Today we’d like to introduce you to Francois Larosa.
Hi Francois, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The Journey to where I am now has been more of learning and starting out by observing. From beginning as an Actor to years later becoming an Award Winning Director, Writer and Producer.
It began in College Theater at the University of Houston/Victoria College doing the Classics like Gilbert and Sullivan to Jesus Christ Superstar. Casted in the Lead of the Eddie Cantor story – vaudevilles golden child.
Later in Life Taking Acting classes to hone in on my Vision and continuing down this path
to being casted in Short Films, then getting on Terrence Malik’s production, Robert Rodriguez’s sets, to Michael Winterbottom’s movie. . The Studio Sets taught me the function of the Roles of what each Crew Member did. And later in life helped shape me into where I am today.
Years later I had a hankering of wanting to write a screenplay.
I started learning the Screenwriting Skills from an Award Winning Argentinian who won awards in Berlin Germany. Then migrated here to the US. I was one of two students when she first started her class.
That foundation was the catalyst of me being where I am today as for writing for TV and Film.
I became one who could develop content and had imagination, as well as problem solve Scripts on the Spot.
The years had me get more involve then moving into the vein of finally Directorship.
This opened a whole new world for me. Through time it increased my Knowledge and Skills to do Award Winning Films.
Finally branching out in Authorship of writing three books.
Everything has been about Timing. Learning the Kraft of Acting in Theater, then Screenwriting, to the essentials of Filmmaking’. This is the route I ended up following, and it’s been an experience to say the least.
The important skills to be successful in this industry is learning to not only be Creative- (having a good Script-Story) but to learn the Business side of the Industry.
There are alot of Factors that goes into not just the filmmaking aspects, but the Legal side. Yes Legal, learning Release forms in Acting, Crew and Location. Understanding about allocating some of your budget on Marketing. All this helps keeping all on the same page. Believe me the Executive Producers love it.
This is some of bits and pieces almost put in a nutshell.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
With Success there is always ups and downs. At least for me. Everyone wants to be in the Award Winning Team but for some, they want to bypass the struggle.
I remember once I had to sell my car to have enough money to finance my first featured film. I remember my lead Actor got extremely sick and even my backup couldn’t do it. So I had to do it. Through the years I’ve experienced Pirating- Blackmailed- external hardware crashing, this would drive some into insanity. But I kept moving forward no matter what came my way.
Some advice in this business is to always keep cool and problem solve. Other than that I would encourage others to expand their Kraft by utilizing resources that are out in the community. Like a community college offer Radio/TV /Film that I could’ve taken something in Editing, or a class on Camerawork, or when you’re on the set asking a few questions whether on Production, or in Post.
But knowing when is crucial.
In the Editing, I can help edit setting the best shots on the files in chronological order but then I let the Editor do his or her magic on it and then I come back and we finalize it together.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m Francois Larosa, If you Google my name you’ll see that they labeled me as an Acclaim Horror Filmmaker, Producer, Award Winning Documentarian to Author. In college I had take one elective, it was either Basketweaving or Theatre. I chose Theater. The interesting thing about that is everybody in college was talking about going to Los Angeles and New York to becoming big in this industry. And then they asked me what I was going to do. I remembered saying, “Well, it’s not gonna be anything to do with this!”
Out of the entire class I was the only one that did it. And that was by accident, or maybe fate!
My first big studio film was the remake of “The Alamo” the Director John Wayne’s Film.
My first featured role was screaming at Dennis Quaid “10,000 Men!” which ended up getting cut, got paid good, but I got the Acting bug.
From then on after a year of doing everything in film, I finally got an Agent. It was a one year contract, then after that I got a better Agent. The interesting thing is I’m still signed by Paramount Talent Agency-Ezme Arana here in Austin Texas. This was the launching point of where I am today. Learning how to talk to actors, to get what I need from actor‘s, and understanding there concerns made me a better Director. Knowing how to talk to the Crew, to letting them know the scenes in the game plan beforehand makes things work efficiently.
And most importantly dealing with the producers that bring in the money. Letting them know what we’ve accomplished where we’re at and how much we have left in finishing.
One thing I’m known for is shooting on time and under budget. Also the most important thing in this is listening.
When you have a production company and you’re trying to provide services such as developing a trailer, doing a screenplay, or discussing with them to adapting it to a feature film. The most important thing is to know what they want, and to listen. Telling them how you’re going to approach it, trying to see how much they have to bring into the project and what you can do with the funds provided.
That makes for a consistent successful Filmmaker.
Also side-bar note, Knowing how to keep your cool on the set because your attitude sets the Precedence of the production. And believe me it trickles down.
These are the attributes that set me apart from others.
And the result is being selected out by other Executive Producers, and Producers as one who gets it done.
The results of years in Sitting in the Directors chair and retweaking Scripts, or either Writing Screenplay’s has been Winning Awards. From Paris and Nice France, Italy, Germany to the Prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2016. To becoming a qualifier in BAFTA. In 2021, as well as in the U.S.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
The City of Angels is still the bedrock of this Film Industry. Other States want to replicate it and no matter what can’t take away the birth place.
The least thing about the city is the changes politically is becoming a factor that causes certain companies to find other locations to produce film.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm3817163
- Instagram: @fxlarosa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/francois.larosa.12?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Twitter: @LarosaFrancois
Image Credits
Photographers Mary Cullen Paul Fischer Irene Uribe Maria Corbalan Michael Cavazos Casey Jones
