Recreating A Cinematic Exterior Scene With UE5 & DaVinci Resolve

Introduction

Hello there, I'm Stéphanie Vaillancourt, your friendly neighborhood Lighting Artist based in Montreal, Canada.

I've been working at Triotech for two years now, diving into the gaming industry for the first time. My journey into 3D art began in 2020 when I transitioned from my role as a Color Grading Artist in the film industry to pursue studies in 3D modeling for video games at Campus ADN in Montreal. A background in color grading offered me valuable skills in color theory, attention to detail, and efficient workflow management. This one-year course allowed me to specialize as a lighting artist, benefiting from dedicated courses in modeling, lighting, and shading techniques.

The transition from color grading in films to being a Lighting Artist in games was driven by my passion for immersive storytelling and interactive experiences. While color grading allowed me to enhance the visual narrative of a story through color and tone, I was drawn to the dynamic and interactive nature of game environments. As a Lighting Artist in games, I saw an opportunity to directly influence how players experience and engage with virtual worlds, creating atmospheres that not only complement the gameplay but also evoke emotions and enhance immersion.

During my time at Campus ADN, I learned to create different lighting setups, develop realistic shaders, and master the art of lighting scenes effectively to evoke desired moods and atmospheres. Upon completing my course and entering the job market, I actively sought inspiration from fellow lighting artists' portfolios and engaged in relight exercises of free existing scenes from the Unreal Engine Marketplace to further enhance my skills.

At Triotech, I had the chance to contribute to diverse professional projects focusing on developing a variety of games for attractions. These projects included crafting experiences for 3D/4D rides, interactive and immersive theaters, and virtual reality environments. Another example of my previous experience is my participation in the Once a Tale project at Carcajou Games. In this role, I was tasked with designing lighting that was both functional and captivating, thus playing an essential role in creating a visually immersive and memorable universe. These projects provided invaluable hands-on experience and allowed me to apply and refine my lighting skills in a professional environment.

As a Lighting Artist, I usually work with software such as Unreal Engine 5 for real-time lighting and rendering. I got started with Unreal by diving into online tutorials, documentation, and experimenting with sample projects. Its advantages in 3D lighting are numerous, with one of the key benefits being its real-time rendering capabilities. Additionally, I frequently add my final touches with DaVinci Resolve for color grading and refining the final look of my projects. Because every project needs that extra pop of color!

Inspiration

For the project The Desert Gas Station - Relighting, I was completely drawn by a specific shot from the movie Sicario (2015), and my main motivation was to experiment with DaVinci Resolve and create a look to help me recreate the ambiance of an exterior scene at dusk with a cloudy sky, a gritty look, and artificial lighting. I wanted to delve into the intricacies of color grading and lighting adjustments to achieve a specific ambiance and mood that captured the essence of a desert sunset.

For this portfolio piece, I undertook a relighting practice exercise focused on the primary goal of employing physical values and techniques to recreate a cinematic atmosphere, drawing inspiration from two movie references: the exterior bar scene in the movie Sicario by Denis Villeneuve (Cinematographer: Roger Deakins) and the exterior steakhouse shot from the movie The Founder by John Lee Hancock (Cinematographer: John Schwartzman).

In Sicario, the visual style of the movie can be characterized as gritty, intense, and atmospheric. In terms of lighting, Sicario uses a combination of natural light and carefully crafted artificial lighting to create dramatic contrasts between light and shadow. The cinematography by Roger Deakins is particularly notable for its use of low-key lighting techniques that are also used effectively, adding to the overall dark and ominous atmosphere.

Similarly, in The Founder, the exterior shot of the steakhouse during dusk showcases a captivating atmosphere that enhances the narrative setting. The scene utilizes the natural lighting conditions of dusk to convey a sense of transition and change, mirroring the thematic elements of the film.

During dusk, the lighting is characterized by a soft, diffused quality as the sun sets, casting a warm and gentle glow over the surroundings. This creates a picturesque and somewhat nostalgic ambiance, which is often associated with moments of reflection or pivotal changes in storytelling.

Lighting Tools

When I start a new scene, I initially focus on balancing the sky. The method I've been employing is to start from an HDRI material mapped onto a skydome. Numerous HDRI public asset libraries are available on the internet for this purpose.

