ID’s hit docuseries “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace” follows the story of a couple whose adoption goes awry when they come to believe their little girl is actually a sociopathic woman with a hormonal disorder. Shannon Evangelista, Executive Producer and co-founder of Hot Snakes Media and the creator of the true crime tale, tells how the series came to be.
What drew you to this story?
The amount of twists and turns allowed for complex loud storytelling to be delivered which is really on brand for Hot Snakes Media as a company. It’s a complex story that requires us as producers to get fully embedded in the subject matter and given our combined experience as prosecutors and in network news that’s a situation we thrive in.
How were you able to gain such incredible access to the players?
Gaining this level of access took a lot of persistence, patience, and perseverance – we never let up.
We set up roots in Indiana and became part of the landscape, which fostered trust and strong relationships with those who were involved in the story. Gaining access to stories and people isn’t automatic; it takes a lot of real work and years of experience.
Were you surprised by the series’ success?
We are very grateful for the show’s success, and we cannot wait to share more of what we can do with the upcoming “NataliaSpeaks” documentary and many more beyond that. We are most excited about pitching our upcoming slate of true crime development which includes series on the FBI’s decades long secret investigation into the America’s Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. We are also developing a series about the controversial guardian of Bam Magera, Lima Jevremovic and the #freebam movement, where we will provide exclusive interviews from Bam’s family, Lima herself and Jackass co-stars such as Steve-O.
