Demo reel:
Reflection on the Metahuman Creation Process
As someone really into the Metaverse, creating a Metahuman felt like a step toward making virtual worlds more real. The way this tool brings digital characters to life is amazing, and I truly believe Metahumans are a big step toward making the Metaverse feel more immersive. Seeing my character blink, smile, and react so naturally was both exciting and a little mind-blowing.
The process itself was fun and surprisingly easy to get into, but getting the small details right took some patience. Every tiny adjustment made a difference, and I found myself going back and forth to make it look just right. Overall, this experience made me even more excited about where digital humans are headed, and I can’t wait to use this in future projects.
✨ Exploring the Future of Facial Animation and metahumans with JALI Research ✨
I had an amazing opportunity to learn from Pif Edwards, CTO at JALI Research, about their groundbreaking work in AI-driven facial animation. Their Unreal Engine and Maya plugin automate facial rigging for speech and emotions, and I was blown away by how it was used in Cyberpunk 2077 and The Lego Movie! 🎭🕹️
What made this session even more engaging was Pif’s enthusiasm and the professionalism of the JALI Research team. From well-structured slides to insightful discussions, their passion for innovation was evident. Though I couldn’t share my past project using Character Creator due to time constraints, I hope to discuss it in the future.
A huge thank you to Pif Edwards and JALI Research for such an insightful session! 🙌 Your work is shaping the future of animation, and I can't wait to explore these tools further.
ICVFX Approach for the Inception Paris Scene
As the VP Producer for this scene, I’d suggest using an ICVFX set up to bring the dreaming world in Inception to life while keeping things practical where needed.
Movie Shooting Layout
Here are my takes on the movie shooting layouts for three movies that I chose, which could have been shot in a Virtual Production.
Abandoned Subway
A post Apocalyptic Subway train, which is inspired by the Game and TV series, The Last of Us.
Has a post-apocalyptic scenario caused due to Zombies. For this, I wanted to make a rundown subway car, which includes overgrown grasses, puddles, and vines running over the subway car. Include other aspects such as broken glasses or windows. dead person. rusty and water-leaked walls, seats, and roof. Since it's a Post-apocalyptic scenario, there has to be graffiti on the walls.
Assets
Getting the assets was quite simple for me, the main asset to search for was the subway car which I could many of. there were some in Sketchfab as well as the Fab (Unreal marketplace). Both of these sites had a free version available. but I opted for the Fab, as it would have been easier to integrate into the unreal project. so I downloaded most of my assets from Fab.
The only ones I looked to download else from were the animated characters which I went for the Mixamo characters and their animations.
The hardest part of the project where I imagined would have been was the lighting, because I wanted specific lighting for the project. A dark scene with only a small portion of the scene where the main asset was to be illuminated by rays of sun, like peaking through.
Lighting and texturing
For the lighting, I mainly wanted to use the HDRI backdrop for the textured HDRI sky and the directional light for the rays of the sun. I also used Sky Atmosphere and Skylight. The Light shaft occlusion and Bloom were also turned on for the illumination of the god rays for the scene. I wanted to replicate the references I gathered. The same goes for the color grading, I wanted the scene to look a bit greeny as the reflections coming off the sunlight through the green grass that's taken over the scene hit the subway car.
Link to the final video!!
Heres a short video of the final outcome.
Behind the Scenes with Vikram Verma at Dark Slope 🎬✨
Big shoutout to Vikram Verma and the team at Dark Slope Studio for an incredibly insightful session! 🙌
Vikram gave us a deep dive into what it’s like being a producer in a virtual production studio—from prepping key documents and pitching clients to managing the chaos of production days and handling all the legal work. Seeing industry-standard documents firsthand was super helpful, and I can already see how they’ll improve our workflow.
One of the coolest takeaways? How producers bridge the gap between technology and storytelling—explaining VP concepts to clients, mapping out shots, and ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish. It was also inspiring to hear how Dark Slope is always pushing the boundaries of VP to stay ahead of the game.
To top it off, we got a full studio tour 🏢—checking out the makeup room, set dressing space which can also double down as an additional studio. Seeing how a high-level VP studio operates was an eye-opener! 👀
Huge thanks again to Vikram for sharing your time and knowledge. Looking forward to applying these insights in future projects! 🚀
Field Trip Networking Reflection
The field trip to Dark Slope Studio was an invaluable opportunity that deepened my understanding of the virtual production industry. Meeting professionals like Vikram Verma and observing the studio's facilities firsthand provided a tangible connection to the industry that can't be replicated in a classroom setting. Witnessing how virtual production projects are planned, pitched, and executed gave me a clearer sense of the collaborative nature of this field. The chance to network with industry leaders made me feel more connected to the Toronto VP community and helped me explore potential career paths within the industry. Observing the different roles involved—from production management to creative direction—has encouraged me to consider where my skill set best fits and what aspects of VP I want to specialize in moving forward. This experience not only broadened my perspective but also enhanced my understanding of how I can contribute to the industry in the future.
Hi!
About Me
I'm a Virtual Production trainee and a multimedia graduate. I am skilled in motion graphics, 3D art, and animation. I love bringing stories to life through 2D/3D animation and visual storytelling. Over the years, I’ve worked on government projects, NGO campaigns, music videos, and other creative collaborations. I enjoy working with teams, problem-solving, and adapting to new challenges. With skills in Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro, I’m always eager to learn, grow, and contribute to meaningful projects.
Credits:
Yash Rana's portfolio.