The film traces the Marche region’s synthesizer legacy and is seeking funding to complete post-production.
Photo credit: Electric Hills – Official
The Museo del Synth Marchigiano and The Blink Fish have launched a crowdfunding campaign to complete ‘Electric Hills’, a documentary examining the history of electronic instrument manufacturing in Italy’s Marche region and its influence on international music.
Directed by Marco Bragaglia, the film traces the region’s technological development, from traditional accordion manufacturing in Castelfidardo to electric organs, synthesizers, and early drum machines. It examines how small workshops and local manufacturers contributed to instruments that eventually reached recording studios and stages around the world.
The documentary explores the history of companies including Farfisa and Elka, alongside manufacturers such as Fatar, Eko, FBT, Sisme, Viscount, and Crumar.
Featuring previously unseen interviews, archival footage, and rare instruments, ‘Electric Hills’ brings together musicians, composers, designers, and engineers whose work connects the region with the evolution of electronic music.
Among the participants are Jean-Michel Jarre, Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, the composers behind the ‘Stranger Things’ soundtrack, alongside Boosta of Subsonica, Claudio Simonetti of Goblin, Hainbach, Look Mum No Computer, and Matmos members Martin Schmidt and Andrew Daniel.
Additional contributors include Tommaso Colliva, Massimo Martellotta, Enrico Gabrielli, and Fabrice Quagliotti.
The project originated at the Museo del Synth Marchigiano, an institution dedicated to recovering, restoring, and preserving electronic instruments manufactured in the region. Several participating musicians have visited the museum to record and experiment with instruments from its collection.
Filming has been completed, and the crowdfunding campaign will support the remaining post-production work, including editing, archival licensing, original music, sound design, color grading, and mastering.
The campaign offers rewards connected to the museum’s archives, including photographic prints, historical manufacturing materials, a signed film poster, and recording sessions using instruments from the collection.
The screenplay was developed by the museum’s team and its founder, composer Paolo Bragaglia. Production is handled by The Blink Fish.
Support the ‘Electric Hills’ crowdfunding campaign here.
