Rachel Morrison is taking on the feature film director's chair for the first time with The Fire Within. The 46-year-old talent has worked in Hollywood for over two decades, making a name for herself as a director of photography on high-profile projects such as Fruitvale Station and Black Panther. Morrison began focusing on directing in the mid-2010s and 2020s, primarily directing episodes of The morning show and The Mandalorian.
The Fire Within tasks Morrison with telling the story of Claressa Shields, a boxer from Flint, Michigan, who achieved Olympic gold medal status as a teenager. The film chronicles Claressa's struggles inside and outside the squared circle, as her victories in the ring did not easily correspond to victories of equal measure in the real world. Claressa is played by Ryan Destiny (Image: Disclosure)Adult) in the film.
To celebrate The Fire Withintheatrical release, TelaRant caught up with Morrison to discuss why this project was the right story for her to make her feature film debut, what helped her persevere through a production schedule that was directly impacted by the pandemic, and where she could collaborate with director Ryan Coogler .
Morrison didn't know Claressa's story before The Fire Within
“It was a story that deserved to be shared with the world…”
ScreenRant: This is your feature film directorial debut. You've done some great film work over the years, but this is the first time you've stepped into the director's chair on a big-budget production. Why was this the right story to tell in your big debut?
Rachel Morrison: I think not knowing Claressa's story is what really drew me in and made me feel compelled to put myself out there in a real way. She is such an inspiring, heroic and historic figure in what she achieved inside the boxing ring. But everything she did outside too, fighting for parity in women's sport. It was a story that deserved to be shared with the world.
The Fire WithinThe long delay in production
“You owe it to them to be extremely careful about this…”
You guys should start rolling cameras on that infamous date of March 11, 2020. We finally shot the film in the summer of 2022. It's a huge hit on the festival circuit, now it's about to be seen by audiences around the world. I feel like obviously you care about your work, but sometimes when we get a project, and there's all these delays, we're like, 'Man, we just need to get this done.' Why was it so important for you to not just do it, but do it right?
Rachel Morrison: Look, I think whenever you tell a story about a real person, you owe it to them to be extremely thoughtful and authentic to their experience, and in this case, Claressa's experience, Jason's experience, Flint as a community. There are so many details and out of respect for Claressa and just for my own sanity, I wanted to make sure we got it right. I really think her story is very inspiring and there's a chance to really get something out into the world for young women, for young women of color. These stories need to be told. I just wanted to make sure I tried to do the best justice possible to everything she's accomplished and the sometimes complicated dynamics between her and her family. Everyone comes from a place of love. I wanted to care for them in the same way that if someone wanted to make a movie about my life, I would want them to care enough to get the details right.
Morrison's Ryan Coogler's Next Team Could Come With Directing
“I know they are trying to produce something that I direct…”
I am very familiar with his work over the years. You directed great episodes of The Mandalorian and The morning show. Someone you collaborated with often was Ryan Coogler. You worked on both Fruitvale Station and Black Panther. Looks like he has the Midas touch now. Have you talked to Ryan about the possibility of working on a collaboration again at some point in the future?
Rachel Morrison: So, Ryan has a company, Proximity, and I know they're trying to produce something for me to direct. It's funny, it's like there are moments where I'm like, obviously I'm so excited to see what Ryan and (cinematographer) Autumn [Durald Arkapaw] do to sinners. I introduced them and kind of drove that relationship. As much as it's hard for me to not be the one who filmed this with him, when I talk to him about it and even say, 'Look, I'm available for second unit,' he's like, 'Pioneers, don't look back. , sis. I think he's really trying to keep me out of the ring by telling these stories and supporting me in that. I definitely think there is a possible collaboration between producer and director in the future if we find the right story to tell together.
On The Fire Within
THE FIRE INSIDE is the inspiring true story of Claressa Shields, arguably the greatest boxer of all time. Claressa, a high school student from Flint, Michigan, helped by her coach, Jason Crutchfield, overcomes all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the height of her success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal and the real struggle has only just begun.
Check back soon for our others The Fire Within interviews with…
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Brian Tyree Henry and Ryan Destiny
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Claressa Escudos
Source: TelaRant Plus