Lost Angels – Unreal Short Film (WIP)

Project Overview

Lost Angels is a generative AI and Unreal Engine 5-powered short film that explores a dystopian future through a visually captivating narrative. Combining traditional animation techniques with innovative AI-generated assets, this project showcases my ability to merge creative storytelling with cutting-edge technology.

•   My Role: Lead Artist and Director.

•   Purpose: Created to demonstrate the power of generative AI in                      filmmaking and animation, exploring new tools for character design,              environment building, and animation.

•   Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi, exploring themes of survival and technology.

•   Technologies Used: Unreal Engine 5, DALL-E 3 (Generative AI),                       Character Creator 4, iClone 8, and Metahuman Animator.

Key Features

This short film is built on innovative techniques that blend AI-generated assets with real-time rendered 3D environments, bringing the narrative to life in an immersive way.

Generative AI Integration:

•   FLUX PRO used to create post-apocalyptic visuals and subway ads.

•   AI-generated voice acting and facial animation for the main and                   secondary characters using Eleven Labs and Metahuman Animator.

•   Generative AI also used for extra characters like raiders on rooftops and        environmental assets like graffiti and dynamic textures.

Character Creation:

•   Photorealistic characters made using Metahuman Identity Face Scans            and Character Creator 4 with custom body morphing.

•   Custom Metahuman head and body meshes created using Maya and            Metapipe plugin.

Environment Design:

•   Post-apocalyptic cityscapes created in Unreal Engine 5 using PCG                 (Procedural Content Generation).

•   Subway scene enhanced with custom assets from Sketchfab, damage            plugins, and AI-generated textures.

Animation & Mocap:

•   Motion capture used for character animation, including Wonder                    Dynamic Studio for finger/hand animation and Sony Mocopi for full-            body mocap.

•   Metahuman Animator used for accurate facial expressions and lip-sync.

Media Gallery

Technical Details

This section highlights the key tools and techniques used to bring Lost Angels to life, pushing the boundaries of AI-assisted filmmaking.

Tools Used:

•   Unreal Engine 5: Environment design, real-time rendering, animation,           and physics.

•   Character Creator 4, iClone 8, and Daz3D: For character modeling,                 rigging, and animation.

•   FLUX PRO: AI-generated visuals for assets like subway ads and                       background scenes.

•   Metahuman Animator: For accurate facial animation and lip-syncing.

•   Sony Mocopi & Wonder Dynamic Studio: For motion capture, including       finger and full-body animation.

•   Marvelous Designer & Metatailor: For rigging dynamic clothing assets.

Optimization for Unreal Engine 5:

•   Textures: Optimized using Photoshop and generative AI for realistic               materials and efficient rendering in UE5.

•   Poly Count: Carefully managed to ensure high-quality visuals while               maintaining performance in real-time rendering.

Outcomes & Feedback

Lost Angels has received positive feedback for its innovative use of AI and immersive storytelling. The combination of AI-generated assets and real-time rendered environments demonstrates the potential of these tools in future film production.

Bullet Points:

"The integration of AI and Unreal Engine in a short film format received positive reviews for creativity and technical execution."

"Showcased at [Event/Festival] where it was praised for its novel approach to filmmaking and real-time animation."

"Feedback on character design and environment realism highlighted the effectiveness of generative AI in production."