This week, I mainly did some basic work. I focused on handling models between 3D software and Substance Painter to get them ready for texturing.
I spent quite a lot of time unwrapping the UVs of all the models I had built before and standardizing them. The process was a bit mechanical, but it was necessary to make sure that textures wouldn’t stretch when I painted them in Substance Painter .
In SP, I created a universal vintage wooden furniture smart material based on the features of Chinese furniture from the 2000s. This material had the glossy wood finish that was common back then, and I also added some light surface stains to give the furniture a more retro look.
I didn’t rush to import the models into Unreal Engine this week. Instead, I concentrated on adjusting the materials and textures first. Using the same smart material for the basic furniture is faster, and it also ensures a consistent style across the whole scene.
In-class Learning WEEK8
In the eighth week, we explored lighting in Unreal Engine in more depth, focusing on different lighting methods such as baked lighting, dynamic (real-time) lighting, and indirect lighting. We also became familiar with several common light types in UE, including directional lights, point lights, spotlights, and skylights.
After that, we carried out practical exercises in a simple scene, where we adjusted different light sources such as skylights and spotlights to see how they affect the overall atmosphere. We also learned some useful shortcut keys for lighting, for example using Ctrl + L to quickly adjust the angle of the directional light to simulate changes in sunlight.
In addition, we learned how to set up dynamic lighting effects. For instance, applying IES light profiles can help create more realistic and natural lighting results in a scene.
After finishing the overall scene layout, I focused on making the main assets in the scene this week, including the birthday cake and coffee table.
As I had already planned all the shots during the storyboarding stage, I knew the coffee table and the things on it were the key part of the whole scene. The coffee table has an important close-up shot in the video. So when I was modeling it, I paid special attention to small geometric details and surface realism, to make sure the audience could fully feel the story’s atmosphere.
The birthday cake and candles were the most important parts for telling the story this week. I used the Curve Tools to carefully draw the cream patterns on the cake. I also looked at many old-style whipped cream cakes from the early 2000s, so that the cake could have a real retro look.
For the coffee table’s design, I chose a simple style with some retro features. I hoped it could fit naturally into the whole feeling of a Chinese apartment in the 2000s, and become a visual part that brings out nostalgic feelings.
In-class Learning WEEK7
In the 7th week’s class, we focused on learning how to use the built-in rigging tools in Unreal Engine. After mastering the basic operations of the tools, we first used them to create specific effects like death animations. Later on, following Serra’s guidance, we selected a hunting dog model as the object for hands-on practice. By building and adjusting a series of related nodes, we successfully achieved procedural quadrupedal movement. Afterwards, we also made targeted attempts to tweak various relevant parameters, so as to make both the movement posture and trajectory of the hunting dog look more natural and smooth.
1. Core Content: Period-Specific Asset Creation and Layout
1.Asset Modeling and Uniqueness: The core setting of my project is the interior of a Chinese apartment from the early 2000s. Since most commercially available asset libraries are dominated by Western or contemporary styles, it is nearly impossible to find furniture that captures the specific texture and “soul” of that era. Consequently, I have had to manually model and craft the majority of the core assets from scratch to ensure period accuracy.
2.Layout Logic and References: Designing the overall layout of the room proved to be the most significant challenge this week. To avoid the space feeling hollow or structurally illogical, I conducted extensive research, consulting a vast array of old photographs, authentic floor plans from the period, and interior design case studies of vintage apartments.
3.Personal Connection and Realism: During the design process, I drew heavily on my own memories of the apartments I lived in during my childhood. This memory-based recreation not only helped me determine a realistic flow for the room—such as the characteristic narrow hallways and cramped living areas—但 but also imbued the scene with a sense of “lived-in” realism. This authenticity is crucial for achieving the cinematic visual impact I am aiming for in the final render.
In-class Learning WEEK6
In the sixth week, we learned about physics simulation in the Unreal Engine and explored several methods to achieve it, including the simulation effect for chain-like suspension. By setting the parent-child relationships between different objects and adjusting relevant parameters, we restricted the objects from moving randomly in all directions, thus creating effects similar to hinges and chains. In addition, we mastered the methods of baking physics effects in UE5, which allows us to apply physics simulation results in the engine more conveniently. We also learned to create object destruction effects, and successfully shattered a cube into fragments during the class.
This week, my main focus was to further develop the storyboard based on the written version completed in Week 4. I started to draw the storyboard by hand and organise the overall timeline of the animation.
At this stage, I translated the written descriptions into visual compositions, including camera distance, the relationship between the character and objects in the frame, and the approximate duration of each shot. Drawing the storyboard helped me to understand the pacing of the story more clearly, instead of relying only on written ideas.
