nDisplay configuration
Configured Unreal Engine nDisplay for the rover simulator and prepared the dedicated display configuration used by the presentation.
Moon Drilling Video Render
An Unreal Engine lunar drilling cinematic combining nDisplay, Sequencer, animation, rover motion, Niagara effects, and final render production.
[01] Project overview
A lunar drilling scene built for a real-time presentation.
Moon Drilling Video Render is a short Unreal Engine lunar scene built around an astronaut, drilling activity, and a set of rovers. The main render presents the finished cinematic, while the companion video shows the same scene across an nDisplay display layout.
As a Virtual Multimedia Contractor, I developed the real-time presentation and cinematic work during August 2024. I configured the nDisplay setup, assembled the scene in Sequencer, prepared the render output, and integrated the animation, vehicle, effect, environment, and physics work that supports the sequence.
I also created rover and character animation for the presentation. I used AI-assisted animation tooling to generate source motion, refined and cleaned the animation in Cascadeur, then retargeted it to the astronaut rig and placed it in the final sequence.
[02] Technical deep dive
// UNDER THE HOOD
Configuring a scene for screens and cinematic output.
I configured the Unreal Engine project for nDisplay and created the dedicated display configuration used by the presentation. The project also contains the Sequencer timeline and Movie Render Queue settings I prepared to iterate on the cinematic and produce the final render.
For the lunar scene, I integrated the landscape and sky presentation, set lunar gravity, and kept the map and level sequence aligned as the scene evolved. I built rover movement around a spline, integrated the rover arm in its Blueprint, and updated the sequence as the vehicle animation changed.
My character-animation work included an IK Rig and retargeter between root-motion source animation and the astronaut rig. I also integrated a Niagara drilling effect and timed it with the scene, bringing the drilling action, animation, and render sequence together.
[03] Tech stack & skills
Tools and disciplines behind the project.
[04] Personal contribution
Cinematic assembly & final rendering
Assembled and iterated on the Moon Rover sequence in Sequencer, configured Movie Render Queue output, and maintained the scene through final render updates.
Character animation retargeting & cleanup
Generated source character motion with AI-assisted animation tooling, refined it in Cascadeur, then retargeted root-motion animation to the astronaut rig with Unreal Engine IK tools and integrated the result in the sequence.
Rover motion & Blueprint integration
Created rover movement along a spline, updated rover animation, and integrated the rover arm into its Blueprint before bringing the changes into the cinematic sequence.
Lunar scene & physics setup
Integrated the moon landscape and sky presentation, set the project gravity for the lunar setting, and updated maps and level-sequence content as the scene took shape.
Drilling effects
Integrated a Niagara drilling particle effect and connected its timing to the astronaut and rover action in the final sequence.