Charlotte Lavoie-Auspert

Frances & Margo

This piece is a collaborative work I made with Derya Ozparlak. Together we worked in tandem as co-directors on the film. My primary roles were Stop Motion Animator, Producer, Costume and Prop fabricator. While my partner Derya focused on Puppet Creation and Set fabrication. This project pushed us both past our limits. I used it as an opportunity to learn how to use the Arch Motion Stackshot Camera; a motorized camera track that can be programmed to move anywhere along a 3 axis. We wanted the film to be as close to professional practice as possible, using ball and socket tie down armatures for the puppets, a series of replaceable faces for expressions and lipsync, and realistic props and sets from the era the film is set in. For props, I was in charge of constructing the costumes for the characters, which I designed using 50s and early 60s couture references. We went out and found second hand fabric with patterns and material most popular in the 5os. At the beginning of this process, I created character sketches and face expression sheets which Derya later took as reference for creating the physical puppets. My main role in this film was to do all the animation in the stop-motion style. The film has over 130 different shots, 5500 frames. To ensure that I would be able to finish everything on time, I abided by a very strict and labour intensive schedule. I worked on all shots from a set once it was finished construction. Derya and I worked simultaneously to make sure that we were most efficient with our time. My other main role in the film was more managerial, as I was the main point of contact between members of the crew. I worked with a graphic designer to ensure our film’s fonts and graphic design language correspond to the 50s and also to classic film noir genre. We wanted to expand the world building through the design: from storefront signs, to wrapping paper, to book covers, to obituaries. I also worked closely with our script writer Ashton Elliot, to create the finalized version of the film, as well as building the characters of Frances and Margo. Queering the film was important to both of us, and having a work I worked closely with Andrew Gosse, our sound composer, writer and mixer. We worked together to find a voice for the film, taking strong inspirations from 50s and 60s jazz and Film Noir.I also worked with our compositors Yasmine Karaman and Saman Mehrabi to ensure the quality control was the same from scene to scene. I would create colour reference sheets for each set to aid in colour correction.It was a pleasure to work alongside Derya and the entire crew of Frances and Margo. I am also very grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and use all the new equipment and studio space at INTM, thanks to the wonderful technicians Gerald, Tommy and all the monitors.

““Frances and Margo” is a 7 minutes and 42 seconds stop-motion animation that follows the story of two estranged sisters who are tasked with delivering an Emily Dickinson’s poetry book belonging to their late mother, Bridget, as her final parting wish. The two sisters, Frances and Margo, must come together to find and deliver the book to the mysterious lover. Their journey becomes more than a simple delivery; Frances, a passionate detective, and Margo, her by-the-book older sister, are forced to confront each other and their past.The title “Frances and Margo” highlights the contrasting nature of these two central characters and symbolizes the multifaced nature of womanhood. Through their different experiences, the animation reflects how societal expectations shape female roles and how these roles often clash with personal freedom. The narrative is interwoven with themes of queer identity, feminism, self-determination, sacrificing, family bond and dynamics, and critique of social norms. Frances works with an enthusiasm and determination in the male-dominated world of detective work, persisting even when she is unnoticed and undervalued. On the contrary, Margo adopts a femme fatale persona in an effort to gain societal approval. Their mother’s past, however, offers a powerful contrast - she is portrayed as a woman who chooses to embrace her queer identity instead of suppressing it. This quiet but profound act of resistance is passed on to Frances and Margo through the will, serving as a legacy of self-acceptance. The animation positions their personal stories within a broader political context of the 1950s, presenting the complexity of family relationships through the film noir genre. Visually, the film combines stop-motion animation with an experimental aesthetic, creating a unique and creative visual language. The high contrast black and white cinematography is essential to the animation’s mood and narrative style, punctuated by striking red colored elements adding to the tension and visual intensity. The animation is created using frame-by-frame in Dragonframe software, with Arduino motorized camera movements. The film uses stop motion, an unconventional animation practice, to tell the character’s unconventional stories. The animation’s stylistic foundation is deeply rooted in the cinema style of the 1950s. Everything from costume design and hairstyles to car models, typography choices, interior/exterior sets, and architectural details are authentically recreated and reinterpreted through modern techniques. Although the animation carries a melancholic and serious tone, it also features moments of warmth and humour through the sister’s sincere interactions. The lighting, shadow play, composition, and dialogue style pay homage to the noir aesthetics of the era. Techniques from 1950s cinema were adapted with today’s technology, serving as a respectful nod to classic 1950s filmmaking traditions. The animation aims to leave lasting impression: both visually and intellectually, by addressing topics of gender roles, patriarchal structures and queer resistance. It weaves passionate storytelling with an experimental style offering a powerful narrative that resonates across multiple layers of tension.”