While sketching the storyboard, I marked an estimated duration for each shot, such as 2–3 seconds or 3–4 seconds, and began to separate slower moments from faster, more emotional sections. For the middle part of the animation, where the mood changes, I plan to use shorter shots and simple transitions, such as black frames or quick cuts, to create a tighter rhythm.
Through this process, I realised that some shots that worked in the written storyboard were not necessary when visualised. After drawing them out, a few shots felt repetitive or disrupted the pacing, so they were either removed or combined during the timeline planning stage. This helped me understand that storyboards are not only a storytelling tool, but also an important way to control pacing and workload early in the production process.
Overall, Week 5 helped me gain a clearer understanding of the structure of the project and prepared me for the next stage, which will focus more on animation and shot testing.
In-class Learning WEEK5
This week’s tutorial helped me further clarify the presentation method for my project. Serra advised that I don’t have to rely on specific characters to tell a story, as objects and spaces themselves can also serve as “characters”. By documenting the changes of the same scene at different times — such as the disappearance of food on the table before and after a party — human presence can be implied without directly depicting people. Serra also suggested that I treat the process of change as a visual study through repeated shooting or time-based footage. This discussion made me realize that I need to simplify the format and focus more on the relationship between change, absence and narrative.
Preparation Scene 1: A fixed camera records people cleaning the room, wiping the table, and hanging balloons and ribbons. The protagonist hasn’t appeared yet.
Fixed camera (corner of the room), slightly wide framing, no character faces shown.
Soft daylight; the sounds of tape tearing and chairs moving create a natural, relaxed atmosphere.
2
Preparation Scene 2: Continuing from the same fixed angle. The people preparing the party place the cake, gifts, and cards on the table, then leave the frame.
Fixed camera, steady composition with slight depth changes.
The table gradually becomes fully arranged; light dust particles shimmer in the air, enhancing a sense of everyday warmth.
3
Protagonist Enters & POV Shift: The protagonist (no face shown) walks into frame, adjusts the table setup, then reaches out to pick up the camera — the perspective changes to handheld.
Transitions naturally from a fixed shot to a handheld view.
Feels like a “camera handover”; the slight movement adds realism and personal touch.
4
Cake Close-Up (“Showing Off” Moment): Handheld camera focuses on the birthday cake, slowly moving closer to capture its delicate details.
Handheld shot, slight shake as if casually recorded.
Focus on candles, frosting, and small decorations, expressing pride and joy.
5
Transition Shot: The protagonist’s hand unintentionally covers the lens, creating a brief black screen that serves as a natural transition.
Hand covering the lens → short blackout → next scene.
Feels like an authentic filming accident, creating a smooth, organic cut.
6
Celebration Moment: After the blackout, the camera focuses on the cake again. People’s hands clapping enter the frame (no full figures shown) as “Happy Birthday to You” plays. Only the protagonist’s lower body or hands are visible.
Handheld, slightly dynamic framing.
The sound and light create a joyful atmosphere, while the tight composition subtly suggests emotional tension.
7
After the Party: The camera cuts to the aftermath. The cake has been eaten, and the table has been tidied up.
Fixed or slow handheld pan.
The space feels calm and empty, suggesting the end of the event and the quiet after celebration.
8
Closing Shot: The lights come on again. Filmed from the same corner angle as the opening shot, showing an empty room — visually echoing the beginning.
Fixed camera, no movement.
Leftover crumbs, extinguished candles, faint smoke — a still and reflective mood, with traces of warmth fading into silence.
In-class Learning WEEK4
In the fourth week, we mainly learned about materials in Unreal Engine. We further mastered various detailed parameters in the Material Editor as well as several special material instances, and also understood which nodes the different channels of various textures should connect to. Besides, we learned the method of converting node parameters in materials into parameters in material instances, so that there is no need to reopen the original materials to adjust nodes every time, nor to save the operations frequently.
While sketching, a thought suddenly struck me — wouldn’t it be interesting if I turned it into a scene with a sense of dilapidation? Right now, I haven’t figured out the main camera movements for the video yet; I’ve only settled on an overall atmosphere. The first atmosphere I’m going for is a messy, cluttered, and even somewhat shabby birthday celebration. However, I also feel that this version might lack the warmth and festive vibe that a birthday scene should have, making it seem a bit emotionally distant. So I’m also considering preparing a relatively neat version later. This neat version will likely be closer to the authentic birthday atmosphere, allowing people to truly feel that they are celebrating.
These are the reference materials I’ve prepared—all photos of birthday parties in China during the Y2K era. I really love this retro vibe, and this atmosphere feels very familiar to me, because it’s exactly how my birthdays were like when I was a kid.
In-class Learning
WEEK3
During the third week of classes, we learned about Sequence in Unreal Engine, mastered the basic operations of creating shots and building shot layers within the Sequence, while also getting to know core basic functions like shot animations and animation curves. We also practiced related operations such as adjusting shot movements and setting camera parameters through hands-on exercises using the built-in scenes in UE.
