- I'm such a social person that...
I need that human contact.
It's only been a few hours.
And I kinda can't wait til this shoot is fuckin' over,
to tell you the truth.
(instrumental piano music)
- What made me want to try this was
I have a personal connection to
someone who has been in solitary confinement,
a close family member of mine.
It'll be interesting to see what they kinda went through,
and see if I could handle that.
(instrumental piano music)
- The justice system is a big part of American society.
I think it's gonna be pretty doable.
Confident to overconfident this is gonna be a cakewalk.
- When I was growing up,
I thought it was inevitable I was gonna end up in jail.
'Cause most of my friends...
Again, family members, went to jail.
(instrumental piano music)
(intense instrumental music)
So I guess it begins.
- Moving everything out of the room,
especially just taking everything off the wall,
already I was like "Wow, this sucks."
(intense instrumental music)
- It's pretty dark in here, so if I turn off the light.
- I don't really think I'm feeling
anything isolation-wise, yet.
- Just having those things like having furniture,
having decorations,
it makes you feel so much more like at home.
- I have some water here.
And I have two books.
- I am gonna go to sleep right now.
I feel pretty normal.
- Let's get to work.
(electronic instrumental music)
- I just woke up.
And my first instinct was to check my phone,
to see what time it is, to see what's going on in the world,
and I couldn't do that.
- I don't think I can sleep anymore.
That's the weird thing.
I've gotta find something to do.
- This one's called "Sad Mint."
It's a piece of gum that's been stepped on.
This is "Pop," which is a gum bubble.
- Another thing that I've noticed
that has been kinda bothering me is how quiet it is.
- I do feel more sensitive to the
sound of what's happening outside,
and I really do wanna look.
- Silence kinda makes the loneliness feel so much more real.
- Food has just arrived, and I'm pretty excited about that.
- I'm happy to talk to somebody.
(laughing)
- Yeah.
(laughing)
(electronic instrumental music)
- I almost kind of am really looking forward to these logs,
just so I can hear my own voice.
- I'm a very social person,
and I just don't like being in timeout.
- [Neil] I will pace around.
In this U shape.
- I have no desire to do anything.
Each time I get up to go to the restroom,
or for whatever reason, I just look at my bed,
and immediately want to get back in it.
- I would say I wasted most of the day.
- This room is just so bare,
and dark, and depressing.
(electronic instrumental music)
- If you're only gonna go outside for a hour a day,
you've gotta run out of shit to dream about.
That's scary.
I didn't think about that before.
- I feel a little bit more anxious to get out.
I've been pacing around a lot more.
- I'm bored.
I started biting my nails, I get anxious.
My room stinks.
- Just let me go back to sleep,
so I can be someone other than here.
- I'm here today, and it's like I feel weird.
I'm not tired, but I feel drained.
I slept so much, but I still feel drained and empty.
- The experience was doable,
in that it wasn't too far from a normal weekend day for me,
which is kind of depressing.
- What makes us feel sane, a lot of times is,
knowing that we do have control of our situation.
We have control, we have choices,
but when all of those things are taken away from you,
then you really start to lose your sanity.
- I thought I was stronger than this, but...
What's funny is I really don't feel
like being around people right now.
I though I was just gonna wanna embrace
everyone when I came in this morning,
but I kinda wanna be by myself.
I wonder if this is what depression feels like.
- Of course you appreciate the freedom
that you have everyday,
but particularly this experience made me aware
of how much I wasn't using that freedom.
- Not having that freedom is definitely scary,
and I relish every moment that I'm outside,
and breathing fresh air,
and hugging and kissing my friends, and laughing.
- I wouldn't wish this on anyone.
(solemn instrumental music)