The Triumphs and Travails of Making a Stylized Cartoon in UE5 - Lil' Ruby Case Study

Explore the challenges and solutions encountered by Platige Studio during the production of the nine-minute stylized animated film Lil' Ruby in Unreal Engine. Gain insights into the innovative approaches developed to overcome obstacles in the absence of established tools and workflows. Understand the general challenges associated with creating stylized animation in Unreal Engine within a studio environment, from both production and technological perspectives. Discover the specific tools and techniques employed to achieve a stylized 2D aesthetic in Lil' Ruby. Examine the pipeline used to manage over 130 shots across previs, animation, and lighting phases, and compare the benefits of utilizing Unreal Engine versus a traditional Maya/Arnold-based pipeline. This 49-minute conference talk from Unreal Fest 2024 offers valuable lessons for animators and studios looking to push the boundaries of stylized animation in game engines.