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Michael Ricks

Everything you'll learn in this course can be applied to Unreal Engine 5. 

You can even switch the layout of Unreal Engine 5 back to classic Unreal Engine 4 if you'd like to make it easier to follow along. 

Keep in mind that Unreal Engine 5 requires a powerful computer to run efficiently, so be sure that your computer is powerful enough to run the program.  Unreal Engine 4 runs much faster on less powerful computers, so many people are staying with this version until they can upgrade their machines.

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Everything you'll learn in this course can be applied to Unreal Engine 5. 

You can even switch the layout of Unreal Engine 5 back to classic Unreal Engine 4 if you'd like to make it easier to follow along. 

Keep in mind that Unreal Engine 5 requires a powerful computer to run efficiently, so be sure that your computer is powerful enough to run the program.  Unreal Engine 4 runs much faster on less powerful computers, so many people are staying with this version until they can upgrade their machines.

Unreal Engine has become a leading resource in the creation of games, animations, television shows and feature films.   In this course we will take the absolute beginner from knowing nothing about Unreal Engine 4 and 5  to a workable understanding of:

  • Scene setup

  • Importing assets & characters

  • Lighting setup

  • Basic material setup and application

  • The Sequencer (Unreal Engine's animation & editing timeline)

  • Setting up a simple animation

  • Importing audio into the Sequencer

  • Rendering your movie out to a movie file for further manipulation

. . "fantastic."  This course is as close to perfection as you can get. The instructor speaks slowly, with enthusiasm. He covers all the necessities without bogging you down with too much info. I love how he gets you having fun quickly with the Sequencer section. The audio is of great quality. His depth of knowledge in a variety of 3d packages is amazing. I am familiar with Daz 3d, Mixamo and Unreal but I learned so many great tips and discovered several things that I was doing incorrectly. I searched YouTube for Unreal Engine 4 sequencer tutorials and found none of them to be satisfactory. After ten minutes with this course, I was very confident with Sequencer. If you are interested in getting Daz 3d characters into Unreal, and a ton of tips and information on top of it, you do not want to miss out on this fantastic course." ~ J Jackson

What You Will Learn In This Course

In this course we will cover the  steps on how to animate your character in Unreal Engine.  This is a  project based course, and I’ve designed it to be really, really fun.   All the scene files you will need are included in the course.  You will  get the Exile Alien character along with 28 motion-capture animations  that work with him.  You’re going to love how easy it is - you just drag  and drop your character in the scene and it’s ready to go.

We’re also going to cover lighting, physically based materials, camera movement and much more.  Best of all it’s fun. 

DAZ Studio Export

We will cover how to prepare your Daz Genesis  character for export and animation.  There are certain steps that need  to be taken in order for the character to be able to accept  motion-capture animations in Mixamo and then imported into Unreal Engine.

Mixamo

(Note: Even though Mixamo discontinued direct support for Unreal Engine, this method works by exporting standard Fbx from Mixamo to Unreal Engine 4.)

Next, we’ll upload your character into Adobe Mixamo and add motion-capture animations.  Mixamo is a ton of fun, and super easy to  use as you’ll see.  There are literally thousands of animations in  Mixamo, and all you have to do is click on the animated preview and it  will be applied to your character.  So you’re basically auditioning your  character using different animations.   You can adjust the speed of the  animation, and adjust things like the arm spacing as well.  Your  character won’t have his materials or textures applied - we will do that  over in Unreal Engine.

Unreal Engine 4 - Drag and Drop Animation

Inside of Unreal Engine we will have some fun with the Mixamo  animations you applied to your character.  All you have to do is select  your character and drag him into your scene.  Hit play, and the  animation begins, being rendered in real-time.

An Army of Animated Aliens

Inside the course, there are 28 animated aliens, ready for you to  drag and drop into your Unreal Engine scene for instant animations.  In no time at  all, you’ll have your aliens fighting, jumping, running, or falling.   You’ll have enough animations to make some really awesome movie scenes. 

Unreal Engine Sequencer

Next up is the Unreal Engine Sequencer, which is very similar to a non-linear editor.  We will set up your scene, complete with spaceship  interior, Exile alien characters, lights, smoke effects and cameras and  get it ready for animation.  Sequencer makes it really fun to get your  scene set up and feels very similar to being on a real movie set.  In  fact, I’ve found that’s the best way to think about it - like you’re in  the real world.  Unreal Engine’s lighting system behaves like real world  lights, so it’s very responsive and intuitive, as you will see.

Exporting your video file - and rendering in near real time

Now we will export your movie in high-definition... in near  real time.  No longer does it take hours  or days to render a single frame.  This is a real game changer.  Imagine  being able to setup, animate and then render 1 minute of finished  animation per day...it would be entirely possible to complete a  2 hour  feature film in 120 days.  Unreal Engine has provided the tools to make  this possible some day.

HITFILM Express

We will then take our rendered video file and bring it into HitFilm  Express, or your favorite video editing program. There we will add color  grading, music, sound effects and fine tune our edits to prepare our  scene for final output.

Your finished High-Definition Scene

By the end of the course you will have completed your own animation  scene from beginning to end and have a good understanding of Unreal  Engine's animation workflow.

Go ahead and click on the enroll now button to get immediate access  to your scene files and get started right away.   

To recap, you’ll get:

  • The Exile Alien Character along with 28 motion-capture animations

  • The complete Unreal Engine 4 project with all assets

  • The Genesis 2 Male and Female characters

  • Complete sci-fi spaceship interior

  • Best of all, it’s fun 

    See you on the inside

In this course we will go over the simple techniques that unlock the little known animation powers inside of Unreal Engine.  By using the high quality Daz 3d characters, you will learn how to export any morph targets you'd like from Daz Studio and then utilize them inside of Unreal Engine.  (Note: Even though there is a Daz to Unreal Bridge there are some issues with it and its good to learn how to do this manually as discussed in this course)

  No more slow, sluggish systems that cramp your style and hinder your animation creativity.  Unreal Engine is a breeze to use, and best of all ... it's fun.  When you're ready to export your animation to an image sequence for later compositing or to a video file, you will be able to render your animation out in near real time. 

