THE SHIPS OF CALIGULA
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WE CREATE 3D DIGITAL CONTENT
Our studio develops compelling 3D reconstructions and animations about archeological, historical, technical and scientific topics.
We are specialized in Computer Graphics animations for documentaries and museums.
We provides 3D animation services, including Full HD, VR media, Fulldome and 360° video creation.
Our clients include museums, broadcast, documentary producers, educational institutions, archaeological superintendencies and magazines.
We are CGI enthusiasts. We are passionate about the work we create.
But don't just take our word for it, check out our showreel or our works to see for yourself.
Discover our huge catalog of high detailed 3D models, digital pictures for commercial use and prints
A few years ago the Italian Navy published some original photos depicting the internal rooms of the WWII "Littorio" class battleships and probably some of these refer to the famous battleship Roma.
With this project we would like to reconstruct part of the interior of this ship by creating panoramic views to enjoy a virtual museum by which you can visit the ship with or without a VR headset and admire it as it was in 1942.
We create immersive digital images and animations for VR applications. We provide original contents for entertainment, but also for educational, didactical, scientific and technical purposes, such as archeological and historical virtual tours.
Archeologists and historians increasingly use Computer Graphics Imagery to explain in an intelligible and suggestive way the outcome of their studies and researches. We help them to visualize their discoveries.
We create compelling digital images and animations for didactical purposes. We provide Computer Graphics animations for documentaries and museums, as well as illustrations for magazines and books.
We create opening and ending titles, logo and text animations, infographics and animated maps for documentaries and broadcast. In other words, we create 2D and 3D Motion Graphics to show messages, concepts and ideas in an attractive visual way.
We create realistic 3D models with physically-based rendering (PBR) textures. We are mainly specialized in hard surface modeling, such as military vehicles, aircrafts and battleships. We use original construction plans, blueprints and reference photos to make 3D models as faithful as possible to reality.
We can manipulate imagery and footage to integrate them with digital elements and live action green screen shots. Our service includes 3D motion tracking, color grading, visual optical effects, dynamic simulations and on-set supervision.
With a strong background in 3D computer graphics and content production, we succeed in obtaining great results in a short time. One of the most exciting parts of our work process is research and documentation on what we are going to accomplish. Most client meetings take place in the pre-production phase, so that when the actual work begins, everyone has a clear idea of the goal to be achieved. We invest a lot of time to acquire and study all the material useful to the process. This also includes the creation of sketches and storyboard when needed. This is crucial to get the best result in the shortest time, avoiding possible remakes.
In the production phase, the core of the creative process, everything is created from scratch. Starting from 3D modeling and texturing phases we pass through the lighting, animation and rendering process. Before the final export we make step meetings with the client to be sure we are heading to the right direction.
When everything is ok, we pass through the final process, the post-production and editing phase, where all the elements are combined to create the final product. In this phase we complete the work adding post-processing effects to make the work visually more attractive. We can also add voice-over, sound effects and music if required.
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Carlo Cestra was born and raised in Rome, Italy.
He entered the world of computer graphics in the early 90s, creating digital content for some local TV stations while studying Physics at the University of "La Sapienza".
His hometown fueled his passion for ancient history and he was probably one of the first digital artists to apply computer graphics to archeology.
In 1998, he began his professional career at RAI's Department of Computer Graphics and Special Effects as a 3D Generalist and Compositor for scientific broadcasts, including "SuperQuark Speciale" and "Passaggio a Nord-Ovest", two of the most important TV programs of science popularization in Italy.
In the following years, he gained extensive experience creating computer graphics reconstructions and animations in the scientific, historical, and archaeological fields, blending his passion with his work.
Starting in 2005, when he decided to start his own business as a freelancer, and then in 2010, when he consolidated his company, he began to collect important collaborations at the international level in the production of documentaries, films, TV programs, and historical reconstructions.
Among the many companies, he can mention Cinecitta' Luce, Rai, and Rainbow-CGI (where he also worked as a Senior Compositor and Head of Compositing Department);
among the internationally renowned documentarians, Folco Quilici, Iantd, and Icon Films;
among the videogame and simulator companies "Depth Crush Uboat Simulator" and "CrossTail Studios," a developer for Digital Combat Simulator;
among the specialized magazines in historical reconstructions of World War II Caraktere and Kagero;
among the museums Lavinium, Ozieri, the Museum of Roman Ships in Nemi, and Palazzo Massimo in Rome;
among the institutions the Cultural Heritage of Rome, the Military Consortium of Menorca, and the Insular Council of Mallorca.
Some of his works have been broadcast on TV channels such as History Channel, Discovery Channel, Rai, and IB3.
He has also produced and created two historical documentaries "Inferno di fuoco" and "Operazione Gaudo."
His 3D models are sold on major international platforms.
Since 2018, he has created the brand "Vr Back to the Past" producing and creating historical-archaeological panoramic videos with 3D reconstructions, animated by actors in costume, about Imperial Rome, Vatican history, and medieval Viterbo, which are used for on-site tours accompanied by specialized tourist guides.
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