Watching this now live on SBS. It’s very confusing.
I cannot tell when actual footage is being used (AI colourised + cleaned up) or when it is re-enactments that have been re-colourised similarly to match. The program actively seems to not want me to be able to tell the difference.
It can’t possibly be all based on period footage. There is too much in too high of quality and resolution.
Most (but not all of it) has had its framerate increased to be smooth, so I can’t use that as a hint.
Sometimes the soldiers wave at the camera and the footage is a bit lower in quality. Other times they ignore the camera and look more like actors, but I can’t be certain.
Some of the equipment looks wrong period (gasmasks) but I can’t be sure. I really want to know now (I guess that means its a successful program in some ways). EDIT: Looks like the gasmask is legit!
Never thought watching a program on the SBS would unsettle me as much as this. I’ve seen AI colourised and interpolated footage, but not mixed with (what I think is) re-enactments in a way designed to stop you telling the differences.
EDIT: It’s hard to find info about this show, it has a generic name and looks like it was only released this year.
- Watchable online in Aus right now: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/watch/2374216259693
- Main site (language switch at top-right): https://www.cccprod.com/en/production/apocalypse-d-day
A good sign - the company behind the show does appear to hire "Documentalist"s, which I assume means they put some effort into historical accuracy. The video itself has a much longer credits list for them.
The company’s about page claims they use historical footage, but make no mention about re-enactment footage (that I suspect they use, but I might be very wrong).
The video’s credits have lots about archive sources. At a cursory glance I can’t see anything about re-enactment.
Maybe it is all real footage? Perhaps I’m just imagining that some is re-enactment? But some of it seems like it would be really weird to have a camera there and people acting that way. IDK, I wish the program made it clear-cut for me.
I think it is all real footage that has been touched up. People still act that way in front of the camera today, like at grand openings with functionaries or a scene from a short product video. War is no different. I can imagine propaganda crews looking for anything to film, or R&D units wanting to keep a film record of any equipment they designed etc.
From Who are we?:
It could be a mistranslation but to me this sounds like they are catering to the colourisation crowd among others, folks who are not so concerned about historical accuracy and preservation.