It's no surprise that Floria Sigismondi would end up in the feature film world, as it's one of the only forms of media she hasn't conquered. The 45-year-old is best known for directing music videos for Marilyn Manson, the White Stripes, and Christina Aguilera, but she's also worked in painting, sculpture, and fashion photography. For a woman who's so steeped in artistic expression, what better film directing debut than The Runaways, where Sigismondi can pay tribute to two other sets of artists: Runaways musicians Cherie Currie and Joan Jett and their film portrayers Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart.
The Runaways comes out today, so Sigismondi sat down with Movieline to discuss her career arc, the frightening story she couldn't fit into the film, and her odd identification with Kim Fowley, the Runaways' unscrupulous Svengali.
You've made a name for yourself in a whole lot of different scenes: art, music videos, and now film. Do you see a lot of constant between those scenes? Are there Kim Fowleys in the film world, too?
There's nobody like Kim Fowley. [Laughs] There's nobody like him! He's amazing. Yeah, there's eccentrics in every scene, but for me, I don't know. This was a very unique situation because you're dealing with real people's lives and representing their lives. When I'm making artwork, I can put four breasts on a mannequin and there's no one to say, "I don't have four breasts!" "Well, you do now." [Laughs]
We talked to Sam Taylor-Wood a while back after she'd made Nowhere Boy, and she was so burned out on dealing with that sort of thing that she vowed that her next film would not be based on a true story. Do you feel the same way?
Sure, because it comes with a responsibility. As a creative person -- especially with the way I create -- I tend to go deep down inside and look around. All of a sudden, an image will pop up and I'll think, "I'll go with that and see where it leads me." Although I kind of use the same process to come up with some of the things in The Runaways, it's a different kind of journey. For me, it was a lot about research, research, research and seeing where that takes me, which is much different than going deep down inside. I think when you're dealing with something that's fictitious, you can go anywhere, so I'd definitely like to take a journey on that side.
It's interesting that Joan Jett was present on the set so much during filming. I know a lot of directors who would feel threatened by that.
She was great. She was real supportive and she really had confidence in herself and in me, I would think. The process went really smooth and it didn't feel awkward. She was there for support, although I'm sure that if something went way off-course, she would have been like, "Hey man..."
Having come from music videos, a music biopic seems like a natural progression for your first feature. All the same, were you ever looking to make your debut with something wildly different?
That's funny, because I always thought that if I did something dark, like vampires, I'd be nailing myself in the coffin. My [music video] work can be kind of dark, you know?
Macabre.
So I was steering away from that world. Who would have known! [Laughs] For me, though, it just felt like a natural progression. What I did like about it is that it was about all these girls who were doing things they weren't allowed to at the time, which called to the rebel in me. I'm always experimenting with new things and challenging myself to come up with new ideas, and I grew up in an environment where I was always encouraged with my art and never told "You can't do that." There's something that excited me about these girls going out so young and playing aggressive rock and roll.
Could you relate to Kim Fowley in a way because you, too, had to turn into the Svengali guiding these young actresses to get to what you want!
It was awful! I turned into Kim Fowley. [Laughs] Well, I didn't turn into Kim Fowley, but I felt like I was being interpreted as a Kim Fowley. It's funny that you say that, but I was like, "My God, because I'm bringing all this together, are my actions being interpreted as being like that person." I don't know. I didn't cause any conflict with anybody, so...
I guess I wonder because Fowley exploited these girls some, and in order to recreate those scenes, you have to dip into that territory. How do you walk that line?
I was careful not to do that. I don't think I exploited them at all in any way, but I'm telling a story, and certain aspects of that did happen. I was very careful about where the camera was and how it was approaching the imagery of the film.
Did you have any idea how much scrutiny and paparazzi attention this production would get?
Well, we locked Kristen before Twilight came out, so no, absolutely not. [Laughs] I think Twilight came out the day after we locked her in. It was like a new world, obviously. It was just a new equation. Because we didn't have that many exterior shots, we didn't have to worry about the paparazzi as much, but we obviously had to compensate as far as security and call sheets, because people were getting their hands on call sheets and they always knew where we were. It was like, "Who's the person ratting us out?" In that way, we had to play some games. There was only one time where they were a little too close to us, and a couple of cases where it disturbed the acting.
Of course, it's something the actual Runaways dealt with.
Cherie talks about when she first arrived in Japan, how they tore a hunk of her scalp from her head because these kids wanted her hair. It was very important for them to get her hair.
Jesus.
I guess it's like that in a way, right? [Laughs] They just didn't have digital photography back then.
I'm curious how you feel about the state of music videos today, since there have been a lot of cutbacks and--
So many cutbacks! So. Many. Cutbacks. And then I spend all this time coloring something in, and people view it as five pixels. Do you know what I mean? I'm like, "Wow, I really put my blood, sweat and tears into this, and there are all these little nuances that nobody sees." I don't even know if they play music videos on television that much, anymore.
I think YouTube is just about the only place people see them now.
And the quality is not that great. I don't know, maybe it's gotten better. Yeah, it's definitely changed. When I started, it was a very booming, rich time to start; people were experimenting and it was really free. The budgets were good! Look, I come from a painting background, and if I want to make flying green people in painting, it's nothing. It doesn't cost me a dime! In videos, it costs money, so are there some restrictions for sure in the budget now. But you know, I always challenge myself, and every once in a while I'll do a low-budget video because I think it challenges your creativity. It's like, "How can I do something with a piece of chewing gum, a stick, and a piece of paper? I've got to be able to create something." Sometimes those limitations kind of surprise you.
Have you directed any lately?
Yeah, I just finished a Dead Weather video. It should be coming out soon.
Did you feel any of the gender bias that the Runaways felt when you were trying to break into music video directing?
Yeah, definitely. It's funny, it wasn't necessarily from the people who were giving me jobs. It's more of the consensus from the crew. Obviously, once you start doing work that speaks for itself, it changes, but the makeup artists and people, they never expected me to be the director. Every once in a while in the beginning, a D.P. would treat me funny, and I'd be like, "But I know what I'm talking about. I was a photographer. I know what f-stop you're shooting." Especially when you deal with the technical aspect of things, you get that.
Do you feel like you have to establish your knowledge right away, then?
I'm always shocked. I'm always taken aback that people think like that. I'm just a spirit in the world just like you are. I can do all these things -- gender shouldn't be a problem.
[Photo Credit: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images]