When used correctly, social media can be a tool for change and to present new opportunities to those who otherwise would not be afforded the pleasure. And that is exactly what Sinphony sets out to do and achieves.
Anthology films, especially in horror, have been around for a while but always present a unique way of portraying a narrative or idea through short films and an overarching story. Sinphony is the first volume of the Clubhouse Horror Anthology born from the social media platform Clubhouse which brought together talented, up and coming filmmakers from around the world to showcase their abilities and creativity.
The overarching narrative of this particular film is that each of the nine stories is about a character dealing with tragedy caused by a supernatural entity. Now, although this string throughout the film is solid enough without being game changing, what stands out are some of the shorts themselves. Most notably, Haley Bishop’s FOREVER YOUNG which explores the idea of getting old, and Kimberley Elizabeth’s DO US PART? which navigates the eternal bond of marriage brilliantly. However, although some of the other shorts were well made on their own, the gulf in quality from one to another was quite jarring and detracted from the overall product. Especially when the tone was so drastically different and the overall presentation including formatting, sound design and writing.
Sinphony: Volume 1 does two things right: it has laid the foundation for the upcoming sequel, and it has allowed some new voices in the indie horror scene to showcase their passion and ability, but, overall it misses the mark in making a complete visceral and entertaining package that would stand out from its peers.
