MODULO

A musical documentary and tribute to Hugh Le Caine

by Travis Boisvenue

In 2013, journalist Ryan Paul Gibson and video director Travis Boisvenue worked together on MODULO, the story of early electronic instruments and the nearly forgotten Canadian music pioneer Hugh Le Caine, who created the first synthesizers. The story is told through interviews with three modern-day modular synth musicians based in Ottawa, Arturo Brisindi (AKA Hard Science), Edmund Eagan and Mike McGrath (AKA Muff Wiggler), as well as a trip through the Canadian Science and Technology archives to check out Hugh Le Caine’s electronic instruments and inventions.

Today we are of course completely familiar with music made using purely electronic means but Le Caine was one of the early inventors who built the machines that would make such practices possible.

Shot and edited by Travis Boisvenue, and produced by Ryan Gibson, MODULO premiered online at Weird Canada and had its live premiere in Ottawa on 25 October 2013 along with performances by musicians featured in the documentary. It was also screened at Resolution 2014 and Sled Island Festival 2014, and was nominated for Best Director — Documentary at the 2015 Ottawa Independent Video Awards.

“MODULO — Ottawa’s Synth Secret” (Audio 1) was produced by Ryan Paul Gibson as a lead-up piece to the premiere of the documentary, and was aired on “All In A Day” on 24 October 2013.

Acknowledgements

The filmmaker wishes to thank the CBC, Soshal, The Library and Archives Canada, The Science and Technology Museum, Artengine, CHUO-FM 89.1 and Weird Canada.