As a seasoned gamer who’s played through countless narratives, I can confidently say that the crafting of “Sing Sing” stands out as one of the most immersive and authentic experiences I’ve encountered. The screenwriters, Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley, have woven a tale that not only respects the sanctity of its source material but also breathes life into it through collaboration with the very people it portrays.
Writing the script for the movie Sing Sing, which tells the story of a genuine theater company, Rehabilitation Through the Arts, situated within the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in upstate New York, was an intricate task for screenwriters Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley. “We treated what they were doing with great care,” said Bentley, emphasizing that the responsibility was immense. “If we hadn’t portrayed this story well, it could have negatively impacted the ability of currently imprisoned individuals to navigate their prison life.” In this particular scene, during a dress rehearsal for RTA’s upcoming play, the movie’s main character, inspired by the real-life figure John “Divine G” Whitfield (portrayed by Colman Domingo), experiences a breakdown on stage after discovering his parole appeal has been rejected.
Initially, Kwedar and Bentley learned about Sing Sing’s RTA program (Rehabilitation Through the Arts) after reading an article in Esquire. This discovery sparked their desire to volunteer at the facility. They decided to focus on two incarcerated actors, Divine G and Divine Eye, for their story. The filmmakers allowed Kwedar and Bentley to work together with these actors on the script, a collaboration that made the script feel more vibrant and alive than ever before, according to Kwedar.
The dialogue of the play within the film, Breaking the Mummy’s Code, remains unchanged from the actual script Brent Buell (the RTA volunteer portrayed in the film by Paul Raci) wrote. “There was something magical about the seesaw of the playfulness of the work juxtaposed against the environment it was set within,” explains Kwedar. “Early on, we met Buell, who invited us to New York to have breakfast with some alumni of this program. The real Divine Eye (actor Clarence Maclin, who plays himself in the movie) and the real Divine G (John Whitfield) were there. ‘If we can capture the feeling of this room, it could be special.’ ”
In this portrayal, Divine G experiences the aftermath of a parole hearing, with evidence exonerating him dismissed and his continued imprisonment confirmed. Although Divine’s genuine feelings may have unfolded differently off-screen, Kwedar points out that “the scene is grounded in a real emotional reality.” Bentley elaborates that the creation process involved discussions with Whitfield and Maclin about various scenes, ensuring that the script’s emotional requirements were met at this pivotal moment. They aimed to depict what would be fitting for these characters’ emotions, while avoiding situations that might seem insincere, even if they deviated slightly from what actually transpired in real life.
In the final version of the movie, Domingo’s dialogue deviated slightly from the scripted lines. Amidst his intense pain, he improvised an additional line: “You told us to trust the process, didn’t you? Well, the process is broken.” Bentley acknowledged that the team might not have written this line initially, as it seemed a bit extreme. However, when Domingo delivered it, it perfectly encapsulated the scene and helped clarify his character’s emotions. He truly became a collaborative storyteller in the process.
As a gamer immersed in the virtual world, I’ve noticed Divine G persistently urging Divine Eye to soften his emotional barriers. “The Divine Eye character embodies a dangerous presence threatening to disrupt this sanctuary,” Bentley explains. “Initially, Divine G was all about keeping violence out of this safe haven entirely. But as the narrative unfolds, he starts to adopt a more aggressive stance – a stark depiction of despair.
This scene references the early part of the movie, where Divine G guides Divine Eye in a monologue from Hamlet, emphasizing that though anger can be easily portrayed, pain is more complex and intriguing. However, this specific line wasn’t included in the final version of the film. According to Bentley, we worked diligently to ensure that this scene conveyed all the various emotions Divine G experiences, as well as echoed earlier plot points from the script.
Despite undergoing significant changes throughout various drafts, certain key phrases persisted from the initial script. For instance, Kwedar enthusiastically remarks about Clint, “I’ve collaborated with him for 14 years. He possesses a unique talent to express something genuine and character-defining.” Notably, some humorous lines originally written by Clint in the first draft, such as “Are you done?” followed by “No, I’m not. Isn’t that amusing?”, remained intact in that scene.
Initially, this narrative was published in a special December edition of The Hollywood Reporter’s magazine. If you’d like to get this magazine delivered to you, consider subscribing by clicking here.
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2024-12-21 23:24