UE5 Short Film | The Path of Shadows
Project Breakdown
The Path of Shadows – Final Project Dev Log
Treasure Hunting for Assets
For this project, I had to put together a wide range of 3D assets. Most of them were sourced from free or easily accessible libraries, but a special shoutout goes to Kitbash3D’s Cargo platform. They offer high-quality asset packs some of which are free and luckily, one of them fits my theme perfectly. I grabbed it, gave it my custom tweaks, and integrated it into the environment seamlessly.
The Animation Detour (Houdini to the Rescue)
Originally, I planned to build all the animations using Unreal Engine Blueprints. That plan didn’t go far. With technical challenges and a ticking clock, I pivoted to Houdini, where I have two years of experience. What would’ve taken me hours in Unreal was much quicker and more precise in Houdini. This switch saved the production.
Two Shots, One Sleepless Night
Midway through production, I had to scrap an entire planned sequence due to lack of assets and time. That left me two major shots short. So I pulled an all-nighter and created two new final shots from scratch. Funny enough, they turned out to be some of my favorite moments in the entire trailer. One of them even has a timelapse video I’ve shared it above if you want a peek into that process.
Without these two additions, the story would’ve felt unfinished. They really tied everything together.
What Could’ve Been (If I Had More Time)
If I had just a bit more time, I would’ve added more detail, improved the transitions, and fine tuned the storytelling. But in the end, deadlines are part of the process. I’m genuinely happy with how much I was able to pull off and how much I learned while doing it.
Thanks to the Real MVPs
This project came with its fair share of technical hurdles, but I wasn’t alone. Huge thanks to my lecturers, classmates, and seniors for all the help and feedback. And of course, eternal gratitude to the unsung heroes of YouTube without your tutorials, breakdowns, and devlogs, this wouldn’t have been possible.
Leave a comment
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.