Reviving Ancient Rome with Character Creator & iClone

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Luis Cerezo

Luis Cerezo, a seasoned creator with extensive experience in advertising, television, music videos, documentaries, and independent films, has embarked on a captivating journey to bring history to life through the lens of digital storytelling.

At the age of 15, Luis began an early career as a jazz drummer. As a filmmaker, he founded Cinelibre, an alternative production platform inspired by guerrilla filmmaking. His works have been premiered in Madrid, Montreal, Bogota, Warsaw and Shanghai. In 2015, his first novel “Eo” was published by Suma Letras. (www.luiscerezo.net)

His latest project recreates the awe-inspiring atmosphere of Mérida, known in antiquity as Emerita Augusta—a city that flourished nearly 2,000 years ago as a major capital of the Roman Empire. This ambitious endeavor not only revives the architectural grandeur of the era but also highlights the poignant story of Eulalia, a 13-year-old girl whose bravery and defiance made her a timeless symbol of freedom and faith.

To authentically represent Eulalia’s character and her world, Cerezo collaborated with a global team of artists, historians, and archaeologists. Beginning with traditional sketches and children’s historical recreations of the saint, the team utilized Character Creator to design detailed 3D models of characters, while costumes were crafted with input from experts in ancient Roman fashion. The city itself was meticulously reconstructed using topographic studies and archaeological data, blending realism with artistic interpretation.

Animations were developed using iClone, with its native files seamlessly integrated into Unreal Engine for rendering. This workflow allowed the team to create dynamic and emotionally resonant scenes efficiently. Cerezo credits Reallusion’s software suite for transforming complex production into an enjoyable and time-effective process, pushing the boundaries of digital artistry while honoring an enduring cultural legacy.

How Luis Cerezo Revived Ancient Mérida and the Story of Eulalia with iClone, Character Creator, and Unreal Engine

Q: Hello Luis. Welcome to our Feature Stories. Kindly share with us what inspired you to focus on Eulalia’s story and the recreation of ancient Mérida for this project?

From the moment a friend shared Eulalia’s story with me, a seed was planted that grew little by little. Initially, I never thought I could write it due to its magnitude, but it emerged spontaneously as part of a novel draft. Another factor was walking through the ruins of the present-day city, imagining it as it once was, and asking myself, “Why not see it as it used to be?”

But the most important aspect is the underlying theme of the struggle of that young girl.

Eulalia is about free will and standing firm in one’s convictions—a concept that made her a spiritual cornerstone of the Hispanic world and the West, as free will is what defines us as human beings.

Q: How did you collaborate with historians and archaeologists to ensure historical accuracy in the character designs and environments?

I’ve noticed that major productions, such as The Fall of the Roman Empire (Anthony Mann, 1964) or Shōgun (Hulu & Disney+, 2024), often lack historical rigor.

While taking natural narrative liberties, I felt it was essential to depict things as they truly were. From Late Empire clothing, to streets and textures, everything has been cross-referenced with excellent researchers actively working on excavations.

Under the guidance of Miguel Alba, who accompanied me step by step through the reconstructed areas, every detail was verified alongside various specialists. The Consorcio Mérida Ciudad Monumental was pivotal to this process. It’s composed of enthusiastic archaeologists and historians with a strong reputation for their restoration work.

A great advantage is that Mérida has remarkably well-preserved sites—from the theater to the stunning Temple of Diana and the ancient circus. Much of their structure remains intact, serving as a basis for reconstructing what time has erased.

Q: Could you explain how you used Character Creator to design the characters, from sketches to final models?

First, I sought visual references for each character, much like I do for my novels: creating a conceptual foundation. For a character venerated by millions, this required special care and reflection. Early sketches using AI didn’t convince me, so I turned to Yan Rodríguez, an artist and excellent anatomist, who crafted traditional sketches on paper.

People often underestimate the importance of anatomy, but those who study it deeply understand how facial muscles and bones shape a character’s essence.

The challenge was to stylize the characters enough to avoid the “uncanny valley” effect but not excessively so. This process took considerable time.

Fortunately, once a strong initial concept was established, Character Creator provided all the necessary and highly flexible tools.

“Once a strong initial concept was established, Character Creator provided all the necessary and highly flexible tools. The workflow was smooth, as the software allows for intuitive manipulation of ideas—a quality I find fascinating.”
Luis Cerezo – Writer / Filmmaker / Director

I even think I could use Character Creator to design faces for my novels, visualizing characters as I write.

Q: How did you integrate iClone animations into Unreal Engine, and what benefits did this workflow provide for rendering the final scenes?

The story of Eulalia spans a dramatic moment with significant social weight. Therefore, the approach couldn’t be excessively realistic, in contrast with the scenery.

iClone is an incredibly intuitive system for animation, reminiscent of music composition in software like Logic or Cubase—you can layer, speed up, and amplify tracks. Being a first step, I conducted numerous tests and discovered that iClone allows blending MOCAP, manual animations, and library assets. The possibilities within iClone’s ecosystem are vast, and this experience has left me eager to explore further.

As for integration with Unreal Engine, iClone LIVE LINK worked seamlessly, enabling the use of Unreal’s lighting, scenery, and rendering capabilities, which dramatically enhanced the scenes.

“Reallusion has gained a devoted fan in me since day one, and I’ll rely on their tools for my next project, which takes place between interstellar space and a neighborhood market.”
Luis Cerezo – Writer / Filmmaker / Director