Creative brief

The Salt Path Scandal reopens one of the UK’s most cherished memoirs and asks: what really happened on the coast path? Adapted from Raynor Winn’s bestselling book The Salt Path, this Sky original documentary charts journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou’s investigation into allegations of misrepresentation — a story that has captivated and divided audiences across the country.

Candour Productions approached Little Shadow to craft the show’s graphic identity — blending emotional resonance with a light documentary hand. The brief called for delicate visual interpretation, not sensationalism: graphics that felt rooted in memory, nature and transparency. Working closely with the director, our role was to help carry the emotional weight of the investigation while honouring the source material’s reflective tone.

Our approach

We developed a full graphics package for the film, from the main title sequence to all illustrative overlays, social-style messaging, and visual interludes used throughout.

The visual language was built around a watercolour aesthetic, echoing both the memoir’s reflective mood and the hand-drawn quality of personal truth. Starting from B-roll and stills, we used AI-assisted rendering to transform real-world photography into gently animated sequences, painterly, expressive, and slightly abstracted. This approach allowed us to blend journalistic rigour with interpretive warmth, never overpowering the material but enhancing its psychological texture.

The title sequence introduced this visual tone, layering maps, headlines and route imagery to establish place and perspective. In-show graphics, including message threads, interview visualisers, and location cues, were designed with restraint, always in service of clarity.

We built the workflow to accommodate rapid changes in editorial as the investigation unfolded in real time, ensuring consistency across the film and across departments.

The results

Premiering on Sky Documentaries and NOW in December 2025, The Salt Path Scandal quickly became one of Sky’s most-discussed factual titles. Delivered full graphic package and title design in six weeks, supporting late editorial changes through to final mix.