Crime Search Screens

M

mrl72

Well-known member
Hey all

Not sure if this falls under Production design, I kinda think it does and not necessarily an FX thing. Anyway, we need a couple of screens where a detective using a web browser locates a criminal and finds their relevant info, mugshot, fingerprints etc. I don't necessarily need a "working" piece of software, even putting screenshots into a simple web application to mimic clicking and opening a photo or something would suffice. What I need though is some screenshots of a "realistic" looking crime/law/FBI suspect database application, not your Hollywood type looking GUI which is usually totally over the top.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Cheers.
 
Man - I'd imagine that (seeing how it's the US government and your-tax-dollars-at-work) the "real" stuff looks like a cross between DOS software and a fax machine. I have a feeling we're nowhere near "24" with this stuff!

I'd call the local FBI office and see if they have a public affairs person. Call, get names, someone might eventually let you look over a shoulder. But - keep in mind, the reason this is all conjecture is that nobody in the audience knows, either. But "24" and the like have made us believe it's all like some high-end video game. So if you do something very real, it may just look like you had zero budget and a terrible eye. When you see cop shows (like "Detroit SWAT") the screens look pretty much like the printouts. Ever search the sex offender registry for your neighborhood? That's a start, but it's visually pretty dull. Which might sell it as real for all I know.

When I see scenes like this, they're often full of cheeseball animated details that truly make no sense. So if you can't get a look at the reality, what's your best idea of a database driven info screen that shows the necessary information, without a bunch of whirling concentric circles and spinning gears?
 
Well, the usual way this is done is using by consulting a knowledge base where, over time, investigators collect data and eventually are able to 'connect-the-dots'.

My company was a sole-source supplier to DOJ/FBI for a couple of years, back 15 years ago. We built a software system called L.E.N.S (Law Enforcement Negotiation System) for profiling suspects involved in hostage, barricade and suicide critical incidents.

We also built and maintained for a couple of years a terrorist-tracking database Ievery incident, every day. worldwide).

And, I participated in a west coast sheriffs conference where we gave a demo of our major crimes investigative software called CiverMind. You can see a screenshot of an analysis we did on the Ward Weaver III investigation at http://www.civerex.com/pages/civmind.html

I suppose you could show "... a detective using a web browser locates a criminal and finds their relevant info, mugshot, fingerprints etc" but it's not the way things happen.

Mostly, it's slow, painstaking, really hard work to 'connect-the-dots' and the real reason cases get solved is because the people working on these cases are extremely persistent and dedicated.
 
Thanks for the info both. My point with the web browser being that most applications are web based these days, not necessarily the detective finding the suspect with Google. In the scene they have already located the record in some "system" but like you describe above, I do not want the fancy looking sci-fi animations that appear in most Hollywood shows and movies. I would think most audiences are used to web applications by now. Doesn't have to look like the archaic DOS or Visual Basic applications of yesteryear. A simple clean web interface is all I'm looking for.

I'll take a look at the predator website as that may be a good start.

Cheers.
 
Don't forget the blue glowing cubes that float around on a holographic screen while you are searching for the criminal info. I mean c'mon, its in every film so you gotta have that too! :cool:
 
mrl72 said:
Hey all

Not sure if this falls under Production design, I kinda think it does and not necessarily an FX thing. Anyway, we need a couple of screens where a detective using a web browser locates a criminal and finds their relevant info, mugshot, fingerprints etc. I don't necessarily need a "working" piece of software, even putting screenshots into a simple web application to mimic clicking and opening a photo or something would suffice. What I need though is some screenshots of a "realistic" looking crime/law/FBI suspect database application, not your Hollywood type looking GUI which is usually totally over the top.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Cheers.
Click to expand...

I'd just go to the Web URL of choice, printscreen it, take it into PS and change it up to obscure and fit my motif. MANY MANY MANY of the sites you are thinking of are fairly basic HTML looking and boring looking as hell. But maybe you want that realistic crappy look..Another thought would be to pop up a Wordpress site real quick and fix it to suit. with sideways page flipping. lots of templates out there that are easy to change if you're used to it. But for me. I'd just do the screen shot/s.
 
It's true that such screens used in reality are probably far different from what's seen on TV and movies. But your audience expects the TV/movie version of reality. That's what they're accustomed to seeing. Give them less, and the audience will think it looks cheesy and fake, no matter how real it may be.

A graphic designer should be able to knock you out something pretty easily, I would think. Good luck!
 
alot of moviemaking is doing phony things so that the audience calls it realistic

<<SHINK>>>

sound of knife being drawn.
 
If no one seems to know what it is supposed to look like, why don't you just comp up something (like Hollywood) . . . and just live with it.
 
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