I independently developed a complex standalone storyboarding and cinematic production application in Unreal Engine, created to give artists and producers access to powerful real-time cinematic workflows without requiring them to learn Unreal Engine's underlying cinematic tools.
 

The application is distributed as a packaged, project-configured executable, allowing it to be delivered as a dedicated production tool rather than requiring users to work directly inside the Unreal Editor. The entire application and its underlying systems were developed by me, with the assistance of a single UI designer who provided the visual UI designs.
 

The core concept was to create an environment where non-technical users could block out, direct, record and assemble unique cinematic shots through a purpose-built interface.
 

Session-Based Workflow

Users begin by creating a session that contains their current scene, setup and recorded work. Sessions can be saved and loaded at any point, allowing users to stop working and return to their project later.

The application also supports multiplayer sessions over a network, allowing multiple users to work within the same scene, as well as single-user workflows. This made it possible for artists, producers and other collaborators to participate in the creative process together rather than requiring everyone to work independently.
 

Editor Mode

The Editor mode provides tools for constructing and preparing the scene without exposing users to the complexity of Unreal's standard editor workflows.

Users can add and manipulate set dressing and props, configure and customize lights, and interact with the environment using a custom-built transformation gizmo. The tool provides purpose-built controls designed around the application's workflow rather than simply exposing Unreal's default editor functionality.
 

Users can also place interactive triggers throughout the environment. These triggers can be configured to activate animations or other events when a player or character passes through them, allowing environmental events to be built into a shot before recording begins.
 

NPCs can be added to the scene and configured with custom behaviours, allowing users to create characters with different roles and actions that can later be controlled during recording.
 

The Editor mode effectively provides users with a simplified real-time scene construction and staging environment, giving them the tools necessary to prepare a shot without requiring knowledge of Unreal's Level Editor or cinematic systems.
 

Record Mode

Record mode allows users to actually direct and capture performances within the scene.

Users can trigger events such as instructing NPCs to begin moving or perform specific behaviours and then record the resulting actions. The system captures these interactions so they can become part of the final cinematic.
 

The user can also take direct control of selected characters or switch to a free-roaming cinematic camera, providing a flexible way to explore and capture the scene.
 

The camera system was built with extensive controls for cinematic composition, including focal length, field of view, aspect ratio and custom lens configurations. Users can also apply visual filters to the camera, including the ability to layer multiple filters together to achieve a specific visual style.
 

This allows users to experiment with shots in real time and immediately see the results rather than needing to understand Unreal's traditional camera, Sequencer and render workflows.
 

Director Mode

Once performances and shots have been recorded, users can move into the Director mode to review and assemble their footage.
 

I developed a custom timeline specifically for this workflow. Users can arrange and manipulate recorded shots, change their duration, move timeline keys and assemble multiple pieces of recorded content into a finished sequence.
 

The system also supports custom cameras, which can be animated either externally or directly within the application. Camera animation and other editable properties can be represented through timeline keys, giving users control over how individual shots evolve over time.
 

The timeline was designed around the needs of the application's users rather than attempting to reproduce Unreal's Sequencer interface. This allowed the workflow to expose only the functionality necessary for creating and editing the desired cinematic content while still supporting complex shot construction.
 

Rendering & Export

Once the sequence is complete, users can export the finished work as a high-quality video, turning the interactive storyboarding process into a final cinematic deliverable.
 

The entire workflow—from building the scene, staging characters and props, recording performances, directing cameras and assembling shots to final export—is contained within the packaged application.
 

Technical Contribution

This project represents one of the most substantial systems I have developed in Unreal Engine. I was responsible for 100% of the application's technical implementation, with the only additional development support being a UI designer who supplied the visual interface designs.
 

The project required considerably more than standard Blueprint gameplay development. I built the underlying architecture for the session system, scene editing workflows, interactive objects, NPC behaviours, recording systems, character control, camera systems, filters, timeline functionality, shot editing, networking and video export, while also developing the extensive UI logic connecting these systems together.
 

A major challenge was creating a tool powerful enough to support sophisticated cinematic production while keeping the experience approachable for users who had little or no Unreal Engine experience. The result was effectively a custom cinematic application built on Unreal Engine, combining game-engine technology with a highly specialized creative-production workflow.