{"id":8771,"date":"2016-06-07T17:15:47","date_gmt":"2016-06-07T21:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/"},"modified":"2016-06-07T17:18:09","modified_gmt":"2016-06-07T21:18:09","slug":"crime-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Crime Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

As it turns out, crime does<\/em> pay. Factual distributors the world over are gradually boosting their true-crime catalogues in order to meet swelling demands from consumers and broadcasters for content delving into the darker side of life. But run-of-the-mill whodunits and weekly capers covering open-and-shut cases, which for years defined the genre, are no longer enough to satisfy an increasingly sophisticated audience. These savvy armchair sleuths are on the lookout for fare that cuts through the police tape, delivering behind-the-scenes footage and morally ambiguous storytelling in the vein of recent hits such as Netflix\u2019s Making a Murderer<\/em> and HBO\u2019s The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst<\/em>.<\/p>\n

DRAMATIC APPEAL<\/strong>
\n\u201cPeople are fascinated with crime, especially murder,\u201d says Paul Heaney, the CEO of TCB Media Rights. \u201cHowever, like any universally attractive unscripted [genre], you have to be able to offer more than just shock value. These days at least, there has to be some amount of empathy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though Heaney acknowledges that the popularity of Making a Murderer<\/em> and The Jinx<\/em> has changed the way true crime is produced, he says those specific titles and the genre in general are actually taking a page from dramas when it comes to storytelling choices.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a lot of really good crime-related scripted appear a few years ago, like [HBO\u2019s] True Detective<\/em>, which became one of the finest pieces of TV,\u201d Heaney says. \u201cThese shows had ginormous budgets and felt like movies. So now true crime is being produced like this, except they manage to keep the cinematic feel while being made on [smaller] budgets.\u201d<\/p>\n

As an example, he points to his catalogue\u2019s Copycat Killers<\/em>, a Story House Productions title for REELZ Channel about murderers inspired by blockbuster movies and TV shows. The series was filmed to look less like a documentary and more like a film, \u201cso it has that glossy, movie-like feel that is currently doing very well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do think there is a link between the rise of top-quality drama and this reawakened interest in the darker side of things within true-crime programming,\u201d says Elin Thomas, the director of global sales for Passion Distribution. \u201cThere has always been a demand and appetite for true crime, but now you also have productions like The Bridge<\/em>, The Killing<\/em> and Broadchurch<\/em>, and this has all lit a match under it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas explains that this shift toward dramatic complexity has fundamentally changed the way the genre is viewed. \u201cI think the trend is for more engagement, where the audience can actually follow a story and become invested in it,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople can get behind a case because it\u2019s true, and that adds a layer of fascination over and above drama, which, at the end of the day, is a made-up story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas says that the two seasons of Passion\u2019s Mind of a Murderer<\/em>, produced for Investigation Discovery, have proven successful precisely because of this dynamic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe show follows criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward as she secures face-to-face access to convicted murderers,\u201d Thomas explains. \u201cShe only has 90 minutes with these felons to use her research into predatory criminals to uncover the real truth about what drove them to commit the crime. So you\u2019re placing the viewer right in the middle of this faceoff between the criminal psychologist and the murderer.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, having a host or lead steeped in the grit of the most heinous of crimes can go a long way in fostering audience engagement. \u201cYou have to have someone the viewer can follow on a weekly basis,\u201d says Jon Kramer, the CEO of Rive Gauche Television. Among his top true-crime titles is Homicide Hunter<\/em>, which tracks veteran investigator Joe Kenda and his team of specialists as they recreate some of his biggest cases.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis guy has solved some 387 crimes, and in the show he takes you through how he solved those crimes,\u201d Kramer says. \u201cIt\u2019s not serialized, since it\u2019s still one murder per hour, but he\u2019s serialized, in that the audience tunes in to follow him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Karthiga Ratnasabapathy, the VP of worldwide sales and acquisitions at Tricon Films & Television, also believes that a guide is important when it comes to ushering the audience through the underbelly of the criminal world. \u201cIt always helps to have someone familiar with the topic, especially if it\u2019s somebody that the audience knows,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Ratnasabapathy adds that a title such as To Catch a Killer<\/em> , which originally aired on OWN Canada, has met with success mainly on the strength of lead investigator Mike Arntfield\u2019s commitment to solving cold cases, as well as his knowledge and use of the most recent forensic technology. However, she states that that element alone isn\u2019t enough to guarantee viewer approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Catch a Killer<\/em> makes use of reenactments and expert testimonials, which are storytelling methods that have always done well, especially in this genre,\u201d Ratnasabapathy says.<\/p>\n

According to Munia Kanna-Konsek, the head of sales for Beyond Distribution, \u201creenactments, exceptional production values and gripping story lines make for a deadly combination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Citing as an example Beyond\u2019s Deadly Women<\/em>, which has already shot more than 130 hours, Kanna-Konsek says expertly produced storytelling is what\u2019s needed to hook a viewer in an ever more cluttered true-crime field.<\/p>\n

DEADLY TALES<\/strong>
\n\u201cDeadly Women<\/em> uses reenactments as well as interviews with real-life criminals and experts,\u201d she says. \u201cIt does help you to visualize what would have taken place. If you can\u2019t show something real like a trial, or if you don\u2019t have the perpetrators right there, then you need to make sure the audience can see something else. The audience then becomes mesmerized by all these elements.\u201d<\/p>\n

