Interview
**Exclusive**
Geoffrey Fletcher (Violet & Daisy)
Shakefire had the opportunity to speak with the Academy Award winning Geoffrey Fletcher about his feature film directoral debut Violet & Daisy, a story of two young assassins who end up bitting off more than they can chew when they starting having a conversation with the person they're supposed to kill.
How did the project begin?
GEOFFREY FLETCHER (GF):
I’ve always loved the crime genre and the coming of age genre and I thought there’d be a lot of possibilities for entertainment and humanity, blending those two genres and following two young women through an underworld.
There’s also a lot of humor involved, too. A very dark kind of humor…
GF:
Well the story really takes place in the context of a fable even though one foot is squarely tied in reality. Many fables throughout the ages have grim qualities or have elements of violence so in some respects it follows in that tradition.
I also noticed that all assassins are named after flowers; Violet, Daisy, Rose, etc. Does that play in to the fables as well?
GF:
Yeah, I think flowers have a great many meanings in our culture and across cultures. Many of them relate to life, death, love, etc.
This is your directorial debut. How has the process been for you?
GF:
It’s been a wonderful experience and journey in itself. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was very, very young. I used to make short films with kids from the neighborhood and I would animate old toys.
When you were writing the script, had you already made the decision to direct as well?
GF:
I had always intended to direct it. I was thrilled to be able to do it with the cast and crew that I had.
Did that make writing the script any easier?
GF:
Sure. As a writer you try to give a rich blueprint for a director and actors to interpret and as writer/director you’re still working on that blueprint but you’re also executing and protecting it when you’re also the director.
You also wrote the script for Precious, which is based on a book, while Violet & Daisy is an original work. How do the two writing styles compare for you?
GF:
There’s a lot of overlap because you are still creating a great deal. In an adaptation you’re interpreting, editing, creating, expanding, altering, and reimagining elements and with an original script there’s a degree of that as well because you’re adapting a lot of your own sensibilities and passion to a physical form. But I enjoy doing both.
Were there any instances when writing the script that you felt you shouldn’t include coming from a director’s viewpoint?
GF:
When you’re writing something for yourself to direct, particularly with an independent film, you do have an idea of the scope within what you’re working, however the more important scope is the emotional one. The size of the themes you’re working with is important as well, so much is about friendship, love, and redemption.
- Interview by Matt Rodriguez
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