New Trend in Real Estate: Flythroughs Are Out, Storytelling Is In

Before the use of 3D became commonplace, architects and realtors relied primarily on hand-drawn perspectives and physical models to communicate their designs and plans to the masses. Then the 1980s marked a significant turning point with the rise of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer graphics, leading to a transition from hand-drawn visualizations to computer-generated imagery (CGI), which allowed for greater detail and precision while opening up more opportunities. By the 1990s, software advancements like AutoCAD and 3D Studio (later known as 3ds Max, the very software we use to this day) completely revolutionized the industry, enabling the creation of complex models and simultaneously, architectural animations. 

Today, the challenges we face are not technical but creative: as digital tools become democratized and easier to use, more and more studios and in-house visualization teams deliver imagery and content. Judging by what we’ve seen at this year’s festivals, it’s a trend that will only be further accelerated. While simple walkthrough animations were once adequate, nowadays it’s essential to go the extra mile to stand out. We can firmly state that the way to differentiate plans and new developments as an architect or developer is through storytelling and unique digital content.

Our Lead CG Artist, Péter Kollár, is the perfect candidate to share insights into what makes modern animation tick. Let’s go through the medium’s capabilities, the role of creative storytelling, and why clients need to invest in animations to stand out on a global stage.

First, we must have a firm understanding of the different types of animation to outline the possibilities of this medium. According to Péter, the most familiar category for most is what the industry aptly calls ‘architecture porn’, where we create beautiful scenes of beautiful buildings, paying extra attention to design and fine details for dramatic effect. Architects tend to love this format, but this type of animation underperforms in our modern, TikTokified media landscape where the shorter attention spans of users actively work against this type of slow, cinematic animation.

The other most used category is called walkthrough or flythrough animation, where the name is quite self-explanatory: these animations only focus on showcasing the properties and the project in the most straightforward way possible. “Clients—realtors and architects as well—understandably don’t want to complicate their lives, so they often opt for walkthrough animations. Most of the time, they simply don’t know of other options, so when their competitors do walkthroughs, they want to do that too. In this case, there is no fluff or added magic; the camera goes over the proposed plans section by section, room by room. In some instances, clients don’t even want to insert stock footage or anything else, wanting to see their design in every frame.” It might sound overly simplistic but Péter calls this animation-making method ‘boring’. Boring for artists and audiences alike, and also runs the risk of not engaging people in an overcrowded market or in a competitive setting. The aim of a good animation is to grab attention and evoke feelings by offering something extra, something that the audience will remember. When all one does is overexplain to the audience with the same facade and interior over and over, there’s a missed chance of creating a lasting impact and close connection.

And finally, the crown jewel of animation making: narrative-driven movies, which Péter refers to as ‘brand films’, and rightly so. “These films feature a simple story to deliver the core message to the intended viewers. We can include stunning visual effects, interesting creative choices, carefully selected music and sound design—anything that supports the narrative or adds to the story. In many cases, narration can further enhance the concept. This approach is highly effective in early-stage communication, helping to differentiate any project.”

Of course, storytelling in architectural animation is quite different from the narrative masterpieces we see in the cinema, and it’s only natural—we neither have the time nor the need to set up an actual story. In our case, the story is essentially a barebones plot that helps us convey the message of a real estate property or an architectural design. Think cherry blossom petals flying into the scene and making up a building to tell users that it’s a plan inspired by sustainability and nature, designed by a famous Japanese architect. Or maybe it’s an elegant video showcasing the site through all five senses, or a family-friendly development filled with quirky, child-like graphics. 

From a business standpoint, Péter reiterates that the point of architectural animation is “to grab and maintain the viewers’ attention effectively and make people remember. So they go ‘Oh yeah, that’s the film with the pink flowers’ or ‘I remember that one with the colorful rubber balls bouncing off from the top of a hill. That’s the effect we are going for.” He says that architecture in and of itself is amazing but in an animation where we want to get the viewer right away, sell the idea, and fill the runtime effectively, a story is needed. Underlining this point is the fact that we’ve had great success with multiple projects made using this mindset, where clients got back to us with the number of leads that they have received, far overperforming their previous efforts with more simplistic marketing assets. Clients seem to be catching on and slowly understanding the point of doing something different than their competitors. Maybe it’s the rising global competition landscape or the experience with the ROI of these spots, but we’ve received a bunch of requests from companies, attaching our recent award-winning spots, asking us to create something similar for them as well.