  Inspired by the characters from the hit film 'The Incredibles,' Super Dude comes fully rigged with a ton of facial morphs.  You'll have an absolute blast right away when you start sliding around the controls and see what hilarious expressions you can make with him.  He also comes with the phoneme mouth shapes for accurate lip sync punctuation. Super Dude is based on the Daz 3d Genesis 8 character. 

  • Wendy - this cute Toon girl character is also an original creation by Michael Ricks and was sculpted in ZBrush, based on the Daz 3d Genesis 3 character.  She also comes with many facial morph and expression controls and will immediately come alive for you in Unreal Engine 4.  With her big expressive eyes, you will have her emoting in no time at all.

  • Lil' Frankenstein - this Toon character was also created by Michael Ricks in ZBrush and is based on the Daz 3d Genesis 3 character.  Frankie comes with a wide array facial morphs and can create many emotions.  You'll have tons of fun with Lil' Frankenstein all year around, not just on Halloween.

  • Billy - also created and sculpted in ZBrush by Michael Ricks, this Toon boy character is based on the Daz 3d Genesis character and comes with a wide variety of facial morphs.  You'll have a blast animating Billy.

  • Epic Robot - this way cool robot character is created by Epic Games for the hit VR game Robot Recall.  He's a stunning 3d character asset and really fun to animate.  He comes with an included animation and sound wave 'roar' so you'll have him up and running right away.

   If you desire to use the characters in an actual game as a playable character you will need to purchase an interactive license from Daz 3d as these characters are based on the Genesis models.  At this time, game licenses are running approximately $30-$50 per character for a published game.

"The course is well organized and it's a good beginner course. I would recommend this for anybody wanting to learn the basics of unreal  engine 4 cloth simulation." ~Robert S

"There is essential info concerning clothes in Unreal Engine 4. I had issues about a character and asked help to Michael. His dedication to help you solve your issues is amazing. 5 stars, and I go to follow his other courses. Thanks again Michael for your professionalism." ~Luter L

Once a very difficult task, the folks at Epic Games have made this process a lot easier and actually FUN to do, right inside of Unreal Engine 4.

  You will learn how to use the wind tool inside of Unreal Engine 4 to get your character's clothing to blow in the wind. (This is a little known feature)

Best of all, the process is simple, and anyone can do it once they follow the steps. 

  This is one of the hidden features of Unreal Engine 4 that few have figured out how to use.  It's amazingly powerful - you're going to love it.

 

  See you on the inside

IMPORTANT:  Everything you'll learn in this course can be applied to the new releases of Character Creator 4 and iClone 8. 

In this course you will learn one of the most powerful animation workflows available today -

Reallusion's Character Creator 3, iClone 7 and Unreal Engine 

  • Learn how to create an original 3D Character in Character Creator 3

  • Learn how to send your character to iClone 7 ready for animation

  • Learn how to pose and animate your character in iClone 7

  • Learn how to perform facial animation and lip sync with your character

  • Discover how to use powerful tools such as Motion Puppet, Direct Puppet and Face Puppet

  • You will learn how to record your animations for later use on other characters

  • You will learn how to render and export your video from iClone 7

  • You will learn how to use "Live-Link" to send your character to Unreal Engine for animation and scene setup

  • You will learn how to setup your scene in Unreal Engine and record the animation there

You will also learn how to setup and use the amazing Live Face App for iPhone X, 11, or 12 to create high quality lip sync and facial animations. 

You're going to love how intuitive and simple it is to create your very own custom character in Character Creator 3. In no time at all you will be creating broadcast and film quality characters that are rigged and ready to animate in iClone 7.   You will learn how to apply mocap animations to your character and adjust the animation to your liking - all within iClone 7.

After that you will discover the powerful workflow of sending your character and animation to Unreal Engine, using Live-Link, and then record your animation inside of Unreal Engine in real-time.

And the best part?  It's fun. Now is the perfect time to jump in and learn this powerful workflow that will assist you in bringing your creative vision to life.

99 in the Unreal Engine Marketplace.

Even with the introduction of the new Epic Control Rig, I have found the Allright Rig to be a very helpful tool.  It's an all in one tool, where you can rig your character's body and facial morphs, so it is ready for animation in Sequencer.

Finally. The Holy Grail of animation (Lip Synch animation) can be done inside of Unreal Engine 4 with the new plugin "Allright Rig 2.0" created by Alexander Shatalov. 

  • Complete Unreal Engine 4 Scene File

  • Allright Rig 1.3 (free version)

  • "Dweller" creature character, fully rigged (created by Josh P. Crockett)

  • Presets for Genesis, Genesis 2, Genesis 3, & Genesis 8 characters

  • Complete video instruction (over 3.5 hours) on how to rig and animate your character - from beginning to end

No longer do you need to purchase expensive programs such as Maya and 3ds Max to animate your characters - now you can achieve stunning quality with the powerful combination of Daz Studio, Unreal Engine and Allright Rig 2.0

Here is some additional information about the plugin:

  • Modular rigging system allows you to create any kind of rigs.

  • Facial rigging using bones and blend shapes.

  • Baking animation from an animation sequence to the rig and vise versa.

  • Partial animation editing.

  • Pose library.

  • Copy/paste, mirror animation using animation tools.

  • Animation constraints such as parent, point, orient, scale and aim.

  • Animation curve filters such as butterworth, peak removal, simplify curve.

  • Custom Blueprint library.

  • Presets for different character rigs.

  • Open source.

