What if you could host interviews with Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, or Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in today’s digital era? With 3D animation tools like Blender, FaceBuilder, Character Creator, and a motion capture suit, that possibility is not just imaginative—it’s entirely doable. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to create a 3D news channel that allows you to interact with historical figures using cutting-edge animation and AI-based motion technologies.
🛠️ Tools You’ll Need to Build a 3D News Channel
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Blender + FaceBuilder | Sculpt and animate historically accurate 3D faces |
| Character Creator (by Reallusion) | Full-body characters with clothes and rigging |
| Mocap Suit (e.g., Rokoko, Perception Neuron) | Capture real-time motion and body gestures |
| OBS / DaVinci Resolve | Split screen and recording/editing |
| Audio tools (Adobe Audition or AI voices) | Voice synthesis or dubbing- try- elevenlabs |
You can also do this using smart phone
🧑🎨 Step 1: Sculpting Historical 3D Faces with FaceBuilder
FaceBuilder for Blender is a plugin by KeenTools that allows you to create lifelike 3D faces using just a few photographs.
How It Works:
- Collect Reference Images: For Gandhi, you can gather photos from different angles (frontal, side, semi-profile).
- Load Into Blender: Import the FaceBuilder add-on and set up the image plane with the photo angles.
- Mesh Adjustment: FaceBuilder automatically fits a 3D face mesh to the reference images. You can refine the facial proportions and add characteristic wrinkles or features.
- Texture Baking: Use high-resolution textures to enhance realism.
Repeat this process for 3-5 historical figures such as:
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Subhas Chandra Bose
- B.R. Ambedkar
- Sarojini Naidu
- Abdul Kalam
✍️ Pro Tip: Blend artistic interpretation with factual accuracy. Add historically relevant glasses, shawls, or uniforms.
👕 Step 2: Designing Full-Body Avatars in Character Creator
Once the faces are ready, the next step is creating full-body, rigged characters.
Workflow:
- Export Face Mesh from Blender or use Character Creator’s Headshot plugin to generate 3D faces.
- Dress Them Up: Choose culturally and era-appropriate costumes. Character Creator allows you to add layers of clothing and props.
- Auto-Rigging: Each avatar is automatically rigged for facial and body animation, compatible with both mocap and facial animation systems.
| Historical Figure | Outfit Idea |
|---|---|
| Gandhi | Simple cotton dhoti |
| Subhas Chandra Bose | Military coat, boots |
| Sarojini Naidu | Traditional saree |
| Abdul Kalam | Formal Nehru jacket |
You can also do this using smart phone
🕴️ Step 3: Bringing Them to Life with a Mocap Suit
To make the characters move like real humans, you can use a motion capture suit such as:
- Rokoko Smartsuit Pro
- Xsens
- Perception Neuron
Motion Capture Workflow:
- Wear the Mocap Suit and calibrate it using the manufacturer’s software.
- Record Your Movements: Your body movements—walking, gesturing, nodding—are recorded in real time.
- Live Retargeting: The mocap data is retargeted to the rigged 3D characters in Blender or iClone.
- Lip-Syncing: Use AI-powered lip-sync tools or phoneme-based animation in Blender to match speech with facial motion.
💡 With facial capture add-ons (e.g., iPhone FaceID + Rokoko Face Capture), you can animate expressions too.
🖥️ Step 4: Multi-Character Interaction via Split-Screen
Using OBS Studio, DaVinci Resolve, or any non-linear video editor, you can frame multiple characters on one screen. This is perfect for:
- Panel discussions between leaders
- Interviews with freedom fighters
- Roundtable on historic topics
Split-Screen Layout Ideas:
| Layout Type | Use Case |
|---|---|
| 2-Split (Host + Guest) | One-on-one interview |
| 3-Way Vertical | Tri-panel discussion |
| 4-Way Grid | Freedom fighters’ reunion segment |
| Scrolling Timeline | Presenting a story across decades |
Add news tickers, animated lower thirds, and 3D virtual sets to increase realism.
You can also do this using smart phone
🎤 Step 5: Audio & Voice Integration
You can record your own voice or use AI voice models of historical figures for more authenticity.
Voice Options:
- Adobe Audition or Audacity for cleaning your own voice
- Replica Studios / ElevenLabs for AI-generated voices
- Google TTS + Translation for multilingual news broadcasts
Sync the voice with lip movement using Papagayo NG or Blender’s NLA editor.
📺 Example Show: “History Speaks – 3D Edition”
Here’s how one sample segment might look:
| Segment | Description |
|---|---|
| Opening Sequence | Virtual newsroom with animated anchor (you) |
| Guest Introduction | Gandhi appears via split screen with head nod |
| Interview Highlights | Gandhi discusses non-violence; Subhas counters with armed resistance |
| Debate Panel | Sarojini Naidu, Nehru, Kalam join in via 3D split |
| Closing Remarks | Historical quotes animated with kinetic typography |
🧠 Why Create a 3D Historical News Channel?
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Educational Value | Learn history in a modern, engaging way |
| Global Reach | Language-neutral, visually driven content |
| Unique Content Strategy | Rare concept—low competition on YouTube |
| Monetization Potential | High CPC for history + education niche |
| Creative Fulfillment | Blend of storytelling, art, and technology |
💡 Additional Ideas to Expand
- Augmented Reality (AR) versions of the characters for mobile interaction
- Metaverse interviews in VR spaces
- AI-generated scripts using ChatGPT for Q&A dialogues
- Interactive polls where viewers decide whom to “invite” next
🛍️ Recommended Tools & Accessories (Affiliate Disclosure)
| Product | Purpose | Link |
|---|---|---|
| sony mocapi | Full-body mocap | Amazon |
| iClone + Character Creator | Rigged avatar creation | link |
| KeenTools FaceBuilder | Historical face reconstruction | KeenTools |
| Logitech StreamCam | Split-screen recording | Amazon |
| Green Screen & Softbox Kit | Realistic lighting & compositing | Amazon |
Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links, and we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
🏁 Final Thoughts
The idea of bringing historical personalities into the digital age—letting them speak, debate, and teach through a modern 3D news channel—is no longer sci-fi. With open-source tools like Blender, intelligent plugins like FaceBuilder, and a mocap setup, you can animate the past in the most lifelike way. Whether for education, storytelling, or sheer entertainment, this format holds incredible potential for global impact.