As a true crime fan, you might be wondering how the networks and producers select the cases that they want to cover for their docu-series or documentary films.
Some of the cases that we've seen being covered in true crime shows made headlines during the time it took place while some were under-the-radar cases that managed to have a spotlight when the show was released.
Let's explore below.
The Process of Selecting the Cases for True Crime Shows
Each network and producer has their own process for selecting the cases that they're covering in a true crime show.
Aside from doing research, they have particular criteria for the case that they are covering as they want it to be intriguing to the viewers while also still being able to do quality storytelling that is not too exploitative.
"We have really leaned into a place of very bold and deep storytelling versus [the] sensationalized or reductive," Lisa Nishimura, the now-former head of documentary programming at Netflix, said in a 2018 interview.
"We’re really lucky because we don’t have to fill a particular quota. We’re driven by the quality of the story [and] we have the great liberty of time. Stories require that amount of time to be able to be told in the full complexity in which they happened, and in which, I believe, the viewing audiences deserve to experience it."
Meanwhile, in the case of the Investigation Discovery network, they are open to all tapestries of true crime cases since they are a 24/7 channel and lean towards cases with high-stakes drama.
"We’re looking for high-stakes stories that have twists and turns and a satisfying resolution. Within that, we want to find a mix of cases that people know, and then ones that they’ve never heard, so from hour to hour, people come in and find a compelling, sticky story that they can’t turn off," Jane Latman, former development executive of Investigation Discovery, explained.
"What really resonates with our audience tends to be crimes between people who know each other. You’re gonna have more twists and turns in a story where there is a relationship and a backstory. And where there’s a clear motive, it’s not random."
The Process in Scripted True Crime Shows
When it comes to scripted true crime shows, the process is entirely different since it is a dramatized version of the cases and producers are more selective on what they want to cover.
For example, in the case of the FX anthology series American Crime Story, they select the cases they want to cover based on the social themes they are interested in and worth telling for dramatization purposes.
"I think with American Crime Story whenever we do a crime, it has to sort of have a social context to it. Like O.J. had sexism and racism and all of that stuff, and Versace-Cunanan has a huge amount of homophobia and celebrity worship — and why did that happen in that beginning of that culture?" producer Ryan Murphy said in an interview.
"[The U.S. government’s response to Katrina]‘s the true crime in my book. It’s a different way of looking at a crime but a crime nonetheless."
In the end, each producers have a different process on how they select their cases and the biggest factor will always be the audience interest since they still need to be watched by the viewers and garner interest the moment it airs.
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