http://facebook.com/idreamofwiresdocumentary http://sciencewithsynthesizers.com

Electronic Voyager: Retracing Bob Moog’s Sonic Journey… Support us on Kickstarter April 25 to May 25, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/ElectronicVoyagerKickstarter Michelle Moog-Koussa is on a journey to retrace her father’s footsteps, meeting some of the people who played a role in Bob Moog's story. Composer and educator HERB DEUTSCH was one of the most important. His pivotal meeting with Bob in the early 1960s lead directly to the development of the Moog modular synthesizer, which would form the template for the many synthesizers that followed.