Greta Gerwig — The Woman Behind the HA

 

The first thing Greta Gerwig did upon sitting down for our interview on May 3, 2013 was to be attacked by her chair. Actually, she sat on her hand, which had a disarming charm to it. As the co-writer of FRANCES HA, along with director Noah Baumbach, it was the perfect indication of how close to and how far from the eponymous Frances is in relation to Gerwig herself.  Funny, introspective, and bracingly clear about her vision as a filmmaker and actor, our talk covered the unusual shooting schedule that allowed the film to show New York City going through actual changes of season, the logistics of getting the crew to Paris, and why keeping secrets from the cast made for a film where each actor could, and was encouraged to, create a universe for his or her character. She also explained the advantages of multiple takes, and how, despite being counter-intuitive, it almost forces spontaneity from everyone concerned.

Photo: Andrea Chas

 

Click here to listen to the interview (10:38) FRANCES HA — Greta Gerwig Interview