diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2c62fc9..cdd216c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ __pycache__/
 media/
 .superpowers/
 *.egg-info/
+# Simulator sample media (look-tuning only; populate via setup_sample_media.py)
+simulator/sample_media/forest/*.mp4
diff --git a/simulator/sample_media/README.md b/simulator/sample_media/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff9f08d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/simulator/sample_media/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Simulator sample media
+
+`manifest.json` is committed; the `.mp4` binaries are **not** (gitignored). They
+are look-tuning samples, not shipped installation content.
+
+Populate them from the session-0008 POC artifacts:
+
+    python simulator/setup_sample_media.py
+
+This copies `~/hef-poc/out/neutral.mp4` → `forest/base.mp4` and
+`~/hef-poc/out/right_flow.mp4` → `forest/right4.mp4` (the real flow-stabilized
+restyle), and generates placeholder strengths `forest/right1..3.mp4`.
diff --git a/simulator/sample_media/manifest.json b/simulator/sample_media/manifest.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..730e5b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/simulator/sample_media/manifest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+{
+  "clips": [
+    {
+      "id": "forest",
+      "title": "Yosemite Falls (neutral base, POC sample)",
+      "base_file": "forest/base.mp4",
+      "license": "poc-sample (look-tuning only; not shipped content)",
+      "source": "hef-poc/out/neutral.mp4",
+      "right_variants": {
+        "1": {"file": "forest/right1.mp4", "model": "placeholder"},
+        "2": {"file": "forest/right2.mp4", "model": "placeholder"},
+        "3": {"file": "forest/right3.mp4", "model": "placeholder"},
+        "4": {"file": "forest/right4.mp4", "model": "sd-turbo+farneback-flow"}
+      },
+      "annotations": [
+        {"key": "detected.water", "box": [0.30, 0.10, 0.18, 0.70], "min_level": 1},
+        {"key": "detected.rock_face", "box": [0.05, 0.30, 0.20, 0.55], "min_level": 2},
+        {"key": "detected.conifer", "box": [0.70, 0.20, 0.22, 0.45], "min_level": 3},
+        {"key": "measure.flow_rate", "box": [0.34, 0.55, 0.14, 0.08], "min_level": 4}
+      ],
+      "strings": {
+        "en": {
+          "detected.water": "flowing water",
+          "detected.rock_face": "granite face",
+          "detected.conifer": "conifer stand",
+          "measure.flow_rate": "~2.1 m³/s"
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/simulator/setup_sample_media.py b/simulator/setup_sample_media.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f947a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/simulator/setup_sample_media.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""Populate simulator/sample_media/forest/ from the session-0008 POC artifacts.
+
+Copies the real neutral base + the real flow-stabilized Right restyle out of
+~/hef-poc/out/, and generates placeholder intermediate Right strengths (1..3) by
+blending the base toward the real restyle with ffmpeg. The media binaries are
+gitignored; only the manifest is committed. Sample footage is for look-tuning
+only, not shipped content.
+
+Usage:  python simulator/setup_sample_media.py
+Requires: ffmpeg on PATH (or `pip install imageio-ffmpeg`), and ~/hef-poc/out/.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+POC = Path.home() / "hef-poc" / "out"
+DEST = Path(__file__).parent / "sample_media" / "forest"
+
+
+def _ffmpeg() -> str:
+    if shutil.which("ffmpeg"):
+        return "ffmpeg"
+    import imageio_ffmpeg
+    return imageio_ffmpeg.get_ffmpeg_exe()
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    DEST.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    base = DEST / "base.mp4"
+    right4 = DEST / "right4.mp4"
+    shutil.copyfile(POC / "neutral.mp4", base)
+    shutil.copyfile(POC / "right_flow.mp4", right4)
+    ff = _ffmpeg()
+    # Placeholder strengths 1..3: opacity-blend base toward the real restyle.
+    for strength, alpha in ((1, 0.25), (2, 0.5), (3, 0.75)):
+        out = DEST / f"right{strength}.mp4"
+        subprocess.run(
+            [ff, "-y", "-i", str(base), "-i", str(right4),
+             "-filter_complex",
+             f"[1:v]format=yuva444p,colorchannelmixer=aa={alpha}[top];"
+             f"[0:v][top]overlay=shortest=1[v]",
+             "-map", "[v]", "-an", str(out)],
+            check=True,
+        )
+        print(f"generated {out.name} (alpha {alpha})")
+    print(f"sample media ready in {DEST}")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()