For Rachel Morrison’s feature debut, “The Fire Inside,” there was a lot of pressure to “get it right” and do justice to the story of boxer Claressa Shields. But greater than the self-inflicted anxiety was the thrill of moving from behind the camera to the director’s chair, where she could see the project from start to finish.
Claressa Shields and Ryan Destiny discuss their collaboration 🎥 🍿
"This is a dream, to see something from start to finish," Morrison said. "I think as a cinematographer, I'm an integral part of the prep and the production process, but then I hand it off. Now that as a director, I'm part of the score, I'm part of the post, I'm part of the edit, and I really have a vision from start to finish, I'm just so excited to bring it to life."
As part of Variety's Toronto Film Festival Studio, sponsored by J.Crew and SharkNinja, Morrison was joined by "The Fire Inside" stars Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry to discuss how they brought the story of Shields, the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, to the big screen.
"The Fire Inside" chronicles Shields' life, from growing up in Flint, Michigan, to winning gold on the Olympic podium. Destiny said she initially "didn't think" she would get the role of Shields and approached her audition with a "'let's see what happens' attitude." However, it was this laissez-faire mentality that helped her land the lead role.
