The new A24 film Sing Sing tells the emotional story of a group of inmates who form an acting company in the infamous prison. It stars oscar-nominee Colman Domingo alongside a cast of formerly incarcerated men whose only acting experience came from performing in the real life Sing Sing acting troupe. The film has earned overwhelmingly positive reviews — with many predicting another Best Actor Oscar nomination for Domingo. But perhaps the film’s most remarkable story is one that took place behind the cameras: everyone who worked on Sing Sing received equal pay.
“We built a model on parity,” says Sing Sing director Greg Kwedar. “Everyone on our movie, the core cast and crew — from the star of the film, all the way through [the post production group] — we all worked for the same rate. And we all collectively own the movie as well.”
Kwedar tells us about his hope for the equal pay model to help other independent filmmakers in these challenging times.