But as with all tools, it\u2019s important not to overdo specific narrative shortcuts. \u201cReenactments are very important parts of the market, but there\u2019s a certain level of cheesiness they have to avoid,\u201d says TCB\u2019s Heaney. \u201cSometimes these shows don\u2019t have the budgets you\u2019d expect, but they\u2019re able to put together a style of reconstruction that makes it look big budget. They just have to make sure to avoid being slightly too dark or too gritty or too local in tone, otherwise they\u2019re not going to sell as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The narrative heft and moral complexity of newer true-crime titles are also helping push the genre beyond its traditional niche-channel association.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always been an interest in true crime, but productions like Making a Murderer<\/em> have forced the programming to branch out, so now there\u2019s this incredible popularity and interest in it,\u201d says Mike Lolato, the senior VP of international distribution at GRB Entertainment. \u201cNow you don\u2019t have to be a fan of just Investigation Discovery or a similar channel to enjoy this type of show. People are taking a very personal interest in these series, especially with issues of injustice currently at the forefront, and I think that\u2019s why these types of shows are no longer constrained to one specific genre.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the start of the year, GRB introduced the one-off documentary Nelson Serrano: I\u2019m Innocent<\/em>, which takes a Making a Murderer<\/em>-type approach to the case of an Ecuadorian citizen currently sitting on death row after being convicted of a Florida slaying nearly two decades ago. Lolato says growing interest in that title has led to talks of using leftover footage (and taking advantage of the fact that the highlighted case is still ongoing) to produce a new multi-episode series.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is definitely a bigger audience for something like Nelson Serrano<\/em>, and not just a specific demographic,\u201d Lolato says. \u201cThere was always an idea that these types of shows tended to be more female-skewing, but that\u2019s changed. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a male or female skew because these stories are real life. That crosses all demographics.\u201d<\/p>\n

MARKET DISTINCTIONS<\/strong>
\nDespite the mounting broad appeal of true crime, distributors say that specific markets still request some tailoring in order to reach local audiences. Central and Eastern European and Asian audiences, for example, are averse to talking heads and prefer reconstructions. Meanwhile, crimes of passion are popular go-to\u2019s in Germany, says Passion\u2019s Thomas.<\/p>\n

Kramer of Rive Gauche agrees that Germany is a country where true crime is currently making headway, though he stresses that the genre remains particularly strong in English-speaking territories. \u201cIt\u2019s much more a phenomenon in the U.S. because we\u2019re a gun culture,\u201d he says. \u201cFrom a distribution standpoint, crime has not spread in every territory around the world for very different reasons, but slowly and surely it will.\u201d<\/p>\n

DIGITAL FRONTIERS<\/strong>
\nOne area where distributors agree true-crime has made fewer inroads is OTT, despite Making a Murderer<\/em> launching as a Netflix original.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want to get a title on SVOD just yet, unless it\u2019s a world player, because enough of the big traditional delivery services want the show,\u201d says TCB\u2019s Heaney. \u201cSo unless something comes in early on the SVOD side, we\u2019re looking to traditional methods first, and then SVOD is something we\u2019ll fit around it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Figuring out exactly what a digital platform wants in terms of true crime can be difficult.<\/p>\n

\u201cStreaming services have always been the type to say, \u2018Come to us with a great idea or a great show,\u2019 but they don\u2019t necessarily tell you what it is they\u2019re looking for,\u201d says Tricon\u2019s Ratnasabapathy. \u201cThis is something that we do get from traditional broadcasters. Since they are airing it on a specific network, they need to be sure the content they\u2019re programming aligns with who they\u2019re programming for.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, despite the hurdles in trying to deal with non-traditional platforms, distributors aren\u2019t completely leaving them off the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cOTT is something to watch for the future,\u201d says Passion\u2019s Thomas. \u201cClearly the big players are commissioning, and I\u2019m imagining that has something to do with the success of Netflix\u2019s Making a Murderer<\/em>. The genre is on the map now.\u201d<\/p>\n

No matter the platform, though, distributors say that producers must align the right storytelling tools with a timely focus in order to guarantee the broadest viewership possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the police shootings over the last few years have caused society to reevaluate what is going on in our justice system,\u201d says Kristen Eppley, the senior VP of international distribution at New Dominion Pictures, whose The New Detectives: Case Studies in Forensic Science<\/em> airs on ID and Justice Network in the U.S., plus Hulu, Amazon and Netflix. \u201cIt [also] comes down to great storytelling, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats and not revealing too much too soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kanna-Konsek of Beyond stresses that as long as factual productions can tap into that natural human curiosity, the genre will continue to flourish.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s a terrible reflection of our society that we\u2019re so immersed in crime and that we are so intrigued by it,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople want to see really good, powerful documentaries. You want to see high production quality values and something that\u2019s going to keep the viewer involved and really intrigued. The more they want, the more we can produce and distribute. It\u2019s the circle of crime life.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Complex storytelling and an embrace of timely topics are helping true-crime titles find a wider base of support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":291,"featured_media":8772,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nCrime Time - TVREAL<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Crime Time - TVREAL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Complex storytelling and an embrace of timely topics are helping true-crime titles find a wider base of support.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TVREAL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-06-07T21:15:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-06-07T21:18:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2015\/09\/Deadly-Women-TrueCrime.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joel Marino\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joel Marino\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/\",\"name\":\"Crime Time - TVREAL\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-06-07T21:15:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-06-07T21:18:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/#\/schema\/person\/b3ccbe08162f6677585ed46386169b48\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/crime-time\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Crime Time\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/\",\"name\":\"TVREAL\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvreal\/#\/schema\/person\/b3ccbe08162f6677585ed46386169b48\",\"name\":\"Joel Marino\",\"description\":\"Joel Marino is associate editor for World Screen and TV Latina. 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