Sam Barcroft’s Creatorville and John Farrar’s Homecoming Studios are collaborating on two true crime documentary miniseries, with two further projects being presented to buyers at MIPCOM in Cannes.
One miniseries is in production for a broadcaster and the other for a global streaming platform. Titles and commissioning clients have not been disclosed.
The collaboration combines Homecoming Studios’ documentary production experience with Creatorville’s access to the journalism and casting expertise of sister company SWNS, an independent UK press agency.
The companies will also seek commissioning and distribution partners for Buried in the Past and Key Witness at MIPCOM.
Buried in the Past, a working title, follows an American woman’s decades-long investigation into a suspected murder she says she witnessed as a child. She believes she has identified both the person responsible and a possible victim, a mother of four who has been missing for more than 50 years. The project will also explore a personal obstacle to her search.
Key Witness is a proposed true crime anthology series based on the companies’ YouTube channel of the same name. Each episode will feature first-person accounts from people affected by headline-making crimes, drawing on SWNS journalists’ casting expertise to find previously unheard testimony and perspectives. The series will examine the crimes, their aftermath and their lasting impact on those involved.
Barcroft said: “Through our sister company SWNS, we have the privilege of working with journalists who uncover extraordinary stories and earn the trust of the people at their heart. This collaboration allows us to bring that journalism and access to television audiences around the world.
He added: “It’s wonderful to be working with John again. He is one of the most creative producers in the business, with an exceptional instinct for true crime storytelling. Together, we can turn remarkable access into gripping, ambitious television.”
Farrar said: “The strongest true crime documentaries begin with access, trust, and a story that demands to be told now. Creatorville and SWNS bring an extraordinary depth of journalism and relationships to this process. I’m delighted to be working with Sam again, and having already secured two series, our collaboration is very much up and running. I’m excited about what we can build together.”
