Where Did Homo sapiens Really Come From?
How our species took shape in Africa between about 320,000 and 60,000 years ago, over a long time and in many places, through populations that split and rejoined.
For tourism boards, heritage sites, hotels and tour operators
Films that make people want to visit
Films about your destination’s history, nature and people, from the rocks under it to the stories in its streets, with animated maps, reconstructions and your own footage, narrated in your visitors’ languages.
Your first 3–5 minute film: $120. Then from $390.
- 250,000+
- views on my science documentary channel since it launched in August 2026
- 29,000+
- hours watched
- 35+
- films published, from the Big Bang to human origins
- 2–3 days
- from approved script to finished film, sometimes one
What destinations use the films for
Destination stories
The deep history and nature of a place, told as a story.
Visitor centres
Films for screens at sites and museums.
Tour companions
Short films guests watch before or during a visit.
Every visitor's language
The same film narrated in your visitors' languages.
Films
From From Cosmos to Civilization, my documentary series on the history of the universe and of life. The same system makes films about any subject: products, places, history, causes and people. The same system tells the story of places, from geology to the people who live there. The production system improves every week, so the newest films show what you would get today; older episodes use an earlier narration voice.
Where Mitochondria Came From
How an archaeon and an oxygen-breathing bacterium merged for good, and how the partner became the mitochondrion through gene loss, gene transfer and protein import.
The Origin of the Genetic Code
How the ribosome reads a gene, why protein shape is the payoff, and what chemistry can and cannot yet explain about where the codon table came from.
The Big Bang
The first 380,000 years: how the first atomic nuclei formed in minutes, and the measurements, from light-element abundances to the cosmic microwave background, that tell us so.
Why Humans Walk on Two Legs
From the disputed Toumaï fossils to Lucy and the Laetoli footprints: how apes that still climbed trees came to walk upright, one part of the body at a time.
The Origin of the Immune System
How immune defenses evolved to recognize threats and protect living organisms.
What can go into your film
Each film mixes the kinds of material below, chosen shot by shot for what the story needs. Most clips are taken from my own films; those marked “made for this page” show invented brands and figures. Under each one is where it came from and its licence, the same record every film gets in its credits.
Show all 24 kinds of material
Put together, with narration and music
Where the material comes from
Every image, clip and sound is logged with its source, creator and licence, and listed in the film’s credits. In films made for you, everything is either made for the film, supplied by you, or used under a licence that allows your use.
Made for your film
Scientific animation built in code, AI reconstructions (Grok Imagine, MiniMax H3, OpenAI image models), narration and chapter titles.
Open archives
Wikimedia Commons; NASA, ESA, ESO and NOIRLab image libraries; US government agencies such as NOAA; Smithsonian Open Access and other museum open-access collections.
The scientific literature
Figures from open-access papers under CC BY (via Europe PMC, PubMed Central and journal sites) and datasets on Zenodo.
Data and maps
Protein structures from the RCSB Protein Data Bank; Natural Earth maps; GEBCO ocean-floor data; PALEOMAP and EarthByte plate reconstructions.
3D specimens
Scans of fossils and specimens on Sketchfab, released under Creative Commons licences.
Licensed libraries
Stock footage and music from libraries such as Envato Elements, under their commercial licences.
Your own material
Figures, photos, microscopy and field footage that you own or have permission to use.
What I leave out
Material marked non-commercial or no-derivatives (CC BY-NC, CC BY-ND) and copyrighted figures, unless the rights holder gives permission.
See every source and licence used in my series on its credits site.
Choose the voice
Unless you request another voice, your film uses the British modern science presenter heard in The Origin of the Immune System. Your own recorded narration is welcome too.
Ten of the narration voices I have designed or tested recently. All are synthetic. Pick one, or I design a new voice for your film from a description (age, accent, tone) and direct how it reads: pace, warmth, emphasis and pauses. Narration works in most major languages, and a human narrator, including someone from your team, is also possible.
