# Evidence board

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Background feature in thriller and detective fiction movies and TV

A cork board with pins

An **evidence board** (also known as a "**conspiracy board**," "**crazy wall**," or "**murder map**") is a common background feature in [thriller](/source/Thriller_(genre)) and [detective fiction](/source/Detective_fiction) movies and TV.[1][2] It features a collage of media from different sources, pinned to a [pinboard](/source/Pinboard) or stuck to a wall, and frequently interconnected with (usually red) string to mark connections.[3] A more technical related name for these sorts of visualizations and charts within [law enforcement](/source/Law_enforcement) are Anacapa charts which are used for [social network analysis](/source/Social_network_analysis).[4]

Evidence boards are associated in fiction with both detective activities and obsessional interests, including those of delusional individuals pursuing [conspiracy theories](/source/Conspiracy_theories),[5] hence the alternative names.

Evidence boards can be seen in numerous TV series, including *[The Bridge](/source/The_Bridge_(2011_TV_series))*, *[BoJack Horseman](/source/BoJack_Horseman)*, *[Fargo](/source/Fargo_(TV_series))*, *[Homeland](/source/Homeland_(TV_series))*, *[Sherlock](/source/Sherlock_(UK_TV_series))*, and *[True Detective](/source/True_Detective)*.[6][3] An evidence board is the central motif in the title sequence of *[A Series of Unfortunate Events.](/source/A_Series_of_Unfortunate_Events_(TV_series))[7]*

Evidence boards have also been used as a teaching tool.[8]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Ganzert, Anne (2020). [*Serial Pinboarding in Contemporary Television*](https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-35272-1). Cham: Springer International Publishing. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/978-3-030-35272-1](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-030-35272-1). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-030-35271-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-030-35271-4). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [213491641](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:213491641).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Gilmore, Shawn. ["Narrative String Theory (NST)"](https://vaultofculture.com/nst). *The Vault of Culture*. Retrieved 8 August 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-detective-crazy-wall_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-detective-crazy-wall_3-1) Benson, Richard (2015-01-23). ["Decoding The Detective's 'Crazy Wall'"](https://esquire.com/uk/culture/film/news/a7703/detective-show-crazy-walls). *Esquire*. Retrieved 2020-08-06.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Sparrow, Malcolm K. (1991-09-01). ["The application of network analysis to criminal intelligence: An assessment of the prospects"](https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/037887339190008H). *Social Networks*. **13** (3). Elsevier: 254. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/0378-8733(91)90008-H](https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0378-8733%2891%2990008-H). Retrieved 8 August 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Eklund, Douglas; Alteveer, Ian; Brown, Meredith A.; Miller, John; Olmsted, Kathryn; Saunders, Beth; Lethem, Jonathan (2018-09-17). *Everything Is Connected: Art and Conspiracy*. Metropolitan Museum of Art. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-58839-659-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-58839-659-4).*[Evidence board](https://books.google.com/books?id=Sh9tDwAAQBAJ)* at [Google Books](/source/Google_Books)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Vineyard, Jennifer (2020-04-26). ["'Homeland' Showrunner Declassifies the Series Finale"](https://nytimes.com/2020/04/26/arts/television/homeland-series-finale.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2020-08-06.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Netflix (2017-01-12). [*A Series of Unfortunate Events | Theme Song \[HD\] | Netflix*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GeCPanRHU0). Retrieved 2026-04-19 – via YouTube.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Tarr, Russel (2018-02-13). ["Producing "Crime Boards" to highlight connections / contrasts"](https://classtools.net/blog/producing-crime-boards-to-highlight-connections-contrasts). *Tarr's Toolbox*. Retrieved 2020-08-06.

## External links

- [Crazy Walls](https://crazywalls.tumblr.com), a presentation in [Tumblr](/source/Tumblr)

## See also

- [Concept map](/source/Concept_map)

- [Link analysis](/source/Link_analysis)

- [Mind map](/source/Mind_map)

- [Network science](/source/Network_science)

- [Red thread of fate](/source/Red_thread_of_fate)

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