Creative brief

Hunting the Yorkshire Ripper is a two-part documentary from Story Films, made for Amazon Prime. The series investigates one of the most infamous misdirections in British criminal history, the moment police received a chilling cassette tape from a man falsely claiming to be the Yorkshire Ripper. His message, carefully crafted and geographically detailed, derailed the investigation for over a year.

Story Films brought Little Shadow on board to design map sequences that would help audiences follow the path of the deception. The maps had to be factually accurate, era-sensitive, and emotionally in tune with the slow-building dread of the story, offering both clarity and atmosphere.

Our approach

Collaborating closely with the director and editorial team, we identified key moments in both episodes where geography was central to the audience’s understanding, particularly how the hoax tape shifted investigative focus from West Yorkshire to Sunderland.

The maps were designed to echo late-70s police materials, using muted palettes and a touch of grain to create period authenticity. We drew inspiration from analogue typography and the visual aesthetics of pre-digital documentation, subtly reinforcing the procedural texture of the series.

To maintain a sense of tension, animations were kept minimal and deliberate. Using Adobe After Effects, we combined 2D transitions with time-period overlays, highlighting locations like Leeds, Bradford, and Sunderland without breaking the immersion. Each move across the map mirrored the uncertainty faced by the police, letting the story drive the visual rhythm.

Despite tight editorial timelines and limited reference imagery, we delivered historically grounded graphics that felt integrated, not decorative. The maps served as a forensic tool for the viewer, visualising the manipulation at the heart of the case.

The results

Hunting the Yorkshire Ripper aired as two 45-minute episodes on Amazon Prime, receiving critical praise for its fresh approach to a well-known case.
Little Shadow delivered numerous map sequences across both episodes. The project reinforced our growing presence in factual VFX, blending design and storytelling for documentary formats.