There’s a mistake that’s often made in documentaries. A well-meaning director has secured fantastic access and shot full-frame footage for an almost unbelievably true story. The film unravels with pacing that maximises suspense set to an arresting soundtrack. But then, amid all this actual footage, a disembodied actor or celebrity appears as the narrator. They technically do a good job but what are they doing in this story?
Here’s the key difference with true crime audio; the person telling you the story, who you will spend upwards of five hours with, is someone intimately connected to the story. They have a reason to be there, and within the first couple of episodes, they explain why.