- Modern British science presenterMale, late thirties, clear and lively
- Deep British baritoneThe current voice of From Cosmos to Civilization
- Mature British femaleRich, warm and low
- British natural-history narratorMale, older, lightly weathered
- American female altoComposed, warm and precise
- American investigative baritoneMale, focused, a little grain
- American cinematic bassMale, deep and measured
- American young explainerMale, early thirties, relaxed
- American storytellerMale, mature and approachable
- American female, brightFriendly and engaging
Other languages
The same opening passage, translated and read by voices designed for each language.
- SpanishFemale, Castilian Spanish
- GermanMale, standard German
- Mandarin ChineseFemale, standard Putonghua
What every film includes
- A script built from your material: papers, reports, documents, archives or product information. Every claim is linked to its source in a sheet you can check line by line.
- Your approval before production. You correct anything that is wrong, overstated or confidential.
- Custom animation of anything the story needs: molecules, machines, products, anatomy, maps, timelines and data.
- Reconstructions, your own photos and footage, and openly licensed images, all credited.
- Narration in the voice and language you choose, and a licensed music score.
- Captions and an HD master for your website, YouTube, social media, events, teaching and reports.
- As many rounds of changes as you need on the finished cut.
- Fast delivery: usually two to three days after you approve the script.
How it works
Send your material
Papers, documents, photos, footage or a few sentences. Tell me the audience, style and voice you want. Use the online form yourself, or let your own agent send the brief and upload your files. No account or introductory meeting needed.
Script and sources
You get the full script with its sources. You fix anything I got wrong. Nothing goes forward until you approve it.
The film
Usually ready two to three days after you approve the script, sometimes the next day.
Changes and delivery
Comment with timestamps, as many rounds as you need. Then collect your film, captions and credits by private download link, directly or through your agent.
Pricing
Try a finished 30–60 second sample for $5, one payment with no subscription. Start your sample or let your own agent arrange it.
$120
Your first film
A 3–5 minute film for $120, with the same process and quality as every other: a sourced script you approve, finished in days. See what you get before committing to more.
Explainer
$390
3–5 minutes
One story of the place, for social media or a site screen.
Documentary
$890
10–15 minutes
The full story of a destination.
Series
$2,900
Four films, 10–15 minutes each
Four films, one per site, season or theme.
Prices in US dollars. The first-film price applies once per customer and is paid on delivery. Larger films: half at the start, half on delivery. I can invoice your organisation directly.
How the films are made
I built my own production system, and AI does much of the work in it: it helps with research, drafting, animation code, images and narration. I direct and edit everything, check every fact myself and make the final decisions. You approve every claim before production starts.
Working this way is what makes these prices and this speed possible. It is also why the process starts with sources and your approval: speed is only useful if the film is right.
About me
I’m Anders Lunde. I have a master’s degree in molecular biology from the University of Oslo and a PhD in developmental neuroscience, where my research involved transcription factors and RNA sequencing. I also work as a software developer.
For the past six months I have been building the production system behind From Cosmos to Civilization. Every source and image used in the series is listed on its credits site.
Questions
Can you use our footage and photos?
Yes. Your drone, site and event footage is cut in with maps, reconstructions and licensed footage.
Can you tell the geology and natural history too?
Yes: from how the landscape formed to the animals that live there, sourced and checked.
How do you make sure it is accurate?
The script is written from your material and the sources behind it, and every claim is linked to its source. You review the script and the claim sheet before production, and the cut before delivery. Nothing goes into the film that you have not seen.
How can it be that fast?
Most of the production work, from animation to narration and editing, runs in a system I built for it. The slow part is usually the review on your side, and you can take as long as you need.
Can we use our own photos, footage or figures?
Yes, and the film is better for it. Send whatever you have, and I will combine it with animation and openly licensed material.
Can the film be in another language?
Yes. Narration works in most major languages, and captions can be added in more than one. Tell me the audience and we will pick the language and voice together.
Where can we use the film?
Anywhere, with no time limit: your website, YouTube, social media, events, teaching and reports. Material from other sources is used only under licences that allow this, and every item is credited. I may show the film in my portfolio unless you would rather I didn’t.
Tell me about your place
Send your website and the story you would like told. I will reply with a film idea and a quote within two working days.