Vanessa Willett wraps shooting episode #102 of Canadian Detective.
Storyline: From the Creators & Producers of the 4-time, CSA* nominated series ‘Real Detective‘, with it’s success on Discovery ID, and Netflix, comes the CBC series, Canadian Detective, a hybrid series that brings to life real, landmark Canadian cases by blending the worlds of true crime documentary and scripted television. Amazing stories told using the best of documentary, and scripted storytelling, to deliver one of the most authentic, personal and riveting crime series on television. These are stories that have a high public interest, and need to be told! Like the popular dramatized HBO series True Detective, Canadian Detective will be focused around the experiences of the key detective in the episode, as they relive the case – interviewed in their own hometown, driving with them to the actual crime scene, the courthouse, the neighbourhood and down their dark memory lane. Canadian Detective explores universal themes of struggle, tragedy, compassion, self-doubt, justice, loss, anger and a desire to find a deeper understanding and meaning in life and human relationships. Unlike traditional true crime series where the “scripted moments” serve to illustrate what the interview subject is talking about, the scripted scenes in Canadian Detective serve to deepen the narrative providing greater texture and understanding.
Like ‘Real Detective‘, Canadian Detective will raise the bar in the True Crime Documentary genre.
*In 2016, Real Detective received 4 CSA nominations in the Factual/Documentary category: Best Series, Best Writing, Best Photography, and Best Production Design.
In Episode 102, Three generations of the Johnson family are found burnt to a crisp in Wells Grey Park. Detective Mike Eastham is brought in to help catch the killer, dubbed the “Wells Grey Gunman” by the public. At first there’s little to go on, but Eastham leaks information to the press in order to drum up public support. Soon, there’s almost too much info. Amidst false leads and mounting expenses, the Gunman seems uncatchable. Until Dalen, Eastham’s partner, discovers a witness in a remote place and gets a name: David Shearing. This, is their Gunman
Comments: The characters will be real and three-dimensional; not only the detectives, but the victims and their families, as well. By combining scripted scenes where viewers will emotionally connect with the characters, and interviews with the detectives that subtly remind them that the stories are real, the audience will have a unique viewing experience. Canadian Detective is emotional and personal, but not earnest. Taking cues from larger budget productions like The Killing, Prisoners, True Detective and Winter’s Bone, but embracing the simplicity of a lower budget accomplishments like Blue Ruin, The Impostor and Small Town Murder Songs – the visual language of CANADIAN DETECTIVE will create a dark, personal, gothic and reflective world.