See you on the inside.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • You will learn how to download & install your personal free copy of unreal engine
  • You will learn how to create your first unreal engine scene
  • You will learn how to import assets to the unreal engine
  • You will learn how to apply materials to your imported asset
  • You will learn how to light a scene - in just a few simple steps
  • You will learn how to create an animation sequence and add your assets to the sequence
  • You will learn how to create a simple animation - ready to render in high-definition video
  • You will learn how to export your scene out to a video file, ready for further manipulation
  • You will learn how to create a stunning cinematic animation scene in unreal engine, from beginning to end
  • You will learn how to create the scene in the "preview this course" video, step-by-step
  • You will receive all scene files including alien character, male & female characters, spaceship interior & music
  • Learn the benefits of "real-time rendering and animation" - a true game changer in the industry
  • You will learn how to export a genesis character from daz studio, and import it to mixamo to prepare for animation
  • Learn how to export the character and animations from mixamo and then import them to unreal engine 4
  • You will learn how to use realistic pbr (physically based rendering) materials in your scene to give ultra realism
  • You will learn how to create smooth camera moves inside unreal engine 4, giving your scene a professional cinematic look and feel
  • You will learn how to color grade your scene with hitfilm express ( a free video editing program) and upload your finished scene to youtube
  • You will get a tutorial on how to use unreal engine 4's "decals" which will give your scene a new level of realism
  • The complete unreal engine scene file ready to go out-of-the-box
  • A really cool toon house to use in your scenes created by michael ricks ($25.00 value)
  • Four (4) rigged daz original toon characters included with the course created by michael ricks ($60.00 retail value)
  • Rigged robot character included in course (compliments of epic games)
  • You will learn how to create high quality facial animations & more
  • Learn how to export morph targets (expressions) out of daz studio and bring them into unreal engine 4
  • Create high quality blink animations, the basis for realistic characters
  • Animate side-to-side and up & down eye movements for believable characters
  • Animate mouth movements and mouth expressions.
  • Animate head movements with the little known animation tools within unreal engine 4
  • Create believable, expressive expressions, right within unreal engine 4
  • Includes the incredibly detailed paragon sevarog and paragon narbash fully rigged characters
  • You will learn how to use the incredibly fun and powerful cloth tools in unreal engine in a few easy steps
  • You will learn the easy, simple steps to create real-time cloth animation inside of unreal engine 4
  • You will learn how to use physics assets in unreal engine 4 that will interact with cloth and clothing
  • No additional software programs are needed to achieve cloth simulation & animation other than unreal engine
  • You will learn how to create an "animation asset" from your cloth and physics character setup
  • Use your characters in games, film, television and commercials
  • Easy and fun - once you know the simple steps
  • You will learn how to jump into iclone 7 and get a fast start to animating your characters
  • Learn how to create an original 3d character in character creator 3
  • Learn how to send your character to iclone 7 ready for animation
  • Learn how to pose and animate your character in iclone 7
  • Learn how to perform facial animation and lip sync with your character
  • Discover how to use powerful tools such as motion puppet, direct puppet and face puppet
  • You willyou will learn how to render and export your video from iclone 7 learn how to record your animations for later use on other characters
  • You will learn how to use "live-link" to send your character to unreal engine for animation and scene setup
  • You will learn how to setup your scene in unreal engine and record the animation there
  • You will be able to rig and animate a character in unreal engine 4 using the allright rig plugin and output your animations to video
  • You will receive the creature "the dweller" by josh p. crockett - fully rigged and ready to animate
  • Course includes the full unreal engine 4.17 scene - setup and ready to go! (v 4.17 required for the free version of allright rig 1.3)
  • Ue4 scene contains allright rig 1.3 (free version) installed
  • Full step-by-step instructions on how to setup your characters with allright rig 2.0
  • Instructions on how to prepare your characters for rigging in allright rig 2.0
  • Allright rig 2.0 presets for daz characters: genesis, genesis 2, genesis 3, genesis 8
  • Allright rig 2.0 presets for paragon characters: shinbi and dekker
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Syllabus

Introduction: Let's begin - off we go to a quick start

In this course, you will learn the basics of Character Animation in Unreal Engine.  Included will be a fully rigged alien character, along with over 20 Mixamo animations for your use as you learn how to animate your character in the Sequencer.  Also included is the full spaceship interior set, ready for your use.  All of this can be found in the included Unreal Engine Project file.

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Learn how to create expressive facial animations using key frame animation inside of Unreal Engine. Unreal Engine Project included, with fully rigged original characters ready for animation.

Unreal Engine has AMAZING cloth simulation, physics and animation capabilities built into the engine, and in this course you will learn the step-by-step method to achieving high level realism for your cinematics and gameplay.

IMPORTANT:  Everything you'll learn in this course can be applied to the new releases of Character Creator 4 and iClone 8. 

In this course you will learn one of the most powerful animation workflows available today - Reallusion's Character Creator 3, iClone 7 and Unreal Engine

  • Learn how to create an original 3D Character in Character Creator 3

  • Learn how to send your character to iClone 7 ready for animation

  • Learn how to pose and animate your character in iClone 7

  • Learn how to perform facial animation and lip sync with your character

  • Discover how to use powerful tools such as Motion Puppet, Direct Puppet and Face Puppet

  • You will learn how to record your animations for later use on other characters

  • You will learn how to render and export your video from iClone 7

  • You will learn how to use "Live-Link" to send your character to Unreal Engine for animation and scene setup

  • You will learn how to setup your scene in Unreal Engine and record the animation there

You will also learn how to setup and use the amazing LIVE Face App for iPhone X, 11, or 12 to create high quality lip sync and facial animations.

You're going to love how intuitive and simple it is to create your very own custom character in Character Creator 3! In no time at all you will be creating broadcast and film quality characters that are rigged and ready to animate in iClone 7.   You will learn how to apply mocap animations to your character and adjust the animation to your liking - all within iClone 7.

In this lecture you will learn where and how to get your very own copy of Unreal Engine at no charge. This amazing program used to cost over $10,000 a few short years ago, and then Epic Games decided to make it available to both professionals and newcomers alike free of charge.


If you make a video game with Unreal Engine and publish it you will only pay 5% royalties when your gross lifetime revenues from that product exceed $1 million USD.  A very generous arrangement.


If you use Unreal Engine to make cinematics, tv commercials, 3d animation, feature films and product development there are NO ROYALTIES to pay whatsoever.  Epic Games is a very generous company and fully supports developers, artists and filmmakers.

If you are new to Unreal Engine, you are in for a treat.

The Epic Launcher will be your hub for all things Unreal Engine.  It's where you will most conveniently access your Unreal Engine projects, Marketplace Assets, Learning Resources and more!  A very powerful tool.

We are going to jump right in and get a fast start to your first project in Unreal Engine.  Follow along with the step-by-step instructions and you'll be up and running in no time.

In this section you will quickly learn your way around Unreal Engine's "Levels." Also referred to as a "Map," the Level is where you will create your scene.

In this lecture will learn how to create and organize folders in your project.  Setting up your project with organization will save you much time later on, and make your experience more enjoyable, since you won't have to spend so much time looking for assets.

Saving your level is VERY important, as you know - so you don't lose your hard earned work.  Nothing stings worse than working for hours and then having a crash and losing all your work.

This tip will save you tons of time as you use Unreal Engine.  The "G" hotkey on your keyboard is one you will want to commit to memory as soon as possible.

Using different viewports, or a combination of viewports in Unreal Engine can be a real time saver and also make your scene setup more enjoyable.  Here you will learn how to setup different viewport options.

Knowing how to dock and undock windows and re-arrange your workspace can make your Unreal Engine experience a LOT more enjoyable and effective.

These keyboard hotkeys are going to help you enjoy working with Unreal Engine immensely, so be sure to take the time to learn them and commit them to memory.  You won't be sorry, trust me.

In this section you will learn the simple and easy drag and drop steps to creating walls and rooms in Unreal Engine

In this lecture we will drag and drop some walls into the scene and build a simple room.

Adding materials to meshes or objects is a breeze!  It's just a simple drag and drop, much like we created the walls and room.  Not only is it simple and straightforward, it's downright FUN.

In this lecture we will take a quick look at how Materials are created in Unreal Engine.  This will just be an overview, and we will tackle Material setup and creation later on in the course.

In this section you will learn the different types of lights there are in Unreal Engine, how to set them up, and how to create a beautiful cinematic scene

We will begin by deleting all lights so we can start with a black scene with no lighting at all.  Then we will add lights, and learn how to use the settings that come with each light.

If you are having a problem getting your scene completely black?

Contact shadows are going to help you create a very realistic scene, especially when it involves characters.  Have you ever noticed where a 3D character's feet seem to be floating on top of the floor or ground?  This is because contact shadows is not being used.  Contact shadows will plant your characters feet firmly on the ground and it will look the way it is supposed to look. 

Point lights are one of the most useful lights in Unreal Engine.  They can be used to light large areas, or all the way down to a character's "eye light" to bring a character to life.  They also convincingly  throw light like light bulbs, lamps, street lights and other lights in the real world.

Oh, you're going to love spotlights in Unreal Engine. They work very much like real world spotlights with easy to use controls to adjust width, throw length, softness and color.

Rectangle lights are one of my favorite lighting tools in Unreal Engine.  It casts a very realistic light and can be from above, below or the side.  It's like a soft box light in the real world and has barn doors to adjust the control of the light. 

In this lecture you're going to create a cinematic lighting setup using the different lights you've learned about.  In just a few minutes you'll have a moody scene, just by dragging some lights around.  Really powerful and really FUN.

The Sphere Reflection Capture is the Magic Ball of Unreal Engine.  Through some behind-the-scenes coding magic, it creates realistic reflections on the shiny surfaces of your character and in your scene.

The Skylight is a powerful feature that can give your scenes added realism. You will learn how to use HDRI Images (High Dynamic Range Images) along with the Skylight to make your scene look even better.  HDRI Images use the light in the image to cast into your scene and can be a quick way to light a scene even without any other lighting.  You're going to love it.

In this lecture we're going to create the sky.  You'll learn where to find the sky asset in the Engine Content of your Unreal Engine project, and how to place it into your scene and make adjustments to it. 

In this section you will learn how to use the atmospheric effects in Unreal Engine such as "atmospheric fog, exponential height fog, god rays, and particle effects!"

Atmospheric Fog is one of the things that make your scene realistic and believable.  Notice how things get hazy in the distance and tend to turn a blueish color in real life?  That's what Atmospheric Fog will achieve for you in Unreal Engine.

Exponential Height Fog is one of my favorite things in Unreal Engine.  This tool allows you to add a misty fog effect to your scene.  In this lecture you will learn how to use this tool and adjusts it's parameters so you can have a slight fog effect or a "horror story" type fog effect, complete with changing the color of the fog itself.

Light shafts coming through windows, doors, ceilings, or cracks in walls are known as "God Rays," and add deep beauty to your scenes.  In this lecture you will learn how to setup lights so that they will become light shafts.  You will add "bloom" to the lights and "lens flares" as well.  When the camera moves through your scene, the "God Ray Light Shafts" will react and change with the movement - a very cool effect.

Unreal Engine's Particle System is really amazing. Once setup, you simply drag and drop them into your scene and position them where you want.  Need some smoke and fire?  No problem.  The Starter Content built into the project has what you need and is just a click away.

In this section you will learn how to create your very own cinematics using what you've previously learned in Unreal Engine, and output it to video

Building on what you've learned so far, you will create a brand new Level and add "Manny," the Epic Mannequin to the scene.

This is the scene you will be creating using the HDRI Image as a backdrop and lighting, complete with two camera shots (different views) and camera movements.  In this scene you will also be creating Depth-of-Field, so the background will be thrown out of focus. 

In this lecture we will import and setup a beautiful HDRI Image (High Dynamic Range Image) that will be used to create a real world lighting setup.  You're going to be amazed at how good this looks.

Next, we're going to add a Cinematic Camera to your scene.  The Unreal Engine Cinematic Camera is such a powerful, easy to use tool and mimics a real world physical camera in many ways as you will see.

The Level Sequence, not to be confused with the Level, or MAP, is more like a cinematic sequence where you choose which items in your scene are going to be animated. Here you will learn how to setup this powerful feature, and how to animate characters, cameras, lights and more.

Next, we are going to add our "Manny" character to our scene, along with an animation we will apply to him.  Again, using the Unreal Engine simple drag and drop method, we will accomplish some major things with little effort.

The Unreal Engine Cinematic Camera is an amazing tool.  It works very much like a real-world professional film camera, as you will see.  In this lecture, we will be adjusting settings such as Sensor Width and Height in order to give us a wide-screen image - a very cinematic look.   We will also learn the simple and powerful technique of moving our camera in the scene while seeing the image move in our preview window.  You're going to be amazed at the straightforward approach this is, as you create your cinematic.

Unreal Engine's cinematic camera includes a depth of field feature, which allows users to simulate the way a camera lens focuses on a particular subject in the scene while blurring the background or foreground. This can be used to direct the viewer's attention to a specific element in the scene and create a more realistic, film-like appearance. Depth of field can be controlled by adjusting the focus distance, aperture, and focal length of the virtual camera, allowing users to fine-tune the amount of blur and the depth range that is in focus, and in this lecture you will learn how to accomplish this.

Unreal Engine's camera movement feature allows users to control the movement and positioning of the virtual camera within a scene. This can be used to create dynamic and varied camera angles, shots, and compositions that help tell the story or convey a certain mood or atmosphere. Users can move the camera using a variety of techniques, such as keyframing, spline-based paths, or physics-based simulation. The camera can be set to follow a specific object or character, or it can be manually controlled by the user through input from a game controller or other device. Additionally, the camera can be set to automatically pan, tilt, or zoom based on certain conditions or events within the scene, allowing for more dynamic and immersive camera work.

Next we'll add a 2nd cinematic camera so we can get a different angle on the action. Later we will be using this 2nd shot when we cut together our scene in the editing program.

One of the most important things to learn is how to export your cinematic to a video file. In this lecture we will cover important things to prepare for this such as production settings, and video settings (Standard Def, High Def, even 8K if you wish).  After this you will be able to easily share your video to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or wherever you wish.

In this lecture we will be exporting Shot A and Shot B, and saving the video files for further editing and color grading.

In this section you will learn how to assemble your Unreal Engine cinematic and color grade the footage

In this lecture we will go over where to get your personal FREE copy of HitFilm Express.

HitFilm Express is a free video editing program that is well-suited for both amateur and professional users. It offers a wide range of features and tools that allow users to create high-quality videos, including support for 4K resolution, a wide range of effects and filters, and powerful compositing capabilities. The program includes a user-friendly interface with a timeline-based workflow, allowing users to easily import and arrange their media, add effects and transitions, and fine-tune the final result. HitFilm Express also includes tools for color grading, audio editing, and 3D object manipulation, making it a versatile and comprehensive solution for video editing needs. In addition to its basic features, HitFilm Express also offers a range of optional add-ons and plugins that can further enhance its capabilities.

Next we will edit our shots and color grade our footage with HitFilm Express.

HitFilm Express includes a comprehensive set of color grading tools that allow users to adjust and enhance the color palette of their videos. The program includes a color correction panel with sliders for adjusting the levels of hue, saturation, and luminance for individual color channels, as well as a range of color grading presets and looks that can be applied to the entire image or specific regions. In addition to basic color adjustments, HitFilm Express also includes features for working with color curves, color wheels, and color keys, allowing users to fine-tune the color balance and create specific color effects. The program also includes a HSL keyer that allows users to isolate and adjust the colors of specific objects or areas within the frame, making it easier to achieve a cohesive and polished look for the final video.

In this section you will find the important links to where you can download a ton of Daz 3d Character Bundles and Assets

This lecture will give you the very important links to attain your own DAZ 3D Genesis, Genesis 2, Genesis 3 and Genesis 8 characters and assets.  These asset packs contain a huge selection of things you will want to use in your future projects and animations - all free.

In this section we will cover what you will learn in the following lessons

This is a project based section, and I’ve designed it to be really, really fun!  All the scene files you will need are included.  You will get the Exile Alien character along with 28 motion-capture animations that work with him.  You’re going to love how easy it is - you just drag and drop your character in the scene and it’s ready to go.

We’re also going to cover lighting, physically based materials, camera movement and much more.  Best of all it’s fun. 

DAZ Studio Export

The first thing we’ll cover is how to prepare your DAZ Genesis character for export and animation.  There are certain steps that need to be taken in order for the character to be able to accept motion-capture animations in Mixamo.

Mixamo

Next, we’ll upload your character into Adobe Mixamo and add motion-capture animations.  Mixamo is a ton of fun, and super easy to use as you’ll see.  There are literally thousands of animations in Mixamo, and all you have to do is click on the animated preview and it will be applied to your character.  So you’re basically auditioning your character using different animations.   You can adjust the speed of the animation, and adjust things like the arm spacing as well.  Your character won’t have his materials or textures applied - we will do that over in Unreal Engine 4.

Unreal Engine 4 - Drag and Drop Animation
Inside of Unreal Engine we will have some fun with the Mixamo animations you applied to your character.  All you have to do is select your character and drag him into your scene.  Hit play, and the animation begins, being rendered in real-time.


An Army of Animated Aliens
Inside the course, I’ve set up 28 animated aliens, ready for you to drag and drop into your scene for instant animations!  In no time at all, you’ll have your aliens fighting, jumping, running, or falling.  You’ll have enough animations to make some really awesome movie scenes!  Take a look at all these animations that are included with the course.

