One of the big strengths of Unreal
I often do a really rough blocking of the scene and begin with virtual location scouting. I then begin to work on staging the characters and find some initial camera angles. Using Unreal it helps me as a Director to figure out the movie, camera language, tonality, lens choices and basic lighting. I can explore options and get an understanding of the composition and complexity of the shots.
I use Unreal as a powerful pre-production and visualization tool that I employ even while working on the final drafts of a script. It helps me visualize the narrative while exploring creative solutions and different approaches.
Briefing a storyboard artist gives the artist a greater understanding of the general layout of my vision. I don’t necessarily create all the shots in Unreal but key shots and sometimes different explorations of camera angles of the same shot. This a great benefit for discussions with the artist but also allowing the artist to focus on the characters and having more time for iteration. Before moving into production I can both brief my core team of VFX Sup, Art Director, Producer, Animation Director and utilize their expertise to iterate and refine.
As I delve into learning Unreal Engine, I immerse myself in the creation of my own miniature cinematic productions. With each project, I embark on a journey of discovery, constantly pushing the boundaries of my skills and understanding. Coming from a live action background and not VFX or game development, every step is a fresh experience, infused with excitement and creativity. Despite the challenges, the process is incredibly rewarding, offering me the chance to unlock new techniques, and my ultimate goal is to create a completely orginal high-end narrative.
THE CINEMATIC STORYTELLING OF BUNKER 74
My third short film in Unreal using 5.3. I'm using mixamo animations so it's a bit janky. I had to adjust my storytelling and shots limited to the animations available to me. I use the short film format to continue to learn and explore UE. For each one I create I focus on learning something new in Unreal. I just love to have this tool to create my own stories although I still have tons to learn and it's not perfect by any means.
THE CINEMATIC STORYTELLING OF FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS
This short that is inspired by the early 1930s horror classics. I haven't seen that many Black and White Unreal projects so wanted to have a go and try to capture that film noir feeling.
THE CINEMATIC STORYTELLING OF SACRIFICE
This is my first Unreal 5 short film and was inspired by 70s horror movies and I wanted to use my limited knowledge in Unreal to express myself to the best of my ability.
Those who know me know that I don’t come from a background in VFX although I direct cinematic game trailers for a living and this project is a result of 6 months learning Unreal.