the back alley

This project was created as an atmosphere and environmental storytelling study, with the goal of depicting an abandoned, wet, and lived-in space, suspended between urban decay and cyberpunk influences.

The scene portrays a rainy alley at night, illuminated by cold, flickering neon lights. Worn signage, closed shutters, scattered trash, and wet surfaces help convey a sense of loneliness and tension, as if the place had been abandoned in a hurry.
Rain is not just a visual element, but a key part of the narrative: it reflects the lights, amplifies the silence, and enhances the feeling of abandonment.

Pipeline

Blender – base asset modeling and overall layout

Unreal Engine 5 – scene assembly, lighting, materials, atmosphere, and real-time rendering

After Effects – post-production, color grading, and final mood

The main focus was on lighting, composition, and materials, aiming for a balance between realism and stylization. Every element was designed to support the visual story, without the presence of characters, allowing the viewer to imagine what happened… or what might happen next.

The tuktuk model is kindly provided by: Christian Warstat

This environment is made using dash by https://www.polygonