Role:
Unreal Engine Technical Artist · Cinematic Artist
Timeline:
Summer 2024 – Present

Project Overview
Wake of the Whale is a VR short film developed in Unreal Engine 5, portraying the emotional journey of a young whale calf and its mother as their underwater world becomes increasingly disrupted by human activities. The project combines cinematic storytelling with environmental simulation to depict oceanic life in a stylized yet impactful way. It is currently in development as part of a thesis project at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Responsibilities

• Developed immersive underwater environments and cinematic shots using Unreal Engine 5

• Built level layouts and environment compositions with custom foliage, lighting, and landscape shaders

• Keyframed sequences of whale movement and interaction in UE Sequencer

• Collaborated with the creative team to ensure smooth asset and animation integration into the VR pipeline

• Worked closely with the team on research and the implementation of environment and design systems