Another important point to make is that animation also works best when it’s allowed more time to get its messages across. Time is not the only limiting factor, however. While the potential for design is limitless, inserting lifelike characters into 3D scenes is a trickier thing to do. The most common technique today is called 4D models which are basically fully 3D animated characters made by scanning real people. Péter ponders that the future might lie in modeling 3D characters’ bodies and then inserting a real face into them to achieve peak realism. “For now, 4D characters are here to tell stories as long as you don’t want to shoot a close-up sequence.”

In each new development and its campaigns clients tackle, they have to carefully set up the goals to craft a powerful narrative for clear communication and achieving sales targets. Every project is unique and every building serves its own purpose, and recognizing this is the first step in creating an effective animation. For instance, a residential project might emphasize comfort, aesthetics, and a specific lifestyle, while a commercial building might focus on functionality, space optimization, and sustainability. By understanding the specific purpose, one can create a narrative structure that highlights the most relevant features and values with the intended use. This ensures that the animation is visually stunning and supports communication and sales in general, showcasing the building in a way that enhances its appeal. Equally important is identifying the target audience, and who we want to talk to, as it can range from high-income executives through global investors to local families. Each group has different expectations and interests, which the animation should cater to. 

These essential inputs are the foundation for film production, outlining the key elements that will guide the creative process. Péter refers to the kick-off as the single most important part of the process. “We sit down as a team and let the design speak to us. Every architectural design communicates something by itself, our task is to amplify this message by putting a twist on it. And of course to align this concept that we have of the project itself with the specific needs of the client. This is the two-part background of every short film that we make.” 

By crafting our first ideas, the team then can develop distinct concepts tailored to each project, ensuring that the final animation is not only creative and visually appealing but also purposeful and audience-centric. To give an idea of the thinking process that the brief facilitates, Péter gives the following example: “In every case, a central problem has to be identified that we have to solve. The animation that we make is the solution itself. Does a city lack affordable living spaces? Let’s show how this project builds up a new neighborhood to help with housing needs. Or let’s showcase how luxury is just around the corner, literally.” This creative and strategic approach maximizes the effectiveness of animations, transforming them into compelling storytelling tools that bridge the gap between architectural vision and client expectations. 

As one of our other Lead Artists, Samer, put it, our ultimate goal is “un-boring” the project, and make it stand out from every other video out there. Péter says “if people remember our film, we are golden. The only way to do that is to center it all around a powerful and interesting story.” Besides having a built-in creative compass that leads artists, we also look at what other studios do to get inspired. “Instead of looking at celebs and influencers, I exclusively follow other studios and VFX artists to see what’s trending and what we can use in our own work.” But getting constant inspiration can’t guarantee consistently great results. To this end, we have our toolkits and resources for every mood and message. We also look back a lot at our most well-made projects, that new clients use as a reference when they arrive with a new project, reexamining them to see what made them special in the first place.  

Of course, clients can ask for a purposefully ‘dry’ animation that lacks a real story and a deep meaning behind it. While not ideal, we have our workarounds. Péter states that in the right hands, even the most mundane walkthrough project can get such a treatment that shoots it above the rest. Inserting a scene or two that piques interest—maybe a paper plane flying out through the window or a time-lapse video in a painting frame on the wall—can sometimes be enough to create a more interesting presentation.

The real estate game and architecture have changed dramatically. It’s not just about local projects and buyers anymore. International investors are snapping up new developments worldwide, driving up the bar for high-quality investments, properties, and presentations. Our clients now face a global competitive landscape. They must contend with the best and most affordable projects on a larger scale and craft more impressive content to showcase their work in private meetings or use in online marketing to reach global customers.

We believe that the importance of animation and storytelling will only grow with the rise of AI-generated imagery. As companies test AI technology and form in-house visualization teams, they will be capable of producing better images more easily. However, this will likely raise the bar for visualization standards rather than narrowing the market. To create truly impressive presentations, with more content, there will be a need for more elaborate productions. If animations and motion-led content become the norm, it will require more sophisticated expertise and a broader production team, including artists, directors, motion designers, and creative experts. Such resources are typically a privilege for the best and most effective studios and their clients.

To summarize, the one key message Péter and his team are trying to bring across is that creative animation is essential to stand out in the eyes of the customers. Not to mention that a well-thought-out and well-made architectural film has the potential to win competitions, speed up sales, and generate word-of-mouth on the global stage and in the industry as well—a win-win on every front. 

Storytelling is a powerful marketing tool that can bias your audience, make complex architectural projects easy to understand, and bring professional acclaim at the same time. The possibilities are truly endless when the sights are set on the right goals and there is trust between creative partners, letting the studio deliver on its potential.

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