We were lucky to catch up with Francois Larosa recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Francois, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

From College Theater to being casted in Short Films to getting on Robert Rodriguez’s sets. The Studio Sets taught me the function of the Roles of what each Crew Member did. I started early 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 in TV and Film. Also branched out in Authorship of writing two books. This made a huge impact on where I am now.

Everything has been about Timing. Learning the Kraft of Acting in Theater, then Screenwriting, to the essentials of Filmmaking’. This is the route I found myself taking. The only thing I might have added to speed things up was knowing more of my Cameras that I utilize as well as the editing process. Maybe taking a class in both.
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. Learning Release forms in Acting, Crew and Location. Understanding about allocating some of your budget on Marketing. Understanding Distribution, that’s where the money is. Hiring a Camera person that has all the Lenses, and Good Camera, helps with one’s budget. Sound is so important. But this is the foundation of going down this path of Filmmaking.
The only Obstacles have been and is for Filmmaking is Funding.
I’ve seen people use Crowdfunding, Indiegogo, Facebook, Companies, Parents, Friends, even Raffles, but knowing how to go about it is just doing it. One’s pitch gets better and learning more about it you can utilize YouTube to get it going. The other problem I see is it takes A little while to get the funding and then you do your movie and then you really need to take your time and edit it very well. Don’t be in a hurry. This is Very important.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

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.
This coming July I’ll be shooting in the Virgin Islands the heading back to Miami Florida to do a Podcast, then to Austin Texas which I call my basecamp.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I continue to do the Social Media Marketing. Though many see the accomplishments, what they don’t see is what it took to get there. I focus on a couple of things, more on my Screenwriting, New Books coming out, a new commercial shot, or either a new Film. I try to stay focused on the Profession in the industry, and not discuss religion, or politics.

One of the most important things is marketing. Even though you may have a manager or an agent you still must utilize social media. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter. It’s important to be seen as productive, working, a development in progress.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I think one of the things before I started down this road was utilizing resources they were 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. I can help edit setting 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 reach we get together.

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
Francois Larosa