How a small team created this thrilling Apex Legends fan trailer

A handful of Apex Legends fans came together to create this stunning pandemic passion project. Discover how V-Ray rendering helped them up their game.

A huge amount of people discovered or rediscovered a passion for gaming when the COVID-19 pandemic struck — but Masashi Imagawa took his fandom to a whole new level. After becoming enthralled with Apex Legends’ frantic online battles, the ILM generalist was inspired to create a photorealistic trailer for the game.

Working with his friends (and co-combatants) Shota Kimura (FX), Yu Kojima (animation), and Kosuke Iwasaki (motion design), Masashi created a stunning, professional-looking trailer in just five months. Here, Masashi shares some of the V-Ray tricks that helped create this electrifying world.

What inspired the project? 

Masashi Imagawa: We started playing Apex Legends because we had to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The game already has an official and very cool toon-style cinematic trailer, but I wanted to create a more photorealistic one.

Also, there is a Japanese-style environment in Apex Legends called Bonsai Plaza, which includes beautiful cherry blossoms and Japanese buildings. I love Japan at night, so I decided to put the whole map in darkness and add neon lights like Tokyo.

Is there anything you love about Apex Legends that you wanted to convey here?

MI: I tried to capture all details of Apex Legends, but the most important thing was the excitement when a battle begins.

How did you stay motivated to complete the project?

MI: It was not easy! This project needed a lot of time and energy, and we did it after work. However, the team members and I love to play Apex Legends together. That means we all shared the same goal and could work together well on this personal project.

How did V-Ray help on the project?

MI: V-Ray and 3ds Max are a really strong combination. I created some procedural material presets for this project, and it was easy to manage materials and render fast. That's why I could render all shots on my local machine.

How have fans and fellow VFX artists reacted to the trailer, and what are you working on next?

MI: My VFX friends really enjoy this trailer. They were surprised only a few artists created it. Next, we're taking our skills to a sci-fi short movie.