Sing Sing
Summary
Colman Domingo and Clarence " Divine Eye " Maclin star inSing Sing , a bluff new take onthe prison movie genrethat ditches every overplay cliche and stereotype in favour of a deeply humanizing and empathetic level about human beings who find their freedom within the confines of America ’s roughshod prison house system . In improver to thespian like Domingo ( who late received anOscar nominating address forRustin ) and Paul Raci , much of the film ’s mould consists of formerly jug people who are alum of the " Rehabilitation Through the Arts " program at New York ’s Sing Sing prison .
Two of these histrion are Sean " Dino " Johnson and Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez , who play fictionalized versions of themselves in the film . Despite its setting , Sing Singisn’t an exploitation movieor an activity - packed thriller ; there are no prison house riots , mustache - twirling prison sentry duty , and no spectacular dodging plans : the movie is about the humanity of citizenry trapped inside the prison scheme who take it upon themselves to seek reclamation through the graphics of theater of operations .
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While promoting the theatrical departure ofSing Sing , Sean " Dino " Johnson and Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez sit down down for an audience withScreen Rant . They discussed the film , their lives , and what it was like to bring back to the celluloid ’s shooting location of Downstate Correctional Facility , where they and the quietus of the RTA alumni in the film had previously been incarcerated . They also spoke about the unbelievable power of the RTA political program , which Dino described as allow him to feel " freedom behind the wall . "
Sean “Dino” Johnson & Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez On Their Unorthodox But Triumphant Return To Prison
Screen Rant : I was at a covering for the movie a few weeks ago now , and it ’s just been bounce around in my head ever since . I ’ve done hundreds of these interview and see one C of pic , and this is one of very few that is special , that is making a difference .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : Appreciate that .
Could you both tell me a piddling turn about Rehabilitation Through the Arts and how authoritative of a program it is ?
Custom image by Simone Ashmoore
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : Sure , I retrieve one of the most of import things to refer about RTA is that it ’s a program that goes direction beyond the bound of the actual participants that are invested in the program . The purpose of RTA is to empower people , and beyond just learn the arts to individuals inside the program . When it displays the outcome of the of the work , which I refer to as the thaumaturgy , that bring peace and provides outflow for the full population , and then reach out and invites the community to be a part of that experience as well . It shroud so many different formats in terms of like produce existent variety in the great unwashed ’s life . I ’ll let Dino give you the genuine insight .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : Oh , you sleep together , I agree . emphatically , JJ is absolutely exactly on point . RTA is beyond therapeutic . RTA is life changing . It ’s a form of freeing one ’s spirit . You know , when you are young , you grow up and there ’s certain things in life that were assure to you . And it ’s like , you do n’t suppose or go beyond that . And you stay within that land . RTA opens up the world to you , opens up better communication , effective listening , larn how to deal with other multitude . Also , how to deal with , you bonk , how people comprehend you . That ’s so important , how masses comprehend you , so you could have it off how to be more effective with them .
RTA ? it ’s a journey , humankind . It ’s a journeying to oneself . And it ’s like break roadblock , you experience , especially the barriers that mentally we put there , like you have a luck of people in companionship that are in prison . Mentally , they ’re in prison house . They go beyond the barrier , they stay within the barrier and that ’s all they cognise . And RTA teach you how to exempt oneself . You know , for me , with RTA , I find freedom behind the paries . That ’s very rarified to say . You make love , I found freedom because I establish out I can travel . I can mentally go places . I can record , find out thing , and go beyond the bound , whatever my forcible boundaries are . It ’s a powerful vehicle . For long time in Sing Sing , a lot of unseasoned men have been need advantage of RTA , and it ’s been transforming .
Based on actual events, Sing Sing is a drama movie that tells the story of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility and a group of prisoners within that decide to stage their own musical production within the prison’s walls.
I ’m thinking about the sensing of hoi polloi in prison house , because if you see the movies , the best case scenario is they get jack and then go get out and get retaliation .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : It ’s a small shoal .
But this movie is a really positive and affirmative one about humanity . differentiate me a little bite about get the call to do the movie . Were you sceptical ? Were you like , " Are you coming in and overwork our story ? " Or are you like , " You get it . This guy gets it . " What was that journey like for you ?
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : I think for me , it was pretty simple . When I look at the individual that were involved in the film , it ’s coming from individuals that were involve in RTA . The guys that were gaol are a grownup part of the hurl . I was one of the last masses to make out out from our cast . And so , by the fourth dimension I incur the intelligence that I could run a role in something that could be so powerful , something that was part of our support , it was my lifeblood at bottom . It ’s what kept me pump and fulfill with Leslie Townes Hope and desire beyond just the fate that I was beguile up in .
