Blade 2024
As an enthusiastic fan of the Blade series, I embarked on an ambitious and exciting project called "Blade 2024." This initiative was not a professional endeavor, but a passionate exploration of my skills and interests in the world of visual effects and animation.
Using the latest version of Unreal Engine (5.1) at the time, I ventured into the vast universe of previz. Unreal Engine 5.1 brought in a plethora of new features and tools that helped bring my ideas to life. With the level sequencer, I was able to set up cinematic shots, design animations, and create narrative sequences with an impressive amount of precision and flexibility.
Previz
The level sequencer allowed me to piece together complex narrative scenes, manipulate various aspects such as camera angles, character positioning, and lighting, all while ensuring I had the capability to adjust these elements individually or collectively. This tool was pivotal in creating a vivid and immersive previz video, granting me an almost directorial control over the project's cinematic elements.
Creating the characters was another thrilling chapter of this project. Using Reallusion's Character Creator 4 and iClone 8, I recreated Mahershala Ali as Blade and designed a vampire character, drawing inspiration from past films. Character Creator 4 provided advanced tools to create highly realistic 3D characters, allowing me to model Mahershala Ali's likeness with a remarkable level of accuracy.
iClone 8, with its powerful real-time 3D animation and easy-to-use interface, enabled me to animate these characters efficiently. I drew upon the vast libraries of motions and poses, further modifying them to create unique movements and expressions for the characters, keeping their personalities and narrative roles in mind.
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Blade
Hero
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Vampire
Villain
The portrayal of Mahershala Ali as Blade was a meticulous task; I focused not only on the physical likeness but also on capturing his nuanced expressions and unique body language. The vampire character, inspired by previous films, was designed with an air of timeless malevolence and elegance that underpinned the chilling atmosphere of the Blade universe.
Integrating motion capture technology into this project, I used the Xsens Awninda Starter Kit, one of the best real-time 3D character animation solutions available. This technology enabled me to capture and record my movements, which were then mapped onto the 3D characters. This process added an extra layer of authenticity to the characters' actions, making them more believable and captivating.
From realistic combat scenes to the subtlety of emotional dialogues, the Xsens motion capture technology enhanced the overall animation quality, making the characters' actions seem more life-like and believable. The fluidity of motion and nuanced movements captured by the Xsens system added a layer of realism that would be hard to achieve otherwise.
Blade final kill mocap.
Vampire attack stunt mocap.
Blade 2024 was a labor of love and a test of my technical and creative prowess. Through this project, I was able to explore and experiment with several advanced tools and technologies, pushing the boundaries of my skills. From character creation to animation, every step of the process was a valuable learning experience, paving the way for future projects and creative explorations. This journey allowed me to dive deep into the world of digital animation, revealing the immense potential of these technologies in crafting compelling narratives and creating memorable characters.
