Strange Frame: Love and Sax is a 2012 cutout-animated film by GB Hajim and Shelley Doty. It was originally intended to be the first film in a tetralogy, though it is as yet unclear if the other films are still forthcoming. The film is set in the 28th century, where humans have abandoned Earth in favor of the Jovian moons, genetic and cybernetic enhancements are rampant to the point that the definition of what constitutes a human has been greatly stretched, and corporations have successfully brought back indentured servitude.
Love and Sax tells the story of Parker C. Boyd and Naia X, a pair of lesbian musicians who meet, fall in love, and form a band. When Naia is kidnapped by a predatory talent agent who wants to steal her personality and put it into a robot, Parker enlists the help of a pair of smugglers to rescue her.
This film contains examples of:
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: After Grenman installs Bitsea into the Lone Mango, she... doesn't take it well. To be fair to her, she is sentient and used to have her own body, so being forced to run systems for a rusty piece of crap like the Mango is a bit of a comedown.
- Ambiguously Human: In the 28th century, genetic engineering and cybernetic enhancements have become so common and widespread that the definition of "human" now encompasses even Reesa... who looks like a large talking bat.
- An Arm and a Leg: Grenman lost both of his lower legs to some less-than-savory colonists of Pluto's moon Charon with foot fetishes.
- Black Dude Dies First: When Dorlan Mig is getting rid of Naia and Parker's bandmates, Atem, the black bass player, is the first to go.
- Of course, to make it look like an "accident" or "Unfortunate Collateral Damage," His death was also on a packed passenger shuttle that just "happened" to be shot by a Gunship chasing after pirates.
- Driven to Suicide: After Naia is kidnapped and the band is forcibly disbanded, Parker considers throwing herself off of a bridge. The Muses intervene.
- Fantastic Drug: In the 28th century, mankind has created a whole bunch of new ways to get high. At one point, Parker and Naia sample some of the more exotic ones which leads to Naia's kidnapping.
- Honey Trap: Used by the Muses to distract a guard, rather effectively.
- Humans Are White: Very deliberately averted. GB Hajim and Shelley Doty made a point of having all of the main characters be people of color.
- Indentured Servitude: During the exodus from Earth, many people bought passage on the ships to Jupiter by signing themselves and their families into indentured servitude. It was only supposed to last for a generation or two, but in the 28th century, large swaths of the population are still under those contracts, including Naia.
- Our Humans Are Different: Humans have colonized the Jovian moons, resulting in many humans becoming genetically engineered to survive in the differing environments of the moons. Thus, there are now humans with furrier bodies or even extra limbs who are still considered humans.
- Overly Long Name: Reesa's full name is Reesa Abi Kiran Ariana Livingston III.
- Those Two Guys: Parker occasionally encounters the Muses, a trio of mysterious women.
- Transhumans in Space: Jupiter's moons have been colonized and genetic and cybernetic modification are rampant.
- Work Off the Debt: In the 28th century, a large portion of the population are stuck paying off debts incurred when their ancestors bought passage to Jupiter.
