[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for The Fire Inside.]

Summary

‘The Fire Inside’ tells the inspirational story of boxer Claressa Shields’ rise to become the greatest female boxer of all time.

Director Rachel Morrison found joy in leading a set and working with actors, but directing can also be a solitary journey.

The film aims to immerse the audience in Claressa’s boxing experiences, blending spectacle and drama while focusing on realism.

The Fire Inside might be her feature directorial debut, but Rachel Morrison has been an acclaimed cinematographer on such notable projects as Black Panther, Mudbound, Dope, and Fruitvale Station, and tried her hand at directing television including episodes of The Mandalorian and The Morning Show. A script by Barry Jenkins and the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny) and her rise in boxing got her to make the leap behind the camera for the film. While in high school, Claressa met coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry), who saw potential in her that she didn’t see in herself and gave her the support she needed to reach limits she didn’t realize she was capable of. Shields became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, went on to win a second medal, fought for equal pay in women’s boxing, and went on to be the greatest female boxer of all time.
During this one-on-one interview with Collider, Morrison discussed what she loves about directing, how doing the job gave her a new appreciation for directors, why she felt this story should be out in the world, finding inspiration in realism, her approach to shooting the boxing scenes, and why the final cut of the film ended up less than five minutes shorter than the first cut.

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Collider: This is your feature directorial debut, but you’re no stranger to how a film set works. And if you’re going to direct a script, obviously one by Barry Jenkins brings it to a whole other level. So, what did you realize you loved about directing, from the first time you walked onto the set as a director and what didn’t you realize you didn’t know before actually doing it?
RACHEL MORRISON: That’s a great question. What I love about directing is that people actually listen to you. It’s interesting, after almost 20 years as a DP, there are times when I just know how things can function efficiently. Sometimes, when you have a well-run set and a great line producer, they will hear you, but there are other times when you’re just powerless. I also love being able to lead a set, top down, the way that I like to be on a set, with respect and with joy and to really create an environment where people feel collaborative and bolstered and appreciated and where each day you feel lucky to go to work. We’re so lucky to do this thing that we love. We’re making art, we’re not saving lives, so let’s have a great time doing it. I also really came to love working with my actors, seeing them as these creative tools and how much you can play and how the motion can change.
All of those things were actually quite a discovery to me, really getting to do that with a vision that I could see from beginning to end. And then, what I learned that was maybe not always gravy was that I’d always heard that directing can be a solitary profession and I was like, “Wait, that doesn’t make any sense. They’re surrounded by people.” That was my experience, as a DP. The director always had so much going on and people around them, myself included, that were invested in them. But then, to be on a project where you’re sometimes the sole figure pushing the boulder up the mountain for what can be years, watching as your DP goes off to do another project, and then you finish the edit and your editor goes off to do something else, and now you’re done with the sound design and they’re doing something else, and you’re still pushing the same boulder up. I have a whole new appreciation for my directors, if I return to cinematography, and what it entails to really put yourself out there for something you believe in.
‘The Fire Inside’ Is a Film That Has Something Meaningful To Say

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

What made this the film that you wanted to tackle, as a director? What gave you the confidence to say, “Okay, this is my moment”?
MORRISON: I think it was a combination of feeling that this story should be out in the world, believing in it, and believing that it was additive in a crowded environment. This film has something to say that’s meaningful and Claressa [Shields] is an incredible athlete who hasn’t gotten her due and her story should be known. And also, seeing some of myself in it. Being a female cinematographer, there are some of the same challenges where it’s not enough to just be good at the thing you do because there are all these external forces at play. Being able to relate on some level and know that I can bring some of myself into it, and I have experience shooting action and shooting intimate moments, this film was really a blend of spectacle and drama and smaller moments. So, there was a lot about it that just felt right.

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We’re taught that winning will answer everything, but sometimes winning really isn’t enough. This is such an inspiring story, but it’s also a reality check, in a lot of ways. Why do you think that’s an important story to tell? What do you think makes that inspirational, in its own way?
MORRISON: There’s something much more inspirational about realism. In real life, the credits don’t roll every time you win, whether it’s a gold medal or your second grade spelling bee. It’s not like, “Okay, that’s it. I’m done. I’m retired.” You still have to get up the next day. And in Claressa’s case, to not have her win be valued, the resilience she shows in getting back up to keep fighting anyway is actually more inspirational. It’s an inspirational sports movie until it becomes an inspirational life movie, and the inspirational life component is relatable to everybody. We have these ups and downs, but you can’t stay down, you have to keep going. Hopefully, if you’re doing the thing you love, then it becomes more about the journey than the destination, and that can only lead to good things.
‘The Fire Inside’ Director Rachel Morrison Wanted To Put the Audience in the Shoes of Claressa Shields Inside the Boxing Ring

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

There are so many layers to the story and character relationships going on, but this is also a film about boxing. How did you want to approach those scenes? What was most important to you and how did you want to capture that?
MORRISON: The biggest thing for me is that I wanted the boxing to all feel very experiential and subjective and to literally put the audience in Claressa’s shoes, so that they’re in the fight as opposed to just watching the fight. There’s a legacy of boxing films because they are so dynamic, inherently. You have two people in a small space, and that kind of action can be really exciting. She’s a 16- and 17-year-old girl, so sometimes it’s more about what’s happening in the background, feeling alone without her coach in China, or thinking about her boyfriend, or all these other things in the background. She goes from being this vulnerable high school teenager to being a force in the ring. And so, getting to explore both of those was really exciting. My hope is that the audience walks away having really lived two hours in Claressa’s shoes, building empathy in that way, as opposed to just being a cool, dynamic fight scene.
The Final Cut of ‘The Fire Inside’ Is Less Than Five Meets Shorter Than the First Cut

As you went through post-production for this, how did you find the process of getting the film to where it needed to be? Did you have a very clear idea of where you needed to focus and what you needed to cut? Was there anything you agonized over?
MORRISON: The interesting thing with this film is that we got back up after the pandemic, with inflation and everything else, and we had to cut every scene that wasn’t holding the movie together. It forced me, before principal photography, to really sharpen what I was trying to communicate in each moment. As a result, the edit was so simple and smooth. We got very lucky that I think I made the right choices. Our assembly cut is basically the movie. So then, it was just about honing it. With some people, the director’s cut is three hours and you have to take a third of the movie out, so it’s a choose your own adventure. For us, the assembly cut was an hour and 51 minutes, and the final cut is an hour and 47 minutes. It’s the same movie. It was more about just honing in on the performances and honing in on the music. Music can make such a difference, whether it’s the needle drops or the score. Working with my composer, Tamar-kali, was amazing. I worked with my editor, Harry [Yoon], to really sculpt it into the best version of itself. But we didn’t have much else, so thankfully what we had worked.

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Ryan Destiny also talked about her physical and mental training to play Olympic gold medalist boxer Claressa Shields, and her favorite boxing scenes.

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The Fire Inside

The Fire Inside chronicles the journey of boxer Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields from Flint, Michigan, as she trains and becomes the first American woman to achieve an Olympic gold medal in boxing, highlighting her determination and athletic achievements.

Release Date

December 25, 2024

Director

Rachel Morrison

Cast

Ryan Destiny
, Jazmin Headley
, Kylee D. Allen
, Brian Tyree Henry
, De’Adre Aziza
, Chrystian Buddington
, Maurice Wayne Anglin
, Teanna Weir

Runtime

109 minutes

Writers

Barry Jenkins

The Fire Inside is now playing in theaters. Check out the trailer:

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