Case Study: Songs From The Hole
As part of our 2025 Beyond Resilience series, we are publishing case studies of films and impact campaigns by Firelight Media-supported filmmakers in order to provide a detailed overview of the filmmaker's journey from ideation to research and development to production to post-production, distribution, and impact and engagement.
The case study, authored by Beyond Resilience Series Producer Sian-Pierre Regis, features candid interviews with filmmaker Contessa Gayles, film protagonist and writer JJ'88, and producer richie reseda.
Case study highlights include:
- Collaborating with an incarcerated protagonist who was a creative partner throughout the entire production;
- The process for financing the $1M+ production budget;
- Choosing Netflix as a global distribution partner;
- Designing a compelling curriculum around the film that reduces prison time for participants; and
- Retaining the rights for the original music in the film despite an all-rights deal.
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Songs From The Hole is now streaming worldwide only on Netflix.
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