Historical visualisation for film and documentaries.

Research sets the frame

A convincing image is not historical evidence. A reconstruction requires clarity about period, place and available sources. Clothing, equipment, architecture and landscape depend on that context. Existing research and expert requirements therefore guide visual development. Where evidence is incomplete, established knowledge needs to be distinguished from visual interpretation.

Scenes for narrative and documentary projects

Visualisations can communicate spaces, situations and relationships for which no film footage exists. The image needs to fit its role in the film: an atmospheric scene has different requirements from a precise explanation of an object or movement. The concept aligns the message, perspective and level of accuracy needed.

Choosing AI and 3D for the task

Generative imagery offers possibilities for atmosphere and cinematic staging. For spatial relationships, recurring objects or controlled perspectives, 3D can provide a useful foundation. The method follows the subject. Lighting, scale, movement and detail are reviewed together before sequences are brought into editing and compositing.

Experience from a showreel for Big Media

Together with a documentary filmmaker and a sound designer, Richard Pichler developed a showreel for a historical documentary series for Big Media. It was presented at MIPCOM in Cannes in October 2025. The AI-generated scenes brought composition, lighting and storytelling together with generative imagery and professional post-production.

From sources to a production brief

A synopsis or script extract, the period and location, available sources and references, and the intended use form a useful starting point. Length, deadline and the details requiring particular accuracy help define the work. Together, these establish which images can be developed on a sound basis and where further research is needed.

Project questions