Our Work
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Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light
Religion wasn’t background in Wolf Hall – it shaped the politics, language, and tone of the story.
SceneSpan was brought in to focus on religious-historical authenticity. Our contributions included guidance on ecclesiastical protocol, theological nuance, Church-State dynamics, clerical costume and set, and the selection and context of period-appropriate religious music, ensuring that the script, visuals and soundscape reflected the spiritual and political realities of the Tudor era. We even hired and trained the in-vision choir.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood
Etiquette is King
For several scenes in which ceremony and hierarchy were front-and-centre, correct 18th-century etiquette was a top priority for this production. SceneSpan got the call on Friday morning asking for an expert consultant to be on set first thing Monday. Within eight hours, we had a world authority on 18th-century etiquette booked in for three days’ location shooting in Scotland.
King and Conqueror
In this project, history was the script.
Brought in during early development, we advised across the script to ensure historical authenticity from the ground up: story arcs, character motivations, political dynamics, and cultural detail. Set during the Norman Conquest, the series required careful navigation of both Anglo-Saxon and Norman worldviews. Our role helped ground the drama in the lived realities of 11th-century power and identity.
Day of the Jackal
Storytelling can touch on live political memory.
Set against a contemporary backdrop, Day of the Jackal features pivotal scenes that draw directly from the legacy of Belfast during the Troubles (1968–1998). We were brought on to guide both the art department and the legal team, ensuring that material references to this period were handled with historical accuracy and cultural sensitivity. From visual choices to script content, our input helped navigate a politically charged legacy, ensuring authenticity without compromising responsibility.
Firebrand
Authenticity lives between lines, languages, even table settings.
Initially brought on during preproduction to advise on religious-historical accuracy, our role quickly expanded. We worked closely with principal cast on character development, coached the use and pronunciation of Latin, and advised on court etiquette, modes of address, and even the smallest material details, down to the cutlery on the table. From script notes to on-set collaboration, we partnered with the director to help shape a world that was both dramatically compelling and historically grounded.
Cadbury commercial
The challenge of distilling a city — and an era — into seconds
Victorian London had to feel alive, not staged, for Cadbury’s period commercial. Working from script to screen, we collaborated across costume, setting, and the textures of daily life to build a world rich in authentic, lived-in detail, avoiding the easy traps of pastiche.
Becoming Elizabeth
Grit, not glitter. Real, not remote.
Becoming Elizabeth pursued a version of Tudor history that felt visceral and uncompromising, rooted in the everyday realities of the 16th century. Working closely with departments across writing, design, and production, we helped shape everything from language and gesture to costume detail and material culture. Our aim was to ensure the show’s dramatic intensity was underpinned by a world that felt historically truthful at every level. For one scene, we even provided a historical medical expert, to advise on what surgical tools would be used to bleed a patient, and how to dress the incision.
Shardlake
The challenge was to build a world where the story could be told.
For a fictional story set almost entirely within a 16th-century monastery, Shardlake demanded a world that felt both immersive and historically coherent. We were brought on to advise across costume, set design, and character roles, ensuring the fictional narrative sat naturally within the complex hierarchies, rituals, and textures of Tudor monastic life. From clerical garments to architectural choices, our input helped anchor the story in a setting that was as believable as it was atmospheric.
Testimonials
“Peter and SceneSpan instinctively understand the balance between what is historically accurate and what dramatically works. Their research and advice always helped open up the world and its possibilities; they were there to collaborate, not police the production. They were invaluable all the way from the script to production.”
Anya Reiss
Creator / Writer / Executive Producer, Becoming Elizabeth
“Peter and SceneSpan joined a troupe of historical advisors and coaches on The Mirror and the Light to provide the production with a wealth of practical and scholarly advice in the niche area of 16th-century liturgical practice. Peter coached cast members through rites and rituals in a friendly and reassuring manner. His advice encompassed the authenticity of props, costume and staging across weddings, deathbeds and evensongs, and was delivered with enthusiasm, energy and a commendable flexibility as to how closely it was followed!”
Lisa Osborne
Producer, Wolf Hall 2: The Mirror & The Light
“Here you will find real learning communicated with style.
Here is insight and energy.”
Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster