Hello, everyone! Today, I want to share an exciting project where I tested a new workflow using 3ds Max and Unreal Engine. After years of handling every part of production in 3ds Max—from modeling, materials, and lighting to final rendering—I was eager to explore Unreal Engine as a tool for shading, lighting, and rendering. My goal? To speed up my workflow and create photorealistic animations faster than ever. Here’s how the experiment went, step-by-step, and what I discovered along the way.
Project Idea: A Stone Sculpture Ballet Dancer in Nature
For this test, I wanted a small but impactful project that could showcase the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5 for photorealistic rendering in a 3ds Max-based workflow. I envisioned a scene featuring a ballerina sculpted entirely from stones, surrounded by a sunny, natural environment. The camera would move around the sculpture in a gentle spiral, gradually revealing the dancer’s form to the viewer. I wanted to capture ambient sound, subtle musical elements, and finish the entire project within a set timeframe. Here’s how it went down!
Step-by-Step Workflow
Step 1: Learning Unreal Engine Basics
I started by taking an excellent free course on UE5 filmmaking. My goal was to get a solid understanding of Unreal’s photorealistic rendering, material, and lighting capabilities. This foundation was essential to maximize Unreal’s features in my workflow.
Step 2: Writing the Animation Script
Next, I wrote a simple script for the animation (similar to the description above) to keep everything organized. Instead of adding complex animation to the subject, I decided to focus on camera movement around the sculpture to keep the project manageable and stay focused on the new workflow—3ds Max for modeling and animation, and Unreal for shading, lighting, and rendering.
Step 3: Gathering Resources for Modeling the Sculpture
For the dancer model, I used Mixamo to find a 3D mannequin in a ballet pose. I also sourced high-quality photorealistic PBR stone models from Sketchfab to use as the building blocks for the sculpture.
Step 4: Constructing the Stone Sculpture in 3ds Max with TyFlow
To build the sculpture, I used the mannequin from Mixamo as a container, essentially like a mold for placing the stones. I needed a way to “fill” this form with stones, so I turned to TyFlow, a particle simulation plugin for 3ds Max. TyFlow allowed me to quickly set up the stone arrangement to follow the form of the dancer, giving it an organic, lifelike look. I learned the basics from a simple tutorial, which was enough to achieve the effect I wanted.
Step 5: Camera Animation with Spiros in 3ds Max
Creating a complex, spiral camera motion around the sculpture was key to this animation. I wanted full control over the distance and movement of the camera, so I used my own Spiros plugin for 3ds Max. Spiros let me create a logarithmic spiral path for the camera with the exact flexibility and control I needed. I then applied a “path constraint” to the camera and animated both the camera and its target. I also adjusted the animation’s timing and pace to sync well with ballet music, adding to the fluidity of the final result.
Step 6: Exporting Models and Camera to Unreal Engine
With the model and animation ready, it was time to export to Unreal Engine. I first exported the dancer model as an FBX and imported it into Unreal, where the PBR stone textures needed minimal adjustment—they already looked great. For the camera, I used the tutorial “How to Transfer 3ds Max Animated Camera to Unreal Engine 5” along with the “Unreal Engine 4 – Camera Animation Exporter” script. This combo allowed me to successfully export and integrate the camera animation into Unreal.
Step 7: Setting Up the Scene in Unreal with Quixel Bridge and Polyhaven
In Unreal, I found a stone pedestal model in Quixel Bridge that worked perfectly for the dancer’s base. For the background, I chose a high-resolution park HDRI from Polyhaven. The HDRI provided realistic global lighting and created a natural environment that made the sculpture feel truly embedded in its surroundings. I experimented with a few different HDRIs and settings until I was satisfied with the look.
Step 8: Visual Effects and Final Render in Unreal Engine
I then added some visual effects to the camera in Unreal Engine: autofocus on the tracked actor, bloom, lens flare, and motion blur—all of which contributed to a polished, cinematic feel. After a quick test render, I moved on to the final render. Unreal’s rendering speed was astonishing, completing the 705 frames of animation (1920×823 resolution) in just 50 seconds. The quality and efficiency of Unreal’s renderer completely exceeded my expectations.
Step 9: Post-Production in After Effects
Finally, I added sound effects and music in After Effects for the finishing touches. Ambient sounds of birds, soft ballet music, and some brief closing credits completed the piece.
Final Thoughts: Is This Hybrid Workflow Worth It?
This project showed me that a 3ds Max + Unreal Engine workflow is not only feasible but also highly efficient for photorealistic animation. Unreal provided the speed and quality I was hoping for in a renderer, making it an excellent option for projects with tight deadlines. I’ll definitely keep exploring this hybrid approach for future work!
If you’re thinking about using Unreal for rendering in a 3ds Max pipeline, give it a shot! You might just be amazed at the results.