This idea came from a normal, everyday thing — a birthday.
We usually think birthdays are happy and celebratory days. But I started to wonder if they have another side too.
Every birthday seems to tell us, “You’re one year older now.” And because of that, we should be more mature and take more responsibility.
Behind this soft reminder, there is actually a kind of social expectation — an idea of what kind of person we should be.
What I want to say is this feeling: a birthday is not just a time to celebrate. It’s also a time when people expect or ask us to grow up.
This mix of sweetness and pressure, and warmth with a little unease, feels interesting to me. And it’s something I want to show through pictures.
Creative Process
This time, I’m not planning to tell a story through narration or interaction. Instead, I want to create a scene – showcasing video that expresses this tension purely through visual effects. At first glance, the scene should give people a bright, lovely and celebratory feeling. But when the audience looks closely, they may find a hint of discomfort from the lighting, the sense of space or the relationship between objects. Some of these details will include symbolic objects, such as models representing the pressure of buying a house, or trophies and books symbolizing academic competition. I hope that through these seemingly gentle details, the audience can feel the tension beneath the surface – the kind of sweetness that hides anxiety. In terms of style, I’m still exploring. It may include elements of a typical Chinese family, or tend more towards a dreamy, surreal look, so that “celebration” and “pressure” can form a visual contrast. Overall, I hope this work can guide the audience from the lively, festive surface to reflection, allowing them to experience the subtle tension between growth and social expectations.
In-class Learning WEEK1
In the first week, we learned some basic knowledge of the UE engine. We also learned how to install the Epic Games Launcher, and how to switch between the university computers and our personal devices. Our teacher recommended that we’d better use the same version of the UE engine as the one on UAL computers, so we should download the same version.
WEEK2
In the second week, we continued to get more familiar with the UE5 engine. We learned many basic functions, such as the viewport, details panel and content browser. We also knew about some key features of UE5, like ray tracing, Lumen and Nanite. After that, we learned how to import assets from Quixel Bridge, some basic operations of the material editor, as well as basic work with levels and sublevels, which can keep our projects tidy.
The Witch’s Scene: The scene design of the witch making the poisoned apple is highly consistent with the storyline. The overall atmosphere leans dark, fully reflecting the witch’s sinister and treacherous personality. Set in a castle-like environment, the spatial structure and lighting create a mysterious and dangerous vibe. The set also incorporates many classic witch elements, such as potion cauldrons and vials. These details enhance the character image, allowing the audience to feel an “evil” aura at first glance. The design of the poisoned apple also echoes the overall visual style, achieving great unity in both visuals and emotion for the entire scene.
Snow White’s Scene: In contrast, Snow White’s scene is bright, warm, and vivid with fairy-tale charm. It exudes a lighthearted and joyful feeling, forming a sharp contrast with the witch’s dark setting. The design of her cottage and the rural scenery is full of life, presenting a pure and beautiful world. This strong contrast not only highlights the differences between the characters but also intensifies the story’s dramatic conflict, enabling the audience to more intuitively perceive the opposition between good and evil, light and darkness.
2.Costume, Hair & Make Up
In this clip, both the princess and the witch have extremely classic images. Snow White has a fair complexion, rosy lips, and a round, clean facial shape that looks particularly innocent. Her hair is dark, short, and curly, neatly framing her face, paired with a red bow headband—this look instantly evokes her naive and kind personality. Her costume colors are also vivid: a blue top, a yellow skirt, and red accents. This combination of high-saturation colors gives a warm and bright feeling, perfectly matching the image of the “kind princess” in fairy tales. The overall styling makes her appear both pure and full of vitality.
The witch’s look is completely the opposite. She wears a dark, large cloak made of thick, dull fabric, creating an eerie and cold vibe overall. Her hair is grayish-white, hanging loosely and looking dry and messy. For her makeup, her skin tone is pale gray, with obvious wrinkles covering her face, a long and pointed nose, and deep-set eye sockets—all of which convey her elderly and sinister temperament. The overall styling perfectly embodies the classic “witch” image and forms a sharp contrast with Snow White’s bright and pure look.
3.Facial Expressions & Body Language
In this clip, the witch’s facial expressions and body language are highly exaggerated. She makes large, dramatic movements and often performs sinister, eerie actions—such as sniffing out the Seven Dwarves’ scent with her nose or teasing her pet with the poisoned apple. These details reinforce her cunning and vicious nature.
When speaking or acting, her expressions shift drastically—her eye and mouth movements are sharp and distinct. Overall, she exudes an exaggerated yet slightly comical vibe, a stylistic choice that perfectly highlights her evil essence and the dramatic tension of the scene.
