For its new true crime docuseries ‘Crime Nation’, The CW was looking for a gritty, documentary-inspired open.
The goal was to create a look that immersed viewers in the crime itself. In collaboration with the agency Defiant, Joseph Kiely developed two distinct design concepts for the pitch. Each explored a unique visual approach inspired by actual crime scene investigation.
Case File
A tactile, analog-inspired direction built from cutout photos, fingerprints, mugshots, and overlapping type. Designed to feel raw and layered—like digging through a real crime file.
Crime Scene
A digital, forensic look using scanlines, grid overlays, and zoomed-in imagery. Clean, tech-driven, and focused on suspects, evidence, and surveillance details.
Each concept offered a different take on how to visualize modern true crime—from hands-on investigation to data-driven analysis.
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