McLaren P1 Rally | High-Speed Drone Cinematics in Unreal Engine

A high-speed, drone-style McLaren P1 rally sequence created in Unreal Engine, focused on dynamic car movement, fast-paced cinematography and a cinematic visual treatment.​​​​​​​ The goal was to make the P1 feel fast, aggressive and fun to watch while creating a cohesive flow between the car movement and camera choreography.

The project started with cinematic reference gathering and shot planning, followed by setting up the car rig, environment and camera workflow in Unreal Engine. The car and camera animation were entirely keyframe animated, allowing precise control over the speed, weight, direction changes and rhythm of each shot. The environment and McLaren P1 model were sourced from Unreal Marketplace and Sketchfab and used as the foundation for the sequence. I handled the set dressing, lighting, animation, cinematography and post-production to develop the final cinematic presentation.

A key focus of the project was the relationship between the car and camera animation. Rather than relying on simulation or motion capture, the sequence was built through manual keyframe animation. This allowed me to carefully choreograph the car's movement and camera positions for each shot, while controlling the sense of speed, weight and momentum.

Lighting and rendering were completed in Unreal Engine, with additional lens effects and compositing handled in Nuke. The final sequence was edited and color graded in DaVinci Resolve, with the overall look designed to enhance the contrast, atmosphere and sense of speed throughout the cinematic.

Credits: BG Sound & Cinematic Reference: Johnny FPV Color Template Reference: Aston Martin Orlando | DB12 Volante Launch Film