To have the chance to be with them , and then you have individuals such as Dino himself , who has been out for over a ten , close to two decades . Knowing the sapience and the leading that he carries , and to trust in that outgrowth , because that ’s what RTA is about , it ’s about trusting the process . I do n’t believe that RTA would have ever brought anybody into the fold that could exploit us .
And so it ’s a no - brainer . This is an opportunity to create a weapons platform to civilize society about a real movement , I would say . It ’s bigger than a political program . There are people in prison house who have made choices to interchange their life , and people are not paying attention . And so this motion-picture show gives us an chance to molt igniter on that and give people an opportunity to learn about what ’s really happening in prison , not the exploitative stuff that they ’re used to . To be a part of that change is absolutely a part of my commission and my lot in life sentence . And so it was a no - brainer , for real .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : For me , we all get it on the humanity that exists , the greatness that survive , that ’s stagnate behind the wall . We all knew that . But to give that voice in social club , to let others know , because it ’s been Sing Sing ’s best - kept secret for years . It was authoritative to let the world know that humanity exists behind that wall , because we ’re portrayed like monsters . We ’re portrayed like mass who do n’t finger , who do n’t like , who do n’t love . And to have that phonation , to get bon ton to see that humanity beam … That ’s one of the most powerful things about this movie , is that it shines true humanity . You have it off what I stand for ? Without the stereotype , without the other rashness that goes on in prisons , that ’s not important . What ’s important is that the human heart is bouncy and continuing to develop .
Even within the most contained environment , the most violent surround , there ’s still beautiful hoi polloi being formed .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : Absolutely . I personally think that it ’s a powerful way to put a display of humanity , of the power that people have to change through choice , particularly when they ’re given the proper support . And that right bread and butter , the last culmination piece to what this picture is about , is the might of relationship . So it ’s all about human beings , human relationship , and the tycoon that multitude have to change through choice .
To be offered an chance like that ? We were like , " Hey , allow ’s permit it be told . get ’s do this . "
After the cover was over , I was speak to audience members , and the question was , " When did you cry ? " Everyone had a dissimilar answer , which is such an important way of tell apart that everyone ’s getting something different out of the movie , or at least they ’re getting it at unlike points .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : It meets you where you ’re at .
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : precisely . There ’s a couple of moments . I ’ve look on it so many times , and at dissimilar part , I bulge to feel emotion in unlike way .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : Yeah , I ’m glad you get it , Zak . I ’m happy you felt it , because that ’s what we intended , man . We want people to occur awake and leave that theatre flavour reincarnate , because sometimes in life , we get so numb to the horrible thing that find every day , that we leave to care , we forget to sense , we forget to fuck , you know what I mean ? There is resilience in our spirit . So that ’s beautiful .
Sing Sing Stars Share Their Acting Journeys
separate me a piddling flake about acting . Was there a learning curve for film acting versus level acting , or had you already been over that hump before ?
Sean " Dino " Johnson : Not at all . See , I read theatre for going on nine , ten old age , you know what I think ? And we had professional person coming and teaching us , and they would learn us from a film linear perspective , they ’d teach us from a theater view . And we would mostly just do plays , but we had the information to know , this is the difference .
I jazz there was only one solar day at Sing Sing , but you germinate in other prison house , like Downstate . Was it a scuffle give out there , or was it not a great deal to be in that space ? Were you already protect ?
Sean " Dino " Johnson : When you go into a facility , whether it ’s occupied or not , you could feel the awe . You fuck what I ’m say ? you’re able to find the pain . you’re able to experience the misery , the morbidness in it . You know what I think ? And for us , for some of us , it was extreme . For others , we looked over and said , you know what ? This is for a capital good . You be intimate what I imply ? We ’re just last there , but we ’re walking out of there . So have ’s go do this .
And once we put the putting surface on , I think all of us were just kind of count at it and look at each other . And it was a crazy tactual sensation , like , wow , I think I would never voluntarily do something like this , put these back on , ya sleep with ? But we got past it . It was just good , all of us just being together , being together once again . That hold us in good sprightliness .
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : I ’ll state you , Zak , personally , for me , I was only a few month out . I was n’t even into double - fingerbreadth months yet out of prison after doing almost 24 years for a offence I did n’t commit , right ? come home , and then having to go to a decommission prison , right , and blend through that experience . And I remember looking Dino in his eyes , we were in the dressing way putting on the green . And I ’m like , " Dino , did you ever bottom put this back on again ? Because I roll in the hay I did n’t . " And I had just come home .
You felt the weight unit of it , but at the same token , we knew what the mission was , correct ? And we were together . We felt that , again , we had to commit the process . We find that brotherhood , that solitude that you get when you have a go at it that you ’re around good company . And we were able to pull out through . Downstate Correctional Facility is a facility that everybody comes through to get processed . So every individual one of us who had done meter in New York State had been through that prison . And if we did the eccentric of time that Dino did , or that I did , and several other people on the cast did , you buy the farm through that prison several times , because any time you move to another prison , you had to go through there . And if you go there on a Friday , you spent the weekend there .
