Smoking Gun

A whistleblower contacts you, says they have information which the public should see. But they need your help getting it out there.

Over 6 days, you receive information on your phone - you solve puzzles and put clues together to figure out what is going on. You message with a small group of other people who are playing - you compare theories and work together. At the end of the week your group will have to decide whether you go to the newspapers with what you’ve found out.

As you’re drawn into a world of politics, corruption and surveillance, who can you trust?

Smoking Gun is a thriller for a remote audience in a world of disinformation.

Smoking Gun is a collaboration with Data Stories at the University of Southampton, developed with the support of the STARTS Residencies Project as part of the STARTS initiative of the European Commission.

Trailer

Critical coverage

“One of the ‘hottest front row seats’ of lockdown” – The Guardian

“Featured in ‘Top ten dramas to enjoy at home” – The Financial Times

“a hugely enjoyable and rewarding experience… it managed to engage us more than anything seen since lockdown started.” – Broadway Baby, ★★★★

Past dates

• 14 - 18 November 2020 @ The Centre for Investigative Journalism’s 4th Logan Symposium, online
• 24 - 29 June 2020 @ online
• 27 May - 1 June 2020 @ online
• 1 March 2020 @ CENTquatre, Paris (demo)

Cast and creative team

CREATED BY Dan Barnard, Rachel Briscoe & Joe McAlister | DATA ADVISOR Dr Tom Blount | CAST Dan Barnard, Rachel Donovan, Richard Fenn, Paul Fryer, Sophie Galustian, Dan Jones, Natasha Pring, Syeda Rahimunnessa, Tom Sanigar