Cinematic Tests - R&D
Short tests I try to make between films and work, each one built to answer a specific question about directing a sequence.
They’re experiments, so they’re hit and miss sometimes, but I hope what I learn from each one goes into the next.
From here on, each new test will hopefully get its own post.
I’ll spend more time on the upcoming ones so they end up more polished, and maybe they’ll earn a spot next to my other films.
The reason I take on every part of these myself is that I want to learn each stage of production to a decent level, so I can direct a team through all of it. Akira Kurosawa put it better than I can:
A movie director is like a front-line commanding officer. He needs a thorough knowledge of every branch of the service, and if he doesn’t command each division, he cannot command the whole."
A quick cinematic test exploring composition, lighting, and mood in Unreal Engine.
This wasn’t meant to be perfect. It’s part of my process of fast iteration, learning, and moving on to the next project.
What’s the point of this cinematic test?
- Cinematic composition & shot design exploration
- Lighting & atmosphere exploration
- Real-time rendering in Unreal Engine, testing and problem-solving
- A quick test to push storytelling & mood
This was made as a cinematic exercise. The goal is to keep experimenting, refining my directing skills, and improving with each test. Here’s the stream where I worked on it. 😀
This is my way of exploring mood, character, and world‑building while I write the script for my next short, which will be another huge endeavour.
Directing, storytelling, storyboarding, design, shaping the emotional spine of a film, and of course animation… these parts come naturally to me. What challenges me is being a one‑person production team. As a solo filmmaker with no budget, my reality is doing everything out of necessity.
I used Blender, ZBrush, Maya, and Substance Painter here and there, but it’s built mostly in Unreal Engine. Sculpting, retopo, UVs, textures, Metahumans, shaders, environments… I’ve learned to carry all of it myself. Some things I still wrestle with, like cloth simulation, but I try to keep moving. As much as I want to improve the quality, I have to compromise in some places just to keep the momentum alive.
I didn’t want to get caught up in making every single frame flawless. I just wanted to focus on the feeling. I’m proud of this little fragment. It might not be perfectly polished or “final.” It’s meant to be honest.
Just a momentary vision, brought to life.
Blade Runner 2026 (cinematic test)
In progress.
Directing or animation for your next project?
I work with studios and teams on cinematics, short films and character animation, from the first idea to the final shot.
Get in touch and tell me what you’re making.