Witness the astonishing creation of a miniature Godzilla, masterfully crafted with Unreal Engine 5 by a compact group.
Unreal Engine 5 Shines in Filmmaking: The Godzilla Cinematic as a Pioneering Example
Unreal Engine 5, a leading game development platform, is making waves in the film and television industry, with its capabilities being showcased in various non-gaming applications, particularly in VFX and animation for filmmaking. One of the most prominent examples of this is the Godzilla cinematic created by pro VFX artist and director, Josh Toonen.
Toonen, who has worked on blockbusters like Star Wars IX and Godzilla vs Kong, leveraged Unreal Engine 5's real-time VFX, ragdoll physics, and character animation to create an impressive cinematic sequence outside of traditional gaming contexts. The short features dramatic lighting, atmospheric effects, and a biplane in modern Hong Kong, with many fans believing it resembles a game.
The Godzilla cinematic was animated and rendered directly out of the engine and composited with Nuke. The team, led by Toonen, animated Godzilla with impressively smooth animation, lit and rendered each shot, and created a mini Hong Kong for the kaiju to destroy. Remarkably, the piece did not use any post-production for animation or rendering.
This cinematic is a testament to Unreal Engine 5's potential beyond games. Its advanced geometry handling (Nanite) and lighting systems enable detailed, cinematic-quality visual effects and animation without the traditional lengthy rendering times common to offline VFX workflows.
The Godzilla cinematic is not the only example of Unreal Engine 5 being used for filmmaking. Other projects include virtual production and cinematic sequences, real-time character animation and physics simulations, virtual sets and environments, real-time previsualization (previs), animated short films and cinematic trailers, and integration with live-action via LED stages (virtual production).
The upcoming Rogue Trooper movie could serve as another test for Unreal Engine's ability to create entire films. However, the creation of a full film using Unreal Engine could present a challenge. The level of fidelity achieved in the Godzilla cinematic would be challenging for real-time games, let alone a full-length film.
The evolution of the Godzilla design has been a topic of interest, with many debating the best movie monster character designs. However, the use of Unreal Engine 5 in creating these iconic characters is a game-changer, opening up new possibilities for the future of film and television.
While few games feature Godzilla, mainly mods, the success of projects like the Godzilla cinematic demonstrates the potential of Unreal Engine 5 in the film industry. As more creators explore the engine's capabilities, we can expect to see more impressive cinematic sequences and films in the future.
- Unreal Engine 5's real-time VFX, ragdoll physics, and character animation were utilized by pro VFX artist Josh Toonen to create an impressive cinematic sequence in Godzilla, moving beyond traditional gaming contexts.
- The Godzilla cinematic, animated and rendered directly from the engine, showcases Unreal Engine 5's potential for cinematic-quality visual effects and animation, bypassing traditional lengthy rendering times.
- Remarkably, the Godzilla cinematic did not use post-production for animation or rendering, demonstrating the engine's capabilities in filmmaking.
- Unreal Engine 5 has also been used in various filmmaking projects, including virtual production and cinematic sequences, real-time character animation and physics simulations, virtual sets and environments, real-time previsualization, animated short films and cinematic trailers, and integration with live-action via LED stages.
- The upcoming Rogue Trooper movie could serve as another test for Unreal Engine's ability to create entire films, though the challenge of achieving the level of fidelity seen in the Godzilla cinematic for a full-length film remains.
- The use of Unreal Engine 5 in creating iconic characters for movies like Godzilla is a game-changer, opening up new possibilities for the future of film and television.
- Few games feature Godzilla, mainly mods, but the success of projects like the Godzilla cinematic demonstrates the potential of Unreal Engine 5 in the film industry.
- As more creators explore the engine's capabilities, we can expect to see more impressive cinematic sequences and films in the future.
- The evolution of creative design in film and television, inspired by technology like artificial intelligence, gadgets, and virtual reality, may be further shaped by the next wave of cinematic innovations driven by game engines like Unreal Engine 5.
