Company's week-long celebration begins with the release of its new 100-page guide, a deep dive into using the Unreal Engine for real-time animation; event programming showcases the latest tools, workflows, and free learning resources in the Epic Games ecosystem.
Epic Games has kicked off Animation Week, which runs June 27-July 1, with the release of its new “Animation Field Guide.” At over 100 pages, the guide provides a deep dive into creating animation in real-time using Unreal Engine. Be sure to check out the guide’s forward by AWN’s own Editor in Chief, Dan Sarto. Download it here, and learn how Sony Pictures Imageworks, BRON Digital, Reel FX, and other top studios use a real-time pipeline to bring their animated stories to life.
The Animation Field Guide explores the foundations of real-time animation pipelines using Unreal Engine; the evolution from traditional, linear pipelines to real-time pipelines has enabled departments to collaborate seamlessly and iterate with more creative freedom. More than 30 artists, producers, and workflow experts were interviewed for the publication.
Animation Week program highlights include free resources for artists and a new behind-the-scenes look (see below) into MetaHuman and Unreal Engine’s use in creating the Love, Death + Robots “In Vaulted Halls Entombed” episode. In addition, the week will celebrate achievements in real-time animation by established filmmakers, independent studios, and artists worldwide. Featured projects include Malanca, built entirely in the cloud from Untold Studios; a promo produced in real-time for Diablo Immortal from Impossible Objects; Mush-Mush & the Mushables from La Cabane; the trailer premiere for the animated short film Blue from Preymaker; and highlights from Epic Games’ Annecy presentations.
The week-long celebration comes on the heels of Unreal Engine projects recent premieres at both Annecy 2022 and Tribeca Film Festival. At Annecy, several projects built using Unreal Engine were showcased, including Manhole, an Official Selection Annecy film directed by Abhishek Verma and Jayesh Pillai; Bottle Cap from Psyop; and Mr. Spam Gets a New Hat from DNEG. Annecy also featured live demonstrations, presentations, and panels from artists producing exciting projects using Unreal Engine, including Bron Studios; Chromosphere; Digic Pictures; Engine House Studio; Nexus Studios; Praxinos; Reel FX; and Spire Animation Studios. The Tribeca Film Festival featured two short film projects created using Unreal Engine: the world premiere of Emma Needell’s Life Rendered and the North American premiere of Paul Franklin’s Fireworks.
Check out ‘Behind the scenes of Netflix’s ‘In Vaulted Halls Entombed’ | Spotlight | Unreal Engine:’
Along with promoting Unreal Engine customer content and adoption, Animation Week will also showcase mastery of the tools, workflows, and products in the Epic Games ecosystem, including MetaHuman, Quixel Megascans, UE Marketplace, and free learning resources available to creators. Epic Games also supports animators through the Unreal Short Film Challenge programs in Australia, LATAM, and India, and Short Nites in-game special events connecting short film creators with players worldwide in Fortnite.
For more insight into the Unreal experience, check out the stunning animation creators are producing with real-time technology in Epic’s recently released ‘Animation Sizzle Reel!’
More information is available here.
Source: Epic Games
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
