Lighting Test Case Study

For this test, I was asked to create a short cinematic sequence in Unreal Engine 5.6. The brief called for a 10-second clip featuring a Metahuman (default appearance), with simple camera movement, basic animation, and an emphasis on cinematic lighting. The challenge was to use light not just for visibility, but as the primary tool to convey emotion and presence within the scene.

Using assets I already had from the Fab Marketplace, I built a short action chase scene set in Venice on a moody, atmospheric night. I leaned into the interplay of wet cobblestones, dim lanterns, and reflective canals to heighten tension and drama. The lighting design aimed to balance readability for the action while still embracing deep shadows, color contrast, and selective highlights to evoke mystery and urgency.

By pushing Lumen to its highest settings, I was able to take advantage of real-time global illumination and reflections to bring the scene to life. My goal was to make each frame feel cinematic — like a film still in motion — where the light itself drives the story forward.

The final render was output in 1080p Lossless MOV, showcasing both the technical fidelity of UE 5.6 and my approach to storytelling through light.