5 Questions with Francesca Root-Dodson
A New York City un-love story, “Free Spirit,” directed by Francesca Root-Dodson, is a weirdly unpredictable character study following two strangers who meet on the subway and spend the evening together. We asked Root-Dodson how the project began, what the biggest challenge was, and what comes next for her…
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?
My background is as a writer and performer—I've been doing both since I was a child, and ended up getting a degree in writing at university. I had written my first screenplay, which was based on a short story I'd had published, and realized that I wasn't willing to hand it over to someone else to direct, especially a man. While I was trying to get that film made I stumbled upon the idea of Free Spirit, and decided to make it first.
2) What’s the backstory here - what was the initial idea and how did it evolve from there?
I was sitting on the train one afternoon feeling terribly unsure of myself and realized that I was looking at all the men in the subway car to see if anyone was noticing me, hoping to distract myself with some passing male attention. That unspooled an entire character in my mind: a girl who's the archetypal "free spirit," prized for her wildness and ability to enliven dormant men, but who is growing older, forced to leave behind her Peter Pan existence. The film poses the question: "what happens when the free spirit grows up, is there a place for her in the world?"
3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And generally what part of the creative process do you enjoy the best, and the least?
The challenge, and I'm sure this is hardly unique, was continuing on with little to no funds through the post process. Whereas writing, pre-production & shooting the film all happened within two months, it took three years to finish post. The agony of endless fundraising and finding people I could work well with! That was by far the greatest challenge. What I love most about the creative process? I love writing, shooting, editing—anything that shapes the film. The producing aspects, which I did many of—not my favorite.
4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
I rewatched Showgirls recently—I think Paul Verhoeven is a genius. He's able to pull the most incredible, intense, frequently mystifying performances out of people. I watch his films and think: how in the world did he get them to act like that? He even made Arnold Schwarzenegger good! That's a true feat. And I love the stylization of his films, his hand could not be more sure at creating an unequivocal, unapologetic world.
5) What’s next for you?
Well I'm about to have a baby, so I'm sure that will take me out of commission for a while. I'm working on a new feature, called Our Friend Jess, that I hope to shoot next fall. I'll keep you posted.
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Website: http://francescarootdodson.com
Instagram: @francescajoroot