kaitlin yu
3d animator
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UNREAL ENGINE PREVIS/CINEMATIC FOR
LIGHTWORQ
I created this previs/cinematic project entirely in Unreal Engine for Lightworq. This was my first time working in Unreal Engine.
Typically, I focus on character animation, but this time, I wanted to focus on storytelling through cinematography, layout, and lighting/environment — with minimal character animation.
I rigged props, created shaders, animated Metahumans using the Sequencer, created environments with Kitbash3D, lit shots using Lumen, and familiarized myself with the in-engine post-processing tools.
I had a lot of fun playing with camera angles, lenses, animation, and editing directly in Unreal. I made an animatic ahead of the previs, but I also used sequence nesting in Unreal to experiment with shot pacing in real time.
I wanted to capture the feeling of navigating through New York City – witnessing moments in time and vignettes of human connection. 🛹
“SHATTERED” —
SENIOR THESIS
“Shattered” is a 3D-animated short film directed by Kaitlin Yu, Nelson Mai, and Tiantian Zhang.
It was produced at the School of Visual Arts in the 3D Animation and Visual Effects program and completed in May 2022.
Awards include:
- NYC ACM SIGGRAPH MetroCAF 2022 Selection
- ASIFA-East Film Festival Selection
- Aakruti-My Creation International Film Festival Quarter-Finalist
- ASIFA-Hollywood AEF Student Animation Showcase Selection
- SVA Student Choice Award
- SVA Alumni Scholarship Award
- ASIFA-Hollywood AEF Student Scholarship Recipient
- Ma-Yi Theater Grant Recipient
See more behind-the-scenes details here.
BLENDER GREASEPENCIL IN 3D SPACE EXPLORATION
I've always been inspired by 2D animated movies and TV shows, so I used my first project in Blender to push myself to consider how I can merge 2D and 3D techniques.
The first project is a candy tin of Sakuma drops from the Studio Ghibli movie "Grave of the Fireflies.” The second project is inspired by Fruit Chan's "Made in Hong Kong."