In contrast, Snow White’s movements are gentle and elegant, with delicate, soft body language that reflects her kind and innocent personality. Her demeanor carries an air of grace and good breeding, making her feel warm and approachable.
4.Lighting and Colour
In terms of lighting and color, the witch’s scene is overall dark-toned, using rich yet dull colors such as olive green and dark gray, with dim lighting. These designs create a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere, reflecting the witch’s sinister and dangerous nature.
In contrast, Snow White’s scene features bright and brisk colors, with brighter lighting. These designs evoke a warm and fairy-tale-like atmosphere, reflecting her kind and innocent qualities.
5.Positioning of characters/objects within the frame
Shot of Poisoned Apple Production: In the shot, the poisoned apple is positioned at the exact center. A hand extends from the top of the frame, suspending it in the green potion. The central composition makes the poisoned apple the visual focal point, emphasizing its core status in the scene. The surrounding potion spreads radially, suggesting that danger is diffusing, and meanwhile, it reflects the crucial production stage of the witch’s evil plan.
Shot of the Witch at the Window: The witch almost fills the entire window frame, with her hands resting on the windowsill, her head leaning forward, and her eyes fixed outside the frame. The window frame confines her within the shot, implying both her act of peering and her presence as a threat. The full-frame composition heightens the sense of oppression, highlighting her aggressiveness, and forms a sharp contrast with the bright environment outside the window.
Shot of the Animal : Various animals—squirrels, rabbits, deer, and raccoons—are scattered in different corners of the frame. Some peek out from containers, while others gather on the ground, forming a loose group. This layout simulates the random distribution of animals in a natural environment, creating a lifelike and vibrant atmosphere. At the same time, it depicts their role as observers, laying the groundwork for the subsequent plot.
6.What role does the shot choice (Cinematography) play in the scene.
Shot selection guides the audience’s attention through composition, shot size, angle, and movement, highlighting key characters or props to help the audience understand the plot and character intentions. Meanwhile, it can convey the psychological states and personality traits of characters, create specific emotional atmospheres, and support the development of the narrative.
Research Activity 2
Can you describe the mise-en-scene in this picture? How are the characters placed in the frame? Description of Mise-en-scène
Setting
The scene is set in a bedroom. The bed, items beside the bed, slippers, and a suitcase clearly indicate that this is a private space. The lighting is soft, with a slightly dull tone, creating an atmosphere that prompts introspection.
Costumes
The male character wears a dark blazer, a light-colored shirt, and khaki pants, featuring a formal and understated style. The female character is dressed in a red jacket, a patterned top, and a blue skirt, with her arms crossed, conveying a sense of wariness or restraint.
Props
The slippers on the floor, the suitcase, and the bed itself are prominent props. Together, they create a domestic, intimate yet slightly distant spatial feeling.
Character Placement
The two characters are positioned side by side on the bed, seemingly engaging in a conversation or, conversely, having no interaction at all. The woman has her arms crossed, while the man, though relaxed, appears detached. The bed and the characters are centrally framed, directing the audience’s attention to their state and making them the visual focal point of the scene.
Research Activity 3
1. Description of the Character Relationship
The two characters are most likely in a master-servant relationship: the lady on the left corresponds to the “master” identity, while the lady on the right leans more towards the “servant” role, with a clear hierarchical difference reflected in their states.
2. Basis for Judging the Relationship
The judgment is mainly based on the dual contrast of clothing styles, expressions, and overall states:
In terms of clothing styles, the lady on the left is dressed in bright, glamorous, and exquisitely designed attire that exudes elegance. In contrast, the lady on the right wears formal and neat clothing with a simple and practical style, which is more in line with the work attire of servants in mansions, without redundant decorations—creating a distinct contrast between their clothing styles.
Regarding expressions and states, the lady on the left appears relaxed and at ease with a calm demeanor that suggests control over the situation. Meanwhile, the lady on the right has a serious expression, behaves cautiously and restrainedly, and shows obvious reserve and deference. This difference in states also aligns with the identity positioning and interaction mode between a master and a servant.
3.
Lighting: The lighting on the maid on the right is soft with a slight backlight effect, blurring her outline and relatively weakening her presence. In contrast, the lighting on the mistress is more concentrated and clear—this not only highlights her image but also gives her greater visual weight in the frame. Rather than deliberately emphasizing dominance, it naturally elevates her core status through the contrast in lighting.
Composition: The mistress is positioned at the central core of the frame. This layout immediately draws the audience’s attention, making her the visual focal point.
Spatial Setting: Details in the scene clearly indicate this is a private space. The setting of an intimate environment guides the audience to associate it with “a master and servant interacting in a private domain,” adding contextual depth to the presentation of their hierarchical relationship.
