Escape at Dannemora

After the June 2015 prison break from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, NY, Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell is questioned about her involvement with the two men. Months earlier, Tilly enjoys her job at the prison tailor shop, balancing the temptations of David Sweat, a younger inmate, and her obligations to her husband, Lyle. Richard Matt, an inmate with an artistic talent, supplies oil paintings to guards in exchange for special treatment. Ultimately, his attentions turn to Tilly.

Matt has an idea to get out of Dannemora, but Sweat is not interested in taking the risk. Matt begins to help Tilly with an inmate she doesn’t get along with in the shop, while Sweat comes to miss the freedoms that come with Matt’s protection.

Matt and Sweat run into walls and other obstacles as they search for a way out, but the power of positive thinking helps keep them on track. Tilly begins to feel guilty about her mounting indiscretions, but she has a funny way of showing it.

Excited by the possibility of a new life, Tilly tries her best to avoid Lyle, who is planning something special for their anniversary. Sweat makes progress on the escape route, but feels like he’s doing all the work. Matt likes the arrangement just fine.

On the day of the escape, Matt and Sweat know the smallest mistake can derail their whole plan. But when a stern corrections officer takes over the post in the tailor shop and fellow inmate Murder gets out of the Special Housing Unit, Matt seems attracted to the danger. Tilly and Lyle have a fateful dinner at an all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurant.

In a deep dive into the minds of these individuals, we finally see what Matt and Sweat are capable of outside the prison walls. Tilly’s natural instincts aren’t much better.

Matt and Sweat run for their lives as the perilousness of their situation and anger over Tilly's betrayal sinks in. Tilly gets out of the hospital and tries to evade the authorities, while Lyle and the town follow the prison break.

As the law gets ever closer, the tension between Matt and Sweat is pushed to the extreme, and Tilly is taken into custody. All three are confronted with hard truths about who they really are. Limited series finale.

Based on a prison break in upstate New York in 2015, this is the story of two convicts who spawned a statewide manhunt and were aided in their escape by a married female prison employee who became involved with both men.

Episode five of Escape at Dannemora opens with a visceral 9-minute scene nicknamed by the crew, “Sweat’s Run.” What appears to be a single camera shot is, in reality, 17 different scenes across four different locations edited together. Director Ben Stiller, Production Designer Mark Ricker, Director of Photography Jessica Lee Gangé, and the Phosphene Visual Effects team speak to how they seamlessly stitched together those 17 shots to emulate David Sweat’s real rehearsal escape through the bowels of the prison.

A commentary about the creative and filmmaking process from director Ben Stiller (DGA Award winner) and Creators, Brett Johnson & Michael Tolkin.

An audio commentary with DGA winner, Ben Stiller, and Golden Globe® winner, Patricia Arquette.

An audio commentary with Ben Stiller and Production Designer, Mark Ricker.

An audio commentary with Ben Stiller and award-winning Editor, Malcolm Jamieson.

Audio Commentary with Ben Stiller and award-winning Editor, Geoffrey Richman.

An audio commentary with Ben Stiller, Brett Johnson (Creator) and Jessica Lee Gagné (Cinematographer).

An audio commentary with Ben Stiller, along with Cinematographer, Jessica Lee Gagné, editors, Geoffrey Richman and Malcolm Jamieson, and including Retired Major Chuck Guess, the real life officer who lead the 23-day manhunt for two inmates who escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility.