This video inspired numerous social media users in May 2022.
In the clip, which is supposed to show a train station in Toyama in Japan, it is suddenly night – as if the sun had disappeared from one second to the next.
The video has been viewed more than 1.7 million times.
But what about the incredible recording?
The video is the work of 3D artist Lorenzo Drago.
According to his own statements, he needs around a month to create the hyper-realistic videos.
For this he uses a powerful, but commercially available, PC.
With a VR controller, the artist himself takes over the camera work in the scene. The realistic movements of the camera help make the clip so compelling.
The video game engine “Unreal Engine 5” is used for the digital production of the video.
The freely available software is now used not only for the production of video games. Numerous major Hollywood productions also use it.
Well-known examples are the HBO series “Westworld” or the popular Star Wars series “The Mandalorian”.
How do we check videos for manipulation in the editorial office? It is important to look at the details. The individual frames of a video often reveal whether a video has been edited. We take a close look at each image and enlarge individual sections. Indications of a fake are, for example: lack of motion blur, unnatural shadows or editing errors. The general rule at stern is: Seriousness before speed. We always double-check facts and material thoroughly before publishing them. For this we work with the cross-editorial “Team Verification” together with RTL, NTV, RTL2, Radio NRW.