“Authenticity is the ultimate special effect.”
Audiences today are sophisticated. They instinctively distinguish between a clichéd trope and historical authenticity. Whether you are developing a period drama, a mystery thriller, or a video game set in the Victorian era: True immersion lies in the details.
As a historian of science with a unique specialization in the “borderlands” of knowledge – parapsychological research, early psychology, and the occult – I help production companies, authors, and game developers create worlds that are historically accurate, atmospherically dense, and chillingly believable.
My expertise is not based on folklore, but on rigorous research. Don’t just tell a ghost story. Tell it how it was actually experienced by the scientists and seekers of the past.
SERVICES:
Script Doctoring & Historical Plausibility
Anachronisms break the spell. I review scripts and storyboards to ensure that dialogues, scientific concepts, and procedures fit the specific era.
- Does a mesmerism session in 1850 differ from hypnosis in 1900? (Yes, drastically).
- How did a Victorian scientist actually test a medium for fraud?
- Correct terminology and cultural context for the history of psychology.
Primary Sources Access
I provide access to a unique private library and visual archives containing rare photographs and illustrations regarding the history of the occult.
- Reference material for laboratory setups, séance rooms, and investigative equipment.
- Advice on authentic props (e.g., “What did a ghost-hunting kit in 1920 really look like?”).
Briefing for Cast and Crew
I help actors and directors understand the mindset and physicality of historical figures.
- Briefings on the behaviour of mediums, mesmerists, and sceptics.
- Understanding the tensions between religion and emerging science in the 19th century.
WHY WORK WITH A SPECIALIST?
Most general historians can tell you about the politics of the 19th century. I tell you about its shadows. My work focuses on the intersection of science and the uncanny – a niche where historical accuracy often creates a stranger and more compelling narrative than pure fiction.
About the Consultant:
Dr. Andreas Sommer is a historian of science and magic. He earned his PhD from University College London (UCL) with an award-winning dissertation on the deep historical entanglements between parapsychological research and the origins of modern psychology, and he held research positions at the University of Cambridge. He is the founder of Forbidden Histories, the leading resource for the history of science and the occult.
Dr. Sommer is also the co-founder of PsyPhi KLG in Basel, through which all consulting and research mandates as well as media projects are professionally managed.
Areas of Expertise:
- The Occult in Science from the Enlightenment to the 20th Century
- History of Mesmerism & Hypnosis
- Victorian Parapsychological Research & Spiritualism
- Early Scientific Psychology & Psychiatry
Use this form to inquire about availability & rates:
