The U.K.-based filmmaker explains that he finds this form of animation “disturbing and frightening.”
“I’ve never thought that stop-motion is a cutesy kid thing,” Morgan tells EW.
Fanciosi explains that her character is living with her mother, a very well-known stop-motion animator.
‘Stopmotion’.IFC Films and Shudder
“Ella is very much under her thumb,” the actress explains.
“She wants to express her own creative voice.
Basically, the movie does for directing stop-motion animation whatThe Shiningdid for writing a novel.
Aisling in Franciosi in ‘Stopmotion’.IFC Films and Shudder
Morgan describes his tale as “a film about the relationship between creativity and madness.”
The director seems to have been permanently affected by his youthful viewing of an old British horror film.
He was just 4 years old when an uncle showed him highlights of a b-movie calledFiend Without a Face.
‘Stopmotion’ star Aisling Franciosi and director Robert Morgan.IFC Films and Shudder
“I knew inherently at that age that there was something creepy about the way these brains were moving.
So maybe thats the root of all of this.”
“I had the sensation that the film took on a life of its own,” Morgan says.
‘Stopmotion’ poster.IFC Films
“I had been gradually collecting my toenails in a little jar for years,” he says.
To prep for the part of Ella, she received lessons from Morgan in the art of stop-motion.
‘I did have a brief moment when I thought, I could get into this.
I would work with him in a heartbeat.”
Maybe she’ll get the chance.
Morgan tells EW that he andStopmotioncowriter Robin King are currently developing another feature-length project.
Will it feature toenails?
Morgan pauses long enough to make one worried he might have been offended by the jokey remark.
Stopmotioncostars Tom York, Caolinn Springall, Stella Gonet, and Therica Wilson-Read.
IFC is releasing the film in theaters Feb. 23 beforeStopmotionhits Shudder on May 31.
Watch EWs’ exclusive trailer reveal above and see the film’s new poster below.
IFC Films
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