USC Senior Thesis

Below you can see the process of creating a VR film in Unreal Engine. I modeled the butterflies in Blender and integrated them into Unreal using a Niagara particle system to simulate flocking and natural flight behaviors. I also created multiple environments using the landscaping tool, and Blender.

Additionally, I am experimenting with Gaussian Splatting, a technique that converts real-world photos and videos into highly detailed 3D point-based representations, allowing for photorealistic scene reconstruction within Unreal Engine. This approach enhances the film’s visual fidelity while pushing the boundaries of real-time VR environments.

The Community of Crecencio Morales has been the guardians and stewards of this land for generations, working tirelessly to conserve the forests and protect the monarchs. However, climate change, illegal logging, and threats from organized crime have put both the land and its defenders at constant risk.

Another component of this project is a VR immersive-documentary exploring the stories of migrants, with the monarch butterfly as a symbol of hope, metamorphosis, and odyssey. Currently in production, the film features visuals created in Unreal Engine and includes interviews with residents of Poplar, a small town in California’s Central Valley that has been disproportionately affected by ongoing ICE raids in a post-Trump America.

These are images from my most recent documentary. These are the interviews I have been conducting in Poplar with the migrant community which is being affected by the ice raids.