TBI Weekly: The evolution of ethics in true crime filmmaking

World’s Most Evil Killers (Source: Woodcut Media)

Nick Mavroidakis, executive producer at UK factual indie Woodcut Media, explores how the past decade has witnessed a sea change in the way that filmmakers approach true crime programming and the way they present both victims and criminals.

When I first began making the then newly commissioned series World’s Most Evil Killers in late 2016, it was my first venture into true crime.

I decided to try to create a format that I’d enjoy watching and was easy for the viewer to follow. Given the working title “Infamous Killers”, I got to work with a small production team and nine months later we’d made 20 episodes of World’s Most Evil Killers. We had no idea at the time we had created Woodcut’s first true crime franchise.

Eight seasons later, and with a ninth in production, the way true crime has evolved on screen is astonishing. World’s Most Evil Killers still maintains the same format, but the spirit of the programme has changed radically. While early series were designed to shock and appall, more recent seasons have a heart. While we still follow the life and murderous path of the killer’s career, the focus is now on the victims and survivors.

And I don’t think World’s Most Evil Killers is alone in this. Over the past decade, the landscape of true crime documentaries has undergone a profound transformation. The multi-award winning, Libby, Are You Home Yet is intimate, honest and heartbreaking – where the series could easily have focused on Libby’s killer, it instead gives life to a woman who was tragically murdered while simply trying to get home.

What once centered on the sensationalism of the crime and the psyche of the perpetrator, has now moved towards the voices and experiences of the victims. It’s a significant departure from the traditional narrative structure, where the killers often took centre stage, overshadowing the human stories of those affected by their actions.

Nick Mavroidakis (Source: Woodcut)

Transforming the language

Nowadays when we cast for World’s Most Evil Killers, we immediately look for contributors who can speak on behalf of the victim. Today, the victims are not just names or statistics; they are integral parts of the storytelling process.

Another change is the shift away from language that glorifies murderers. Instead of highlighting the lurid details of the crime, in World’s Most Evil Killers we now try to humanise the victims and survivors, often by using more empathetic and respectful language to describe their experiences and backgrounds.

I remember back in series one we used outdated terms, which bearing in mind is less than a decade old, shows how much society has changed. Terms for victims – “prostitute”, “drug addict”, “girl” – we would never use now. They are words that point the finger of blame at the victim, rather than the killer. Instead, we’d now describe these women as “mothers” or “daughters” – their lifestyle is not a reason for them to be killed.

For me it was the death of Sarah Everard and the ensuing outrage that changed how victims are portrayed in our documentaries. The intense media coverage of Sarah’s murder in March 2021 emphasised not only the details of her disappearance but also her life, her aspirations, and the impact of her death on her loved ones. Had this case happened in the 80s or 90s I have no doubt more of the focus would have been on Sarah’s killer, but nowadays people don’t want to be shocked and appalled, they want to feel angry about what happened, they want to feel empathy for the victim and their family members.

Moving forward, I believe it is essential for us filmmakers to continue prioritising the voices of victims and survivors, ensuring that their stories are not only heard but also honoured with dignity and respect. Our documentaries have the potential to be powerful tools for justice, healing, and social change. In an age of increased scrutiny and accountability, we need to understand the importance of maintaining moral standards in our work. Ethics now lie at the heart of true crime filmmaking.