Standard Operating Procedure
 

A Feature Documentary about the abuses at Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq.

The film uses interviews of the accused soldiers ("seven bad apples" as they were known) and other related personell, along with the photographic evidence that incriminated them, to question and investigate the elusive "truth" that is perceived to live within the photographic image.

One of the main characters of the piece is the notorious cell block 1A, which we built as a set for visualising some of the interviewee's accounts.

Check out more info and trailer at SONY CLASSICS.

 
Designer:
Decorator:
Propmaster:
Construction:
Cinematography:
Music::
Editor:


Producer:
Director:

Steve Hardie
John Kelly
Jon Gold
Dan Turk
Bob Chappell, Bob Richardson
Danny Elfman
Karen Schmeer, Brad Fuller


Julie Ahlberg
Errol Morris
 

Set Sketch

I used 3D to develop the prison block space based on many reference photos of the actual site. Unlike designing a fictitious prison where I would have the freedom to style it as desired, the challange here was to make it exactly like Abu Ghraib but without the luxury of visiting the place for measurements etc. (Although that's not a visit I would of cared to make.) It was important to get the details correct as it is a place many people are familiar with from seeing photos on the internet and news channels. The only license I used in altering the space was for economy, we only built a run of 8 cells when there were 12 in reality. Only one solitary confinement cell was made as all of the others would be behind closed solid doors. The open nature of the barred doors made it necessary to build all of those. The barred doors were made of steel for their intrinsic quality of weight and their ability to withstand agressive action, including having prisoners be tied to them. I was also able to find original Folger Adam locks to install on our hero doors.

  
 

 Set Sketch

  
   
   Reference photo of prison Photo of final cell block set. The floors were made of concrete/plaster mix to achieve the detail, as we would be close to the ground in a number of situations.  
   
Cell set . The bunks were welded to match those in Abu Ghraib. Cell set. All cinder block walls and form-board ceilings were done in plaster.    

Shower room set. Practical showers and drains.

 Door detail on set. showing complex locking mechanism and actual Folger Adam mortise lock.    
     
   
Interrogation booth. This is one of a series of six each side of a central corridor.      

set still

original still

After the shooting of an armed inmate.

Inside the corridor looking into the interrogation rooms.

1 of 2 photos found for reference of the kitchen in the farmhouse where Sadam was hiding.

Set built to match the reference.
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