WWII Plane Recovery with NORBIT & Hungarian Defense Forces
Client: NORBIT
Industry: Marine Technology, Military History
I edited and animated a documentary-style video for NORBIT’s WWII plane recovery mission, combining raw footage, historical research, and motion graphics to craft a compelling, factually accurate narrative. By blending modern mission visuals with archival context and cinematic sound design, I created NORBIT Subsea’s most-watched YouTube video, generating 42K+ views and elevating the brand’s role in marine archaeology and historical preservation.
Goal
Transform raw footage from a WWII plane recovery mission into a compelling, historically accurate narrative video, showcasing the involvement of the Hungarian Defense Forces, Military History Institute, and NORBIT sonar technology.
Challenge
This project required crafting a coherent and engaging story from a mix of raw footage, historical references, and technical data. Key challenges included:
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Reconstructing the Story – Piecing together the sequence of events from the recovery mission, ensuring historical and technical accuracy.
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Blending Different Visual Elements – Merging modern-day mission footage with historical battle context while maintaining a seamless visual flow.
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Creating Engaging, Historically Accurate Animation – Using period-accurate references to recreate the WWII air battle in a compelling way.
Services
Video Editor, Animator, Motion Graphics Artist
This animation recreates a WWII plane crash into the ocean, providing historical context for the recovery mission featured in the documentary.
Process
To bring the mission to life, I took a research-driven, storytelling-first approach.
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Conducted meetings with the Hungarian NORBIT surveyor to accurately sequence the retrieval process and military involvement.
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Researched the specific WWII air battle, the plane type, and the mission’s historical context to ensure factual accuracy.
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Carefully structured the footage into a clear, emotionally engaging narrative that honored the mission’s significance.
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Sourced and integrated archive footage to immerse viewers in the era, providing crucial historical context.
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Applied color grading and sound design to enhance the cinematic feel and evoke the intensity of the original battle.
Impact
Most-watched video on NORBIT Subsea’s YouTube channel, with 42K+ views. Widespread engagement, bringing global attention to a remarkable archaeological and military recovery effort. Strengthened NORBIT’s brand visibility in historical preservation and marine archaeology, reinforcing the importance of sonar technology in exploration.
