The VFX Process #57 Santiago Menghini: RALLY | How UNREAL ENGINE Saved This Incredible Film
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Feb 7, 2025 Santiago Menghini is a VFX artist and director who transitioned from live-action to real-time animation with his short film, RALLY, created using Unreal Engine. He shares his journey of discovering Unreal Engine, initially shelving the film due to challenges before reviving it with stunning results. The conversation touches on his creative process, the meticulous pre-production stages, and innovative techniques that brought cinematic realism to life. Santiago also discusses balancing personal and professional life while exploring his passion for daily sketching and creativity.
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From Shelved Live Action To Unreal Pivot
- Santiago shelved a planned live-action rally short due to funding and later rediscovered it as an Unreal Engine animated project during the pandemic.
- He pivoted from live-action to animation after realizing Unreal's real-time capabilities could realize his original vision.
MetaHumans Changed The Feasibility Game
- MetaHumans unlocked realistic human assets that made character work feasible for a solo creator in Unreal Engine.
- Santiago solved facial animation limits by covering faces with helmets and focusing emotive work on the eyes.
Use Constraints To Guide Creativity
- Set creative constraints to avoid drowning in Unreal's infinite possibilities and to shape stylistic choices.
- Use limits as a tool to ground the film and speed decisions during production.