Using the HDR (Eye Adaptation) visualization mode, I measured the values of the Sky texture and fine-tuned its brightness according to the illuminance values of the sky at sunset. This tool generates a histogram that illustrates the exposure values observed in the sky at various luminosities, subsequently assisting you in applying real-world sunset metrics to your HDRI sky material.

For the base of my lighting, I applied photography principles to achieve accurate physical lighting values in the context of physically based lighting. In photography, when you're out shooting, you need to configure several settings in your camera.

First, there's the ISO, which determines the sensitivity of your sensor. Next, you adjust the shutter speed, controlling how long the camera's shutter remains open, affecting the amount of light reaching the sensor. Then, there's the aperture, which determines the size of the opening through which light passes. Think of it like the iris of your eye, adjusting to regulate the amount of light. These three settings – ISO, shutter speed, and aperture – make up what photographers refer to as the exposure triangle.

For this scene, I changed the exposure Metering Mode to Manual Exposure and began by following the Sunset 4 Rule to add the values to the Camera settings in the Post-Process Volume to achieve a realistic look. By balancing these settings, you can achieve different effects while maintaining the desired exposure. For instance, you might adjust the aperture to let in more or less light, compensating with changes in shutter speed and ISO to maintain the same overall exposure. In my setup, I've set the ISO to 100, the shutter speed to 1/125th of a second, and the aperture to F4 to capture a well-lit image with sufficient light.

You can also confirm your camera settings by calculating the EV with an EV Calculator and switching between Manual and Auto Exposure in the Post-Process Volume. With the right EV settings, switching between Auto Exposure and Manual Exposure will give you exactly the same picture.

For the values of my main light, I consulted the Lux Intensity chart to determine the values for the Directional Light in various conditions. Additionally, I adjusted the light's temperature and the direction to a warmer setting based on the color temperature charts for sunset.

In my previous role as a Color Grading Artist, I used DaVinci Resolve extensively for refining and adding color grading effects to video footage. Typically, before I share my portfolio stills from my Unreal Engine scenes, I prefer refining them and adding adjustments using DaVinci Resolve. However, in this exercise, my goal was to treat my shot as if it were video footage before grading, create and apply a color grading LUT, and define the desired look earlier in the workflow.

In the fog section, I aimed to craft a nuanced yet gritty ambiance, achieved through the use of the Screen Space Fog Scattering plug-in. This new post-process shader enhances the look of Exponential Height Fog by simulating light scattering within it. While maintaining minimal settings, I activated Volumetric Fog and fine-tuned the Scattering Distribution settings within my ExponentialHeightFog actor settings.

For the clouds, I opted for a bold approach inspired by my reference sources. Using the Matte Painting Skybox: Doom Skies pack, I adjusted the tint and orientation of the skydome and clouds, ensuring they made a strong visual statement just like my reference.

Conclusion

Even though I wanted to refine my understanding of the core principles and methods of lighting and photography and integrate them into my daily work, my main goal was to have fun recreating the ambiance of a remarkable scene as I saw it. This relighting scene has allowed me to delve deeper into my love for color grading, lighting, composition, color, and the complex interaction between light and surfaces.

I believe in working efficiently without overcommitting time to a single piece. To ensure both quality and timeliness, I set a deadline of 1 to 2 weeks for each project. I find that if a project extends beyond this timeframe, it tends to result in endless cycles that can dilute the project's original intent. This approach emphasizes practicing concise iterations, embracing trial and error, and engaging in experimentation, which are all essential for artistic growth. Overall, deadlines add a sense of structure, driving productivity, and creativity but they also require time management skills and the ability to work well under pressure.

At first, it can be difficult to stay focused when grappling with technical intricacies. However, maintaining this balance between technicality and creativity is crucial. With time, it becomes more intuitive, and you develop a natural sense of what works best in each setup, grasping the interplay between various elements within these systems. While I wouldn't claim expertise in this area, I can attest that my attempt at mastering the technical side paves the way for a profoundly creative process. While utilizing charts is beneficial, remember to trust your eyes and avoid excessive reliance on them.

I want to express my gratitude to 80 Level for providing me with the platform to share these insights into my thought process and approach.

Stéphanie Vaillancourt, Lighting Artist

Interview conducted by Terri Mills