Setting the mood with lighting

Now that you have a better understanding of lighting terminology, features, and types, let’s jump back into our virtual film and set the lighting using the reference images we collected in the previous section as a guide. As most of the lighting is already set up from the project files we downloaded from the Unreal Engine Marketplace, we will add and adjust the properties of a few lights in our existing shots.

Illuminating the spaceship console area

For the spaceship console area, we will add a Rect Light. As the HUD turns on at frame 60, the console area should be lit up as if the HUD is illuminating it, adding a bit more subtle realism to the scene. Let’s get started:

1. Open the A_New_Beginning project, load the Master Sequence, and jump into Shot_01.
2. Delete PointLight56 (it’s the light in the middle of the flight deck).
3. Using the + Place Actor button, click Lights | Add Rect Light. Then position the light using...