Creative Brief

For Royal Homes, Windfall Films set out to explore the UK’s most storied royal residences – many of which are rarely filmed or difficult to access. The production required visual sequences that could transport viewers to these sites with authenticity and atmosphere, blending historical accuracy with cinematic clarity. Little Shadow was commissioned to digitally recreate these environments and houses, bringing to life sensitive, often unseen locations through a combination of research-driven design and CG. 

Our Approach

Working in close partnership with the Windfall team, we received an extensive set of photographic and archival references for each location. These materials guided the construction of our CG models-ensuring architectural accuracy and historical fidelity. 

The production pipeline was built around Blender for modelling and Unreal Engine for rendering, chosen for their flexibility and speed under broadcast timelines. Using a custom toolset, we were able to rapidly iterate and output high-quality shots, delivering over 30 bespoke CG scenes per episode – each approximately 20 seconds in length.

To maintain visual interest and realism, each shot was rendered in multiple lighting and weather states: sunrise, overcast, winter dusk, and more. Subtle camera movement and atmospheric effects (fog, rain, snow) added further believability. Where necessary, we integrated period-appropriate details – flags, gardens, locations, to reflect the unique personality of each residence.

These sequences were designed to blur the line between digital and real. Viewers often couldn’t tell whether they were seeing location footage or CG-a testament to the blend of fidelity and restraint that guided our work.

The Results

Delivered across multiple episodes, our CG reconstructions elevated the visual tone of the series and enabled storytelling where traditional access would be impossible. The production met tight broadcast schedules while retaining visual depth and authenticity-showing that modern tools, when paired with strong research, can bring the past to life convincingly.