Unreal Engine Sequencer
Next up is the Unreal Engine Sequencer, which is very similar to a non-linear editor.  We will set up your scene, complete with spaceship interior, Exile alien characters, lights, smoke effects and cameras and get it ready for animation.  Sequencer makes it really fun to get your scene set up and feels very similar to being on a real movie set.  In fact, I’ve found that’s the best way to think about it - like you’re in the real world.  Unreal Engine’s lighting system behaves like real world lights, so it’s very responsive and intuitive, as you will see.


Exporting your video file - and rendering in near real time
Now we’re going to export your movie in high-definition... in near real time.  No longer does it take hours or days to render a single frame.  This is a real game changer.  Imagine being able to setup, animate and then render 1 minute of finished animation per day...it would be entirely possible to complete a  2 hour feature film in 120 days. Unreal Engine has provided the tools to make this possible some day.


HitFilm Express
We now take our rendered video file and bring it into HitFilm3 Express, or your favorite video editing program. Here we will add color grading, music, sound effects and fine tune our edits to prepare our scene for final output.


Your finished High-Definition Scene
By the end of the course you will have completed your own animation scene from beginning to end and have a good understanding of Unreal Engine 4's workflow.

To recap, you’ll get:

  • 28 motion-capture animations

  • The complete Unreal Engine 4 project with all assets

  • The Exile Alien Character

  • The Genesis 2 Male and Female characters

  • Complete spaceship interior

  • Best of all, it’s FUN!  See you on the inside

In this lecture you will create your very own Unreal Engine Cinematic using the really cool Exile Alien character created by the talented Josh Crockett, inside of an alien spaceship.  You'll set up lights, characters, animations and camera moves and then render it out to video so you can share with your family and friends.

The course comes with all Unreal Engine scene files, Exile Alien and Spaceship Interior.

Next you'll download the needed programs for this lecture: DAZ Studio Pro, Unreal Engine and HitFilm Express - all FREE

Download and open the Unreal Engine project file

Included here is your complete Unreal Engine 4.27 Project file which includes the interior Spaceship scene, Exile Alien, 28 Mixamo Motion-Capture animations, SciFi Warrior Girl and much more. 

The file size is large, almost 1 GB, so plan for the download time and space on your computer.

In this section you will open up the Unreal Engine 4 Spaceship Project and have some fun with drag-and-drop animation
Getting around Unreal Engine 4 - A quick tour of the basics of getting around

One of the best ways to learn Unreal Engine is to just jump right in. In this lecture you're going to learn how to drag and drop the Alien character into the scene, along with his animation.

High Definition Video Of Your Practice Scene

In this lecture you will learn how to setup your camera to produce a depth of field effect with your foreground character in sharp focus and your background out of focus for a truly cinematic look. 

Depth of field with the Unreal Engine Cinematic Camera works very much like a real world camera with settings such as focal length, sensor height and width (for a widescreen look), and aperture settings.  These settings take effect in real time, so you can immediately see what you are creating.  You'll learn to use all these settings to achieve whatever look you desire.

In this section you will learn how to prepare your Daz Genesis characters for export to Unreal Engine

Genesis 2 characters are the easiest to export into Unreal Engine, and there is a huge selection of characters and assets to choose from in the DAZ3D store. In this lecture you will learn how to export  your Genesis 2 character ready for import into Mixamo, then to Unreal Engine.

Why Genesis Characters?

  • High quality, affordable models - the base model is free from DAZ 3d

  • Huge content library of affordable characters based on the Genesis base model

  • Easier than creating a character from scratch in Maya or other 3d software package

In this course we will be using the free Genesis 2  and Genesis 3 Male and Female characters, because they interface very well with both Mixamo and Unreal Engine 4.  Later in the course we will cover Genesis 8.

Genesis 3 characters are really high quality and there is a large quantity of characters to choose from.  In this lecture we will cover the steps to export your character from DAZ Studio, then into Mixamo for applying animations, and then lastly into Unreal Engine. 

Important Update: DAZ no longer offers the SciFi interior for download, but the SciFi Interior is already loaded and ready to go in your Unreal Engine Project file. 

If you wish to substitute another free DAZ asset, feel free to do so as you follow along in this tutorial, as the steps will be the same.

How to export the new Genesis 8 Characters

DAZ 3D recently introduced the latest generation of characters - the Genesis 8 characters.  These are the most advanced characters to date and you will be able to export them, upload them to Mixamo for motion-capture animations and then import them into Unreal Engine. This video explains the process step-by-step. 

Also included is a detailed PDF resource on how to export Genesis 8 for use in Mixamo for you to download and use.

An introduction to the Mixamo animation website, where you'll learn how to apply motion-capture animations to your character

Adobe Mixamo is an amazing free resource and will give you access to thousands of animations.  Whatever you may need - idle animations, walk animations, dance animations, fighting animations and tons more. You're going to absolutely love Mixamo.

In this lecture we will go through the steps of importing your Genesis 2 character into Mixamo and adding animations.  We will then export the animations ready for importing into Unreal Engine.

In this lecture we will go through the steps of importing your Genesis 3 character into Mixamo and adding animations.  We will then export the animations ready for importing into Unreal Engine.

In this section you will learn how to setup, light and animate a scene in Unreal Engine

UPDATE: The Warrior Girl character is already included in your Unreal Engine Project, so use the default Genesis 2 character that you downloaded from DAZ 3D instead, and follow along step-by-step.

Using the fun and effective drag and drop method, you will setup your Alien Spaceship Interior Scene.

In this lecture we will learn how to set up:

  • Volumetric Fog

  • Exponential Height Fog

  • Bloom

  • Lens Flares

These lighting effects will help to achieve a dramatic mood for your scene

Again, with drag and drop simplicity we will add some alien creature characters to the spaceship interior and position them under the spotlights.  We will also add animations to the characters, so they move realistically. 

Using the particle effects that come with the Starter Content we will:

  • Create Fire

  • Create Smoke

  • Create Steam

We will then position these effects in our scene to create a moody atmosphere.

These animated particle effects are already built and are drag-and-drop ready

The Unreal Engine Sequencer is a fun and powerful tool that you will soon grow to love!  Much like a non-linear editing timeline, the Sequencer is where you will add all your assets that you wish to animate and will control the outcome; all your cameras, characters, lights, particle effects and audio, etc - the Sequencer is where everything will come together for your cinematics.

In this lecture we are going to create a 2nd Cinematic Camera, add it to the Sequencer and add movement to it.  This will be an "over the shoulder" shot - looking over the Alien's shoulder that is high up on the scaffolding and down toward the ground below.   Then the camera will track down to ground level and move toward the other aliens.

In this lecture we're going to be completing our final shot and we're also going to be covering a few additional items here:

We're going to go over Reflection Capture Spheres and how those work to help achieve greater realism in our shot.

Next we're going to go over the Depth of Field focus technique.

Finally, we're going to cover how to tilt the camera during the camera movement and then build our lighting to make sure our lighting is built and all lights are rendering correctly.

In this section you will learn how to use the fun and powerful FREE video editing program called HitFilm Express, and will edit your three spaceship shots together and then color grade them

In this lecture we are going to import our three shots into HitFilm Express, or your favorite  video editing program.   We will assemble the shots and then color grade them using some of the tools available in the program.

In this lecture we are going to learn how to color grade our footage in HitFilm Express and prepare the video for export.

In this section you will get a FAST START to creating materials in Unreal Engine

In this video we're going to cover how to add the materials to the Genesis 8 character (or Genesis 3) that you imported, and create materials from scratch in the Unreal Engine Material Editor.

Epic Games has made their Paragon Game characters available to use free of charge (as long as you use them in Unreal Engine projects). Over 12 million dollars worth of assets are yours free
Free Paragon Assets Released

Some awesome things are being created in Unreal Engine and in this lecture we will see some behind the scenes footage of Zootopia, and HellBlade, Senua's Sacrifice.

This informative video will give you a glimpse of what lies ahead as you move into Unreal Engine 5! 

This section includes very helpful PDF step-by-step instructions that you can view and print out to use as helpful cheat sheets as you create your Unreal Engine Projects

Here is a PDF with some handy quick start tips and keyboard shortcuts that you will find useful. 

How to prepare your Genesis 3 characters for Mixamo & Unreal Engine

Decals are a very powerful tool in Unreal Engine.  This simple tutorial will walk you through the steps to create your own decals that you can use to "dirty up" or break up tileable textures and patterns.  You will find this to be very helpful as you create environments in Unreal Engine.

How To Apply Root Animation To Your Characters

Here are the steps to take to get your Genesis 8 Characters into Mixamo, then to Unreal Engine in a convenient downloadable PDF file.  I'm also putting it here as well for your convenience to read right now. 

Here's What's Coming Up Next
In this section you will learn how to export DAZ Genesis characters with facial morphs and expressions and import them into Unreal Engine for animation

In this section of the course you will learn the step-by-step process of exporting your DAZ Genesis Character with it's full facial morphs and expressions and then importing your character into Unreal Engine for animation.  Also included with the course and to be used in this section are 4 custom characters, fully rigged and ready for animation.

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Learning Unreal Engine: From Beginner To Advanced with these activities:
Review Basic 3D Modeling Concepts
Reinforce foundational knowledge of 3D modeling principles to better understand asset creation and manipulation within Unreal Engine.
Browse courses on 3D Modeling
Show steps
  • Review the principles of polygon modeling.
  • Familiarize yourself with common 3D modeling terms.
  • Practice basic modeling exercises in a free software.
Read 'Mastering Unreal Engine'
Gain a deeper understanding of Unreal Engine's capabilities and workflows through a comprehensive guide.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Mastering Unreal Engine'.
  • Read the chapters relevant to scene setup and animation.
  • Experiment with the techniques described in the book.
Practice Lighting Setups
Improve proficiency in lighting techniques by experimenting with different light types and settings within Unreal Engine.
Show steps
  • Create a new Unreal Engine project.
  • Experiment with point lights, spotlights, and rectangle lights.
  • Adjust light intensity, color, and shadow settings.
  • Replicate lighting setups from reference images.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Study 'Unreal Engine 5 Character Creation'
Enhance character creation skills by studying a dedicated resource on character modeling, rigging, and animation within Unreal Engine.
Show steps
  • Acquire a copy of 'Unreal Engine 5 Character Creation'.
  • Focus on chapters related to rigging and animation.
  • Apply the book's techniques to your own character projects.
Create a Short Animated Scene
Solidify understanding of animation principles and Sequencer by creating a short, self-directed animated scene.
Show steps
  • Plan a short scene with a simple narrative.
  • Import or create necessary assets.
  • Animate characters and cameras using Sequencer.
  • Add lighting and visual effects.
  • Render and share the final animation.
Follow Advanced Sequencer Tutorials
Refine Sequencer skills by following advanced tutorials that cover complex animation and cinematic techniques.
Show steps
  • Search for advanced Sequencer tutorials online.
  • Follow the tutorial step-by-step.
  • Adapt the techniques to your own projects.
Develop a Short Film
Apply all learned skills to create a short film using Unreal Engine, encompassing scene setup, animation, lighting, and rendering.
Show steps
  • Develop a script and storyboard.
  • Create or acquire necessary assets.
  • Build the scenes within Unreal Engine.
  • Animate characters and cameras.
  • Add lighting, visual effects, and sound.
  • Render and edit the final film.

Career center

Learners who complete Learning Unreal Engine: From Beginner To Advanced will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Animator
An animator brings characters and objects to life through movement and visual storytelling. This course, focusing on Unreal Engine, provides a great entry point for animators looking to leverage real-time rendering for faster feedback and iteration. Students can learn to set up scenes, import assets and characters, create animations using the Sequencer, and render high-definition video. Aspiring animators learn to use the Unreal Engine's animation workflow, animate characters, and create scenes and short films. With this new arsenal, the animator will be able to improve and refine their craft.
Virtual Production Artist
A virtual production artist uses real-time rendering and virtual environments to create film and television content. This course is highly relevant, as it covers scene setup, asset importing, lighting, material setup, and animation within Unreal Engine. The virtual production artist can apply their skills to animation and editing timelines. The course also covers rendering movies to video files, a critical skill for virtual production. Virtual production artists seeking to create high-quality content should give this course a try.
Game Designer
A game designer conceptualizes and designs the gameplay, rules, storytelling, and overall experience of a video game. This course allows game designers to learn the fundamentals of Unreal Engine, a leading engine in the gaming industry. The game designer can use scene setup, asset importing, lighting, and animation techniques taught in this course to prototype game environments and create compelling gameplay sequences. This course can help a game designer bring their creative visions to life and create more engaging games.
Motion Graphics Designer
Motion graphics designers create animated graphics and visual effects for various media, including commercials, films, and television. This course is directly applicable to motion graphics, as it teaches animation, scene setup, and rendering in Unreal Engine. The motion graphics designer can apply the skills learned to create visually stunning and dynamic motion graphics sequences. This course may be particularly beneficial, as it covers the Sequencer, Unreal Engine's animation and editing timeline.
3D Generalist
A 3D generalist is a versatile artist who can handle various aspects of 3D content creation, including modeling, texturing, lighting, animation, and rendering. This course provides a solid foundation in several of these areas within Unreal Engine. By learning scene setup, asset importing, material setup, and animation, the 3D generalist can broaden their skill set and contribute to a wider range of projects. This course equips 3D generalists with the skills needed to create high-quality 3D content in Unreal Engine.
Technical Artist
A technical artist bridges the gap between artists and programmers, creating tools and workflows to improve content creation pipelines. This course provides a strong understanding of Unreal Engine's capabilities, especially regarding animation, scene setup, and rendering. The technical artist can use this knowledge to develop efficient workflows for artists and optimize scenes for performance. The technical artist may find the sections on asset importing and material setup particularly relevant.
Character Artist
A character artist specializes in creating 3D models of characters for games, film, and animation. This course may be valuable for character artists looking to integrate their characters into Unreal Engine. The character artist can learn how to import characters, apply materials, and create animations using the Sequencer. This course would be helpful because it includes the Exile Alien character and instructions on how to export characters from Daz Studio and import them into Unreal Engine.
Filmmaker
A filmmaker is involved in all aspects of film production, from pre-production to post-production. The skills covered in this course, such as scene setup, lighting, animation, and rendering, can be highly valuable for filmmakers looking to use Unreal Engine in their projects. Aspiring filmmakers can create visually stunning scenes and animations with the help of real-time rendering. Also, the filmmaker can learn to export video files for further manipulation.
Indie Game Developer
An independent game developer works independently, or as part of a small team, to create and publish their own games. This course gives an independent game developer the skills needed to create game environments, characters, and animations using Unreal Engine. With its focus on practical skills and project-based learning, the course helps build a foundation for creating games from scratch. The independent game developer may use techniques learned in the course to create cinematic scenes for their games.
Visual Effects Artist
A visual effects artist creates effects and imagery for film, television, and other media. This course may be useful for visual effects artists interested in using Unreal Engine for real-time effects and rendering. The visual effects artist can learn to set up scenes, import assets, create animations, and render video files. The course's coverage of particle effects and the Sequencer may be particularly helpful.
Multimedia Artist
A multimedia artist creates art and visual content for a variety of media, including websites, video games, and films. This course may be valuable for multimedia artists who want to expand their skill set and incorporate 3D animation and real-time rendering into their work. It may be especially valuable for creating animation sequences and adding assets to the sequence. Because the multimedia artist's specialty is breadth of skill, the course is a good fit. Also, this course covers exporting scenes out to a video file
Architectural Visualization Specialist
An architectural visualization specialist creates photorealistic renderings and animations of architectural designs. This course may be helpful for visualizing architectural designs in real time. Architectural Visualization Specialists can import assets, set up scenes, and create animations to showcase their designs. This course may allow a budding Architectural Visualization Specialist to learn lighting setups and create a simple animation ready to render in high definition video.
Product Designer
A product designer designs physical products, such as consumer goods or industrial equipment. This course may be applicable to product designers who want to create interactive 3D visualizations of their products. Product designers could learn to import their designs into Unreal Engine, create realistic materials, and set up interactive demonstrations. This course could help a Product Designer learn to apply materials to imported assets and learn how to light a scene.
Web Designer
A web designer creates the visual layout and user experience of websites. This course may be useful to web designers looking to incorporate 3D elements or interactive experiences into their websites. The web designer can learn to create simple animations and export them as video files or interactive content. This course may allow the web designer to take advantage of real-time rendering and animation. By the end of the course the learner will have a good understanding of Unreal Engine's animation workflow.
Digital Marketer
A digital marketer promotes products or services through online channels. This course may be useful for digital marketers who want to create engaging video content or interactive experiences for their campaigns. The digital marketer can learn to create simple animations and render them as high-quality videos for use in advertising or social media content. The digital marketer may find that this course helps them learn the benefits of real time rendering and animation.

Reading list

We've selected one books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Learning Unreal Engine: From Beginner To Advanced.
Provides a comprehensive guide to Unreal Engine, covering topics from basic setup to advanced techniques. It is particularly useful for understanding the engine's architecture and optimizing performance. The book valuable resource for both beginners and experienced users looking to deepen their knowledge of Unreal Engine. It serves as a great reference for various aspects of game development within the engine.

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