Guest
Lectures
CALLUM TAI
Cinematic Designer
I was a part of The Quarry's Cinematic Design team at Supermassive Games.
The Quarry is a choice-based, narrative-driven, horror game released in 2022.
The project has over 15 hours of cinematic content, shot and edited within Unreal Engine 4.
Non-Linear Editing
The Quarry was the first Supermassive project to utilise a non-linear editing practice. As a member of the Design team, my role centered on facilitating the seamless integration of this innovative pipeline across Animation, Camera, and Lighting departments.
A comprehensive understanding of recorded data, branching logic, and supplementary filters became imperative to my role. I meticulously navigated through the intricacies of each element to empower other departments in acclimating to the new pipeline. This groundwork was essential in optimizing workflow efficiencies.
Despite logistical hurdles caused by COVID preventing all of our actors being present at their respective recording sessions, I implemented meticulous adjustments to ensure player immersion remained intact. This involved adeptly filtering out disparate character data and realigning subsequences to uphold a cohesive narrative experience, seamlessly blending performances.
In summary, my role in pioneering non-linear editing practices in The Quarry exemplifies my ability to navigate complex challenges, drive innovation, and maintain a steadfast commitment to delivering immersive storytelling experiences. Through collaborative leadership and meticulous attention to detail, I contributed to the success of the project, setting a new standard for interactive cinematic design at Supermassive Games.
During the story of The Quarry, there are many variant and costume changes, more than any other Supermassive Game that was released previously. Our innovative costume system revolutionized the way costume changes were handled, offering greater flexibility and efficiency in managing costume variations and combinations. Working in tandem with engineers and riggers, I played a pivotal role in conceptualizing and implementing the framework for seamless costume transitions, ensuring that each change occurred smoothly within the narrative flow of the game.
Our system required tracking of which injuries and accessories could be applied to each character's base costume, as well as tracking any more extensive injuries that would modify the mesh. From this tracking document, I was able to find where these costume changes would occur in the Flow and assign them, giving time for the costume to load in and be unloaded on branches where it was not needed.
In addition to overseeing the implementation of costume changes, I took charge of setting up the logic for character costumes at the start of each level. Drawing upon my keen understanding of the narrative progression, I ensured that characters were outfitted with relevant costumes and attributes corresponding to their journey within the story. This involved tracking character progression, including deaths and injuries, and dynamically adjusting costumes to align with the narrative context of each level. With this system I demonstrated not only my technical proficiency but also my ability to innovate and problem-solve in a dynamic and collaborative environment.
Systemic Design
Cutting Edge Facial Data
We utilised Digital Domain to process our Facial Data, who, in tandem with sophisticated camera setups, employ markerless facial tracking technology, eliminating the need for intrusive markers or sensors on actors' faces. This non-invasive approach allows performers to deliver natural, uninhibited performances while still achieving exceptional fidelity in motion capture data.
Once captured, the raw facial motion data undergoes a rigorous post-processing phase, where it is refined and enhanced to extract key facial expressions and movements. Advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques are utilized to interpret and extrapolate subtle nuances in the performance, resulting in lifelike animations that accurately reflect the actors' emotions and intentions.
Working with such high-quality data brought us closer to the uncanny valley, which required careful consideration as a designer to ensure that our work seamlessly integrated with the experience and did not disrupt player immersion. I worked closely with our Animation team to ensure this experience was smooth by carefully selecting which takes were the most lifelike, and with the Camera department in helping to select which shots would highlight the quality of our data.
Midway through the production phase, a significant development arose with the introduction of a new publisher tasked with overseeing localization efforts for our project. This pivotal shift meant that our existing localization pipeline needed a comprehensive overhaul to accommodate the expanded scope of language requirements. With tens of thousands of sequences requiring subtitles and exportation for external localization, the task was immense and it necessitated a swift and strategic response to ensure that localization efforts remained on track and aligned with project milestones.
I took on a leadership role in spearheading the rework of our localization pipeline. Collaborating closely with my Lead Designer, UI Programmers, and Production, I orchestrated a series of strategic adjustments to streamline and optimize the localization process. This involved implementing efficient workflows for generating subtitles, integrating automated tools for batch processing and alignment to audio performances, as well as establishing robust quality control measures to ensure linguistic accuracy and consistency across all language versions.
My role in driving the localization pipeline rework underscored my ability to adapt to evolving project needs, implement innovative solutions under tight deadlines, and collaborate effectively across interdisciplinary teams to achieve project success.
