Forging the Scene
Environment & Atmosphere
The visual direction relied on a sharp juxtaposition. We built a sterile, monochromatic office environment designed to feel suffocating and repetitive, using rigid grid layouts to emphasize the protagonist's entrapment.
In contrast, the samurai world was designed as a vibrant, sun-scorched post-apocalyptic wasteland. We focused on an "Asset Zoo" workflow, curating high-fidelity props to ensure the transition from the dull corporate world to the chaotic battlefield felt jarring and impactful.
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Combat Choreography
We moved from the desk to the dojo. This week was defined by intense combat choreography sessions where we translated the protagonist's internal rage into decisive samurai movements. We broke down the "crash out" sequence beat-by-beat, practicing with prop katanas to ensure safety and fluidity.
The focus was on performance capture—ensuring the weight behind each strike felt real before bringing it onto the motion capture stage. We spent hours refining the timing of the parries and strikes to match the fast-paced rhythm of the final edit.
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Retargeting & Live Link Pipeline
Preparing for our motion capture shoot, I established a robust retargeting pipeline to map Optitrack skeleton data onto three distinct targets: the standard UE5 Manny, a high-fidelity Metahuman, and our Custom Samurai model.
The Samurai presented a unique challenge; its non-standard bone naming convention caused auto-generation failures. I resolved this by manually chaining the IK Rigs to ensure compatibility with the IK Retargeter.
To stream data seamlessly from Motive to Unreal, I engineered a modular workflow: IK Rigs → IK Retargeter → Animation Blueprint → Actor Blueprint. This universal setup allows us to swap in any major skeleton type efficiently.
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Real-Time Performance Capture
Production peaked on the motion capture stage, where we executed a full Real-time Pre-visualization workflow. Using Motive to stream data directly into UE5, we tracked both actor Skeletons and Rigid Body props simultaneously.
This live feedback loop allowed us to visualize the "crash out" in real-time, ensuring our stunt performances perfectly aligned with the virtual environment. The session was a marathon of technical precision, captured in our behind-the-scenes timelapse and final team documentation.
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Animation Cleanup & Sequencing
Post-production began with the rigorous selection of mocap takes and processing in MotionBuilder. I handled complex dual-skeleton retargeting and Rigid Body integration to ensure the physical props synchronized perfectly with the character animation.
To achieve the precision required for sword fight, I utilized an IK/FK Control Rig workflow on the MetaHuman skeleton. This allowed for granular refinement of Scenes 01-29, ensuring precise blade contact and grounded footwork that raw mocap often misses.
Finally, I assembled the Level Sequencer for each scene, configuring the cinematic cameras and locking in the Shot Direction to drive the narrative pacing.
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ICVFX & Volumetric Integration
To capture the protagonist's suffocating reality prior to the transition, we utilized LED Volume Virtual Production (ICVFX) with real-time camera tracking. This allowed us to shoot the corporate storytelling beats with perfect parallax and lighting integration.
For the pivotal "crash out" moment, where the worker tosses paper in rage, we employed a Volumetric Capture workflow. This technique enabled a seamless transition between the live-action footage and the CGI samurai world, blurring the line between physical and digital reality.
The project concluded in DaVinci Resolve, where my team handled the final compositing. We merged the SFX, VFX, and CGI elements with the live-action footage, locking in the final color grade to emphasize the stark juxtaposition between the sterile office and the vibrant wasteland.
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