VISUAL
COMMUNICATIONS presents
"AFTER INNOCENCE": FILMMAKER JESSICA SANDERS INTERVIEWED
Okay, so she didn’t earn a coveted Academy Award nomination for her debut feature documentary AFTER INNOCENCE in the recent Oscar derby. But in a way, it doesn’t matter for filmmaker Jessica Sanders, award-winning director/producer and the daughter of Academy Award-winning directors Freida Lee Mock and Terry Sanders. Her film, completed in 2005 and debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, has gone on to screen in over 20 international film festivals and, in the process, shed light on the activities of The Innocence Project, which works to exonerate those unjustly convicted of major felony crimes. In the following interview with VC staffer Abraham Ferrer, Jessica talks about her encounters with The Innocence Project, the impact of the film, and her filmmaking process.
First things first: how did you first encounter The Innocence Project, and at what point did you determine that this was an important issue to capture on film?
I first learned about the Innocence Project when a friend of a friend -- Marc Simon, who became my producing partner on this project, wrote me an email about his experiences as a law intern with the Innocence Project. At the time I was working on an NBC documentary series called CRIME & PUNISHMENT following the San Diego District Attorneys prosecuting criminal cases. I had seen the criminal justice system from a specific side. The idea of innocence and exoneration struck me, and I knew it would be a great subject for a film. It was also a great way for me to explore another side of the criminal justice system, one that has turned it on it’s head. I immediately knew that I wanted to make this film and said yes.
How long and how extensively did you follow your subjects? And how did you weed out your interview subjects to the ones who were finally on-screen?
We worked with the Innocence Project to get a diverse group of exonerees based on geography, race, what they were convicted for, how much time they served, reasons for their wrongful conviction, how they were doing upon their exoneration, were they compensated, did their families believe in their innocence, did they have jobs now... From this we narrowed a list of about 25 exonerees. The first shoot was the 10th anniversary of the Innocence Project where we met 30 exonerees and their families. From that shoot we met half the exonerees featured in the film. Because we really scrutinized who we followed and why, we actually didn’t overshoot any full stories.
The most extensive story was Wilton Dedge’s from Florida who we followed when he was still in prison until he was released. We filmed him over several months following his battle for release, while simultaneously following his attorney Nina Morrison in New York at the Innocence Project working on his case.
What has been the feedback from audiences who have seen the film?
We have had standing ovations and audiences are very emotional when they see the film. Each opening weekend screening we try to bring a local exoneree or an exoneree in the film to do a Q & A. This is an amazing experience for audiences to meet these heroes who have been able to persevere being in prison wrongfully for decades and still remain positive. I have had people tell me that the film changed their view of the death penalty—that they can no longer believe in it when they see how flawed it is.
In looking back at the finished product, would you say that AFTER INNOCENCE is more a compelling story captured on film, or a work of "activist" cinema?
I didn’t make the film as an activist, rather as a filmmaker telling a dramatic and compelling story. But, I knew that with a film, awareness and change could happen for exonereated people. Since the film has been released, it is being used as a political tool by criminal justice reform groups, legislators, law schools to help change laws, encourage compensation legislation and to gain social services for the exonerated.
What about its long-term impact -- legal, legislative, or otherwise? Do you think any kind of social change will be enacted because of it?
The film was recently shown in Sacramento, California to legislators to encourage reform on a new compensation legislation bill to give money and social services to exonerees to help them upon their release from prison and to compensate them for the state’s wrongdoing. The film was also shown in Florida when legislators were considering a private compensation bill for Wilton Dedge in the film who spent 22 years wrongfully imprisoned. He was awarded 2 million dollars. I think this film has a long, useful educational and political life and I am happy that it is being used for change and awareness.
You grew up as the child of award-winning non-fiction filmmakers. Did that home environment nurture your interest in media arts in any way?
I grew up traveling around the world and meeting amazing people that my parents documented in their films. My family was extremely encouraging of pursuing the arts and always valued art, culture, travel, education, always learning. I always wanted to do something artistic, but I didn’t know I wanted to make films until I studied film at Wesleyan University.
Can you chat a little about your filmmaking process? How do you go about developing stories? Are there specific filmmakers you look to to provide a "blueprint" for your developing filmmaking aesthetic?
The filmmaking process begins with an idea that really excites me that I think I will want to pursue and see through over a long period of time, since it often takes several years to make a film. Specific filmmakers that I admire are my parents, Penelope Spheeris who does dramatic and documentary films, Stacy Peralta (I love DOG TOWN & Z BOYS), Gus Van Sant, Pedro Almodovar, Tim Burton, Federico Fellini is one of my favorite filmmakers. I feel like each project has a different set of demands therefore different aesthetics, although story and character should come first and inform the aesthetic. And I don’t like reenactments!
Now that AFTER INNOCENCE is reaching the general public, what future filmmaking projects have you turned your attention to?
I am writing a dramatic screenplay and want to direct both documentary and dramatic films. I think they can both inform each other. I have several documentary projects that are in development as well.
