How We Helped Launch a New Product Line Using Unreal Engine & Cinema 4D

Using Unreal Engine and Cinema 4D we helped one of our clients launch an entirely new line of products to an entirely new market before physical product was available. Final assets included video, distributor website imagery and print materials. Here’s how we did it... 

The Process

This project consisted of several key blocks of work:

1. Pre production planning:

   1. Client brief

   2. Reference materials reviewed and discussed

   3. 3D environments reviewed and signed off

   4. Storyboard

      
      

2. 3D model optimisation

   1. STEP files received of all products from client

   2. 3D vehicle models reviewed and approved

   3. 3D environment

   4. Optimisation of all 3D models for Unreal Engine and Cinema 4D

      
      

3. Animation 

   1. Keyframe animation of each shot as per storyboard

   2. Animatic produced, reviewed and signed off

   3. High quality rendered shots exported

      
      

4. Compositing and final delivery 

   1. Final shots imported into After effects

   2. Editing and compositing of rendered sequences

   3. Music and sound design

   4. Export of video for review, feedback and sign off

   5. Print materials exported and delivered

   6. Web assets optimised for web page requirement and exported

Pre production planning

As with video productions, pre-production is a hugely important part of the 3D animation process. Failure to plan is planning to fail so it’s hugely important that the pre production process is thorough allowing us to understand not just the concept and final vision, but the steps we need to take in order to get to that final output, which by proxy, will help highlight any potential challenges we might face regarding optimising the 3D models, showing key features and the animation itself.

Once we receive the brief and reviewed in detail we have a solid understanding of the requirement and how we will utilise the tools at our disposal which for this project were Unreal Engine and Cinema 4D for the bulk of the work as well as Adobe After Effects for compositing, Photoshop for image clean up and tweaking and other software and websites that are crucial in delivering high quyality 3D rendered visuals such as FAB, TurboSquid and Poly Haven among others for assets and other materials. 

3D model optimisation

The next step in the process was to get all 3D assets including products, vehicles and environments. All animation and rendering would be carried out in Unreal Engine with model optimisation, clean up and integration between the van model and the products themselves happening in Cinema 4D.

1. We were supplied with the CAD models as STEP files which I imported into Cinema, cleaned optimised and exported as FBX ready to import into Unreal Engine. 

   
   

2. With the client we looked through different environments available on FAB the unreal engine market place. After looking at a several options we settled on a mediterranean island that provided lots of great options for different shots including roads, dirt tracks, woodland and the coast. 

   
   

3. We wanted to showcase the products installed on a van so again with the client we reviewed some options and settled for a Mercedes Sprinter that perfectly aligned with the vehicles that would be used for these types of products. 

   
   

4. We optimised the sprinter model in Cinema again and exported as an FBX in order to import into Unreal Engine. 

It’s worth noting that optimising 3D products for import and animation in Unreal Engine is not always a simple process at all. Depending on the amount of detail and motion required of the products along with their implementation with other objects within Unreal Engine this can be a very time consuming process switching between a dedicated 3D modelling software such as Cinema 4D or Blender, re exporting and importing into Unreal. 

Animation

Once all products were received and optimised for use in Unreal Engine animation of the rough versions, the animatic, could begin. The animatic is essentially how the final video will flow with cameras, shots in sequence and action, but rendered at a lower quality so we can all see the motion and movement but without waiting for high quality rendered sequences to export. 

The animatic doesn’t need to show final visuals at this stage so materials and lighting don’t need to be locked, although it does help to have a good idea of what these will be and have those looks reviewed and signed of with the client, still frames rather than full shots exported are a quick and efficient way to do this.

Once the looks, flow and action is all signed off in the animatic the final rendered shots can be exported. Ready for final delivery. 

Compositing and final delivery

Along with the animatic the music and sound design had been locked so at this stage it was a case of replacing the old sequences with the new and final compositing tweaks such as colour correction, masking and minor clean up.  

This particular project consisted of:

• Final video in 16:9 widescreen

• Final video in 9:16 vertical format

• Individual product renders for web page assets

• Pack shot showing all products installed on the Mercedes Sprinter

• 300 DPI print materials in CMYK for catalogues and POS requirement

Along with the deliverables for the client, the optimised web images meant they were able to provide a folder of assets to their distributors who could begin selling pre orders for the product on their websites.

The outcome was a streamlined product launch that allowed for teasing of the product online, client webpages and distributor websites to be populated to take pre orders and print materials to be circulated ahead of physical product.

"The Ventura Series Film helped us generate demand before the product even landed. We saw stronger distributor engagement, faster buying decisions, and a noticeably higher level of confidence in the product. It set a new benchmark for how we launch products."

Grant Fox, Head of Marketing, Scanstrut

Unreal Engines ability to render high quality visuals quickly, combined with a wealth of assets, environments and near limitless functionality and control has transformed our 3D animation workflow making it faster to deliver videos to our customers with a level of realism previously not feasible without using costly render farms to handle the output.

Get in touch with us if you want to know more about how we can get your products to market faster.

Get in touch