Marjorie Chantre has lived an extraordinary life that took her from the bustling special effects studios of Hollywood to a quiet sculpture workshop in Mourillon, France. After working with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry on major productions, she has returned to her roots to teach sculpture in her small atelier, sharing her unique skills with a new generation of artists.
Chantre describes herself as having always been "different," living in a world that wasn't quite real, filled with imagination and fantastical creatures. From a young age, she was captivated by science fiction and fantasy films. "What I loved were science fiction and fantasy movies," she recalls. "Back then, we were really into special effects. I wanted to know how they did it." She was particularly fascinated by films like Willow and Star Wars, drawn to dragons, fairies, and mythological characters. "I found it fascinating, and even more so the fact that people had been able to create that," she explains. She also devoured what she laughingly calls "really cheesy stuff," including "The Cave of the Golden Rose" and poorly made Italian TV movies featuring talking horses, plants, and rocks.
After completing her education in Toulon at private schools, where drawing became her primary form of expression, Chantre discovered that special effects schools existed. "They recommended starting with makeup," she explains. She enrolled in a program in Aix-en-Provence before continuing her studies with a specialization in special effects in Strasbourg. With her solid educational foundation, she began her professional career about fifteen years ago as a makeup artist at the Toulon Opera, before moving to Paris to gain experience working on small short films.
Her career took a pivotal turn when she was hired by a workshop in Switzerland, where she discovered sculpture because "they did a lot of set design." She worked on various projects, including an exhibition for Philippe Manœuvre in Lyon focused on rock music, for which she created a life-size Eddie from Iron Maiden, among other pieces. "They regularly contacted me again because they needed a lead sculptor," Chantre recalls. The Toulon native realized that sculpture was her true calling: "That's really what I enjoyed, much more than being on set. Being locked up in a workshop all day suited me perfectly," she admits with a broad smile.
Recognizing that sculpture was a behind-the-scenes profession, relatively unknown but essential in the film industry, Chantre decided to travel the world to discover the best practices in her field. During her studies, she had attended a masterclass by Jordu Shell, "a very great creature designer" who had worked on Avatar, Starship Troopers, Planet of the Apes, Men in Black, Alien, and Predator. Shell had casually mentioned, "If you want to stop by my workshop in Los Angeles, don't hesitate!" Chantre didn't need to be asked twice. She saved money and flew to the United States with a friend, staying for three months, knocking on doors with determination and following the maestro "who showed us all his techniques."
Chantre then took her skills to Canada and London, where her work gained recognition in the industry. When she decided to settle in Ireland, "where there are many film shoots," she quickly established herself, particularly after being noticed "by a guy who worked for the same production company as The Walking Dead." She collaborated on the entire series "Into the Badlands" and accepted one final project with the series "Foundation," based on Isaac Asimov's work, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
However, as her biological clock ticked and especially that of her partner, a devoted Toulon resident "with whom I've been for 20 years," Chantre couldn't imagine "having a child while not being there." She returned to the Var region and had no difficulty finding professional work. Today, she sculpts for comic book publishers Delcourt and Soleil, "which correspond exactly to what I love doing." She also works with the Noob team on a volunteer basis and teaches classes for both adults and children in her Mourillon workshop, which opened last July.
Chantre doesn't regret her previous fast-paced life, though she admits serenely, "When you're a bit different, being with people who are like you, who speak the same language, that's sometimes missed. But it's another life." Her current life as the mother of a three-year-old boy, combined with all her other activities, fulfills her just as much. Her workshop, Atelier Golem, located at 32 rue Lamalgue, offers adult classes on Wednesdays from 4 to 7 PM, Thursdays and Saturdays from 4 to 6 PM, and children's classes on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 3:30 PM.
