SUB- was a short film idea I had in 1999 about a society living in fear under the ocean. It was not until 2004, after hearing a piece of music composed by Basil Hogios, that I revisited it. At the time, I was feeling overwhelmed by the ‘war on terror’ and the subsequent reaction of panic and fear around me. I felt driven to tell a story that could be magical as well as allegorical and deeply critical of our times.

SUB- is the synergy between a conceptual idea for a film and a piece of music; both existed as separate dormant ideas until they were brought together. As the script was being written, so too was the score, developing and helping to form the dramatic elements within the script. Both script and score were inspiring and influencing each other every step of the way. The key creatives were involved as early as possible, and having both script and score during the design process allowed us all to create a very rich and tangible world.

During the shoot, the live action and camera moves were choreographed to the playback of the final score, creating a true synergy between camera, performance, rhythm and story; it was like conducting a dance. From pre-production through to post, it was a new and exciting approach for the whole creative team.

I have always had a strong approach to the visuals and sound in my films, coming from a background in art, photography and sound design, and I hope that SUB- speaks to an audience on many levels through its visual and sonic richness, despite having no dialogue.

I couldn’t be more excited to be part of such a committed, passionate and visionary team that brought to life this underwater world that began as just a scribble in a notebook many years ago.

Maia Horniak