'It's all real and without cheap tricks,' said Heinz Leger, director for the Austrian broadcaster ORF, who filmed the drama for 'Timewatch: The Secret History of Genghis Khan'. 'I was not so much concerned with the precise sequence of battles and conquests, but more with the personal development of the man, Genghis Khan' 'I avoided any of the computer animation that is so en vogue. Even in the mass scenes each horseman is flesh and blood. I was not so much concerned with the precise sequence of battles and conquests, but more with the personal development of the man, Genghis Khan.' The programme is based on 'The Secret History of the Mongols', a manuscript written in the 13th century, some believe by the adopted son of the great Khan. Professor Michael Weiers of the Department of Central Asian Studies at Bonn University and Researching Professor at Mongolia's Academy of Sciences helped as scientific advisor, while John Man, historian and author of a book on Genghis Khan, worked with the Timewatch team in the UK as historical consultant. Shooting conditions were a challenge for the team and their equipment. The programme was shot both on film and high definition by an eight-strong camera crew. But the day had not yet ended. After the shoot, the nomads had to be paid. This should not have been a problem since location manager Dina Czezik-Mueller had ordered three million Tugrik (some 3,000 euros), from the bank on the previous day. Unfortunately the bank was unable to find such a huge amount. The day was saved by the bank clerk, an enterprising Mongolian lady who simply went to a village gas station to personally borrow the cash. '...it was impossible to find fuel for smokeless fires as normally used for filming. The solution: A barrel of vodka, mixed with salt and gasoline' Likewise, the creativity and flexibility of Dominic Ulli, who was in charge of props and costumes, was tested on a daily basis. In Mongolia's capital Ulan Bator it was impossible to find fuel for smokeless fires as normally used for filming. The solution: A barrel of vodka, mixed with salt and gasoline, which made for perfect flickering lights and cosy campfires... Recreating Genghis Khan's 'Secret History' took two years of pre-production, two full months of shooting on location in Mongolia, supplemented by interviews in London, and one week's special effects shooting in the Czech Republic. At last, a film that takes the viewer back to the Middle Ages with truly stunning images was in the can.