Dakota Gorman chatted about directing the new thriller “The Girl in the Pool,” which stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Monica Potter, and Jake McLean.
How was your experience directing “The Girl in the Pool”?
Absolutely insane. At times it felt like I got on Mr. Toad’s wild ride, not realizing that the ride was going to loop 497 times. But most anyone who has been on set can tell you there is beauty to the chaos of filmmaking, even when you want to melt into a puddle.
It’s an experience truly unique to itself and no matter how much you think you know, you always find there’s infinitely more things to know and a million different ways to try things.
Sometimes you learn those lessons in really fun ways, and sometimes you learn them in soul crushing ways, but those are the memories that ultimately make up the lifespan of your career so I try to take all of it in stride, appreciate it for what it is and laugh about it all.
At the end of the day, it’s all art and it’s all an education. I learned so much about myself, how I operate (at least for now) and what I’d like to experiment with moving forward.
What was it like working with Freddie Prize Jr. and Monica Potter?
Hysterical. Monica was running a one woman comedy side-show which included some of the most wonderfully random improv you’ve ever heard come out of a person’s mouth.
Our editor was rolling laughing watching the dailies because he just never knew what he was in for take to take. And Freddie always had some delightful commentary about my wardrobe, which was definitely haphazard at best.
My favorite one was something along the lines of, “It looks like you got lost on a safari.” It was so interesting to watch them work together because they have totally
different approaches to their craft, which really reinforces that there is no “right way” to do anything.
It’s just finding what works for you and being willing to play. I am so grateful that even though they have these longstanding careers, they really put a lot of trust and confidence in me as a newer filmmaker to put all the puzzle pieces in place, even when that meant going off script or deviating from a plan. That stands true for every one of our cast members.
Truthfully, I love when things are messy and mistakes happen, which can be very disorienting in environments that seemingly demand order and precision. Everyone was willing to play in that mess and trust that there was some sanity to what I was doing, which is a really special thing to have.
I think in part it was because it gave them freedom to try things as well, which is so much more fun than just adhering to the idea what something should be.
What was your most memorable experience directing this film?
Wrapping. There is an all consuming, very specific energy after the final shot on the final day that’s reminiscent of pulling an all nighter in middle school. It’s an air of uninhibited, reckless and fulfilled freedom, it’s hard to put into words.
How does it feel to be a filmmaker in the digital age?
It feels like a blessing and a curse, and constantly oscillates between the two depending on what we’re talking about it in reference to. In so many ways the vast emergence and refining of technology offers immense opportunity and flexibility.
More artists are able to get content out there (be it directing, self-tapes, writing forums, etc.) and are able to connect with more people.
To that note, things can also feel so oversaturated that everything becomes seemingly irrelevant. The high accessibility of other industry professionals via social media or other platforms has rendered them totally inaccessible because now we are all essentially just virtual junk mail to anyone outside our inner circle, which is why it’s so important to build relationships via human contact.
Even the means of how things are executed has shifted. Filmmakers are able to shoot things that wouldn’t have been physically or monetarily possible in eras past. I also think there is something so charming about practical filmmaking that can get lost in this time that is so heavily immersed in digital offerings.
Social media, don’t even get me started. My inactivity on Instagram speaks for itself and when I’m on there – trust the experience is cushioned with anxiety.
Admittedly, I’m not a salesperson, I hate pitching myself. I just want to show up and do the work, but we are in a time that seems to demand we go beyond the realm of our strengths and desires. It’s something I’m constantly trying to wrap my head around.
What do your plans for the future include?
I’d really love to align with filmmakers who inspired (and continue to inspire) my artistic interests. There’s some very specific things I’d like to explore with content moving forward so I’m really focusing on integrating myself with other creators who are open to experimenting in a similar way.
I’m also very determined to dive further into horror, which is an ongoing development for me in addition to a TV series I’m developing with some friends, which we’re all very stoked on.
What is your advice for young and aspiring filmmakers?
It’s okay to be intentional with what you want to invest your time and energy into. Sometimes this means saying no to things that cross your path and trusting that means you are saying ‘yes’ to the things you align with. This isn’t just your career, this is your life.
If you are miserable doing something then your energy is probably better spent somewhere else. On the flipside, it’s also being willing to say yes to the things that scare us.
Fear isn’t always something that blocks us, sometimes it’s the thing blindly pushing us forward. Really knowing yourself – what you want, what inspires you and what terrifies you will serve as a greater compass than any single piece of industry advice as you navigate a world that is designed to be uniquely yours.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Feeling good about the choices you make, both day to day and in your work, regardless of the outcome. And maybe being able to eat whatever you want without thinking about how much it costs.
What would you like to tell our readers about “The Girl in the Pool”? (What’s the one
thing you want them to get out of it)
For all intensive purposes, this film is a thriller, but…. Tom’s situation is so wildly absurd that it borders on comical, which is something we worked to lean into. Tom is a ridiculous person whose life is being ripped to shreds at his own hands and he’s totally delusional about it.
There’s this running theme that he is going to fix the situation, but his idea of “fixing things” is just pouring kerosene on a forest fire and thinking that’s somehow contained the flames. He’s inept to say the least and it’s really fun to watch Freddie step into that persona and fully unravel. During pre-pro he and I would laugh about making Tom the ultimate beta.
Though I’m guessing that didn’t fully land because I keep catching word of people commenting about them loving this hot, brooding dad vibe he’s giving. Which honestly just makes Tom even funnier to me.
To learn more about director Dakota Gorman, follow her on Instagram.
