As a film critic who has spent decades immersed in the gritty underbelly of cinema, I must say that “Sing Sing” by Greg Kwedar is not just another prison drama. It’s a breath of fresh air, a testament to human resilience, and a powerful exploration of the transformative power of art.
Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing” is a unique movie that unfolds within the walls of a prison with the same name. Unlike most films that critique the flawed judicial system, this A24 production centers around a band of convicts and their transformation through artistic endeavors.
Colman Domingo portrays John “Divine G” Whitfield, a writer imprisoned at Sing Sing due to a crime he didn’t perpetrate. He teams up with his closest friend Mike Mike (Sean San Jose) and the prison program director Brent Buell (Paul Raci), to establish an acting troupe within the penitentiary. Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin appears, playing a character based on himself – someone who has a natural talent for acting. Their prison-based acting group regularly gathers to stage plays.
The movie’s base is a real-life event and the thriving Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, established at Sing Sing in 1996. This program has since spread throughout New York state correctional facilities, encompassing dance, music, and writing. However, when it came to crafting this specific narrative and portraying these characters based on real individuals who were once imprisoned, Kwedar and the film’s creative team approached their roles with great care and respect.
Kwedar mentions that it was an issue they found particularly delicate, and they certainly didn’t want it to serve as a source of additional distress.
Before consulting with the actors, the film’s costume designer Andrea Marks first reached out for advice to her sister, a psychotherapist. She wanted to ensure she was well-informed about the right approach when dealing with someone who has gone through similar experiences, and also to be both an exceptional costume designer and a thoughtful listener.
Marks compiled a set of questions to engage Whitfield, Jose, and Maclin, understanding it was their initial collaboration with costume designers. Instead of approaching them as a professional costume designer requesting personal images, she chose a friendly tone. Additionally, she inquired about their connection to their attire, as she would need to dress them for the roles they’d play.
She struggled to find authentic prison uniforms as they are produced in-house. Despite making attempts to obtain them, she ultimately chose Red Kap workwear, which she then weathered and aged. The material was a mix of cotton and polyester. “It felt rough when first purchased, so we softened it and made it more comfortable.
Production designer Ruta Kiskyte viewed the world of “Sing Sing” as consisting of two distinct realms: one portraying the grim truth of life inside the prison and another representing the dramatic stage within that very prison setting. Kiskyte aimed for authenticity and naturalness, a priority shared by director Kwedar and the cast. However, what makes their approach stand out is that the prison appears bright and pastel-toned, yet it’s always surrounded by barbed wire in the backdrop. Kiskyte further explained, “The setting subtly crushes your spirit in ways that might not be immediately apparent in a typical prison film.
In prison, there were limited opportunities for self-expression due to the restrictions on what could be brought inside. Kiskyte notes, “We aimed to depict how our main characters’ cells reflected their personalities – surprisingly, they were like a map of themselves. There was almost no decoration, and nothing was arranged to look more appealing.
Instead, Kiskyte drew inspiration directly from Divine G and strived for authenticity in her cell reconstruction endeavor. Moreover, she aimed to express how this theater seemingly emerged from nothing, miraculously transforming into a completely different realm with only meager resources at hand.
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2024-12-18 02:47