Frequencies || A Meta Horror For Creatives
A Psychological Horror Actual Play of creative fears made real
Frequencies is a psychological horror Actual Play from Patchwork Productions, improvised while playing Kids on Bikes from Hunters Entertainment. The show follows a group of young creatives who get their first seemingly Big Break - until they are trapped inside the studio with the manifestations of their worst fears.
The initial concept for Frequencies was created by Robin Ekberg (The Atomless), who was the GM for this series, however, the sensitive nature of the show’s themes, heavily influenced by the very real creative fears and struggles of the cast, necessitated a very collaborative approach in and out of character. All to say this show could not have been made without this specific group of people at this exact moment, and was a labor of love (and maybe some other, less savory feelings).
TW: Frequencies contains loud sound effects including sudden banging and audio jump-scares. Frequencies as a series surround topics like violence, self-harm, anxiety, loss of agency, depersonalization, capitalism, oppression, claustrophobia, and helplessness.
As a group of creatives who have been making their art public for years, this show was a very personal endeavor for everyone involved (even lovingly referred to in the group chat as "BDSM for creatives").
Robin Ekberg (they/he): [GM, the Studio / the Powered Character] “It’s cliche to say “I needed to listen to this show so I made it.” but that’s truly what happened. I was so scared about making art and taking risks that I needed to hear people thinking about the same thing. And in every moment making it my fears were eased by listening to everyone also feel this way. I hope beyond hope that this reaches the one person who is also scared and it helps them create.”
Dillin Apelyan (mirror): [Charlie; Editor & Sound Designer] “I fear this will be painfully relatable, maybe even a hard listen, but I hope people are able to find the catharsis through listening that I experienced through creating it. There are some large and uncomfortable pieces of us in here, but through all the pain there is always still hope.”
Sloan Smith (they/them): [River Lake; Logo Designer] “It felt so validating to play this scenario out with other folks who’ve spent a not-insignificant amount of time in the shared creator space. There were many moments when I felt that - even across the internet, and without words - we, players and GM alike, had an almost perfectly mutual understanding of the stakes in every scene. Like, ‘yes, of course THIS is what would happen next - of COURSE it is.’ It was agonizing and affirming.”
Kappa (he/any): [Devon Michael Chorus] “Frequencies is one of those shows that NEEDED to be made and I am honored to have been a part of it. I think the themes we explored in the narrative are broad yet genuine. I love horror, I love performance, I love creating, I love this case, I love y’all for listening”
Candace McAfee (they/she): [Vic DuVernay] “Frequencies is a project that lives in my heart. Being able to bring the highs and lows of working as an artist to life was so cathartic and profound. I loved working alongside a team of people who, though we began as near strangers, became some of my closest friends through shared vulnerability and a joining of our creative spirits. Making art is really hard, but the message of the show was underscored time and time again in creating it: it’s the most sacred and beautiful thing in the world when you can do it with people willing to embrace it just as much as you.”