So , yes , when you walk through those student residence , you have those memories . You remember everything . You you feel it . Like , physically , you feel it . And each one of us feels it otherwise . But at the same time , it ’s cathartic because we ’re using that to express our freedom , to state our message . We turn something designed and establish for negativity into something that could possibly carry through the satellite in terms of recognise humanity in everyone .
You ’ve got this unbelievable setting , incredible cast , and of course Colman Domingo . Was there a process of allow him and the other mass who have n’t been in your situation pick your brain ? Like , did you offer advice as you were shooting ?
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : It was a very engaging process from the beginning . Before we actually met Colman , Sean San José , Paul Raci , we had already had Zooms with them and gotten intimate with them there . You roll in the hay , joked around , talked about serious things , learned a minuscule bit about each other , but learned more so what the environment and scope was like and train them so that they can do what they did . And it was really an open environs on set where , like , we were all just , for deficiency of good words , shooting the dickhead and just vibing on a level that , yeah , everybody can get it . Like , we can do this . And so it was very wanton and seamless , to be true .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : Yeah , we were give off each other . We were just fertilize off each other , that Energy Department , you sleep with ? And , you know , the bozo , the professional , Paul Raci , Sean San José , and Colman , these hombre , they ’re so generous , humankind . You know what I ’m tell ? Because as professionals , they could have just , you know , dominate every scene . We all just grew together in that here and now , you be intimate ? It was a beautiful , beautiful experience .
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : They inspired us , like , in between scenes , you know , like , give us , like , short tips . Everything was , like , love on that bent . And beyond that , one thing that I think that we should also mention is the leadership of the directors and the producer . They were open to hearing how this may dally out other than in a real setting . They were overt to saying , mind , this is the motivation base on what we drop a line in the scenes , but you guys have the autonomy to take it to another level . That is very authoritative in terms of creating something that ’s authentic .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : Yeah , they gave us a lot of room to observe that authenticity , you know ? And if a scene did n’t work , we knew it already . We would appear at each other , we ’re like , yeah . And mechanically , we have it off exactly what had to be done , you know ? So , it was a beautiful process , especially with the leaders .
[ manager and cobalt - author ] Greg Kwedar said that some panorama were almost like black box exercises , where it was more of a assumption than a really scripted out scene .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : That ’s unheard of sometimes . You make some directors that ’ll be like , " I did n’t write that . No , say what ’s on the line . "
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : Do it like I enjoin you ! ( Laughs )
Now that the pic is coming out , severalize me a small bit about taking that victory circle . mass are seeing it , the review are issue forth out , and it ’s winning awards at all the festival .
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : I could say this literal quick , Zak . I think this is the uncomplicated way for me to convey it . You live , oftentimes it read great loss to spot greatness in the first shoes , right ? And so , the individuals that have been on this form , and those that decided to support this unconscious process , everybody from Colman down , everybody that was on the sidelines that will be remark when the curtain rolls , right ?
It ’s just amazing what we were able-bodied to do . And the reality is , we are hurt the great unwashed who have been bring around , right ? And once you ’re healed , you require to carry on to heal others , because it feels so good . I do n’t know if you catch what was being impart in between that , but that ’s really what it get along down to . We ’ve been saved , and now we want to hold open others .
Sean " Dino " Johnson : The hurt healers .
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : That ’s really what the motion-picture show is all about .
I wish there was a way to articulate it to the people in complaint that this is how you rehabilitate people . Prisons should n’t necessarily be a place where masses go to be punished , but where you have to go to be rehabilitated .
Jon - Adrian " JJ " Velazquez : it ’s this simple . When people believe in you , that interchange the trajectory of your life . A lot of the individuals that we incarcerate in this nation were people that were from the start told that they would never be anything , and they were n’t treated properly or adequately from the root . They were void of chance from the commencement , drive out , spew into certain community , could n’t go into others without facing prejudice . And so , coming from that , we have to examine where we ’ve been and where we need to go so as to continue to succeed.\
Sean " Dino " Johnson : And , you be intimate , to respond your question , how do we equilibrise it ? It ’s very humbling . And we do it that the only way for alteration is by one heart at a time .
About Sing Sing
A field of operations company find escape from the world of incarceration through the creative thinking of put on a play in this film establish on a genuine - life history renewal program and have a casting that includes formerly put away actor .
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Sing Singdebuts in prize theaters on July 12 and expand nationwide on August 2 .
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Cast
found on actual events , Sing Sing is a dramatic play film that secern the story of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility and a group of prisoner within that settle to stage their own musical yield within the prison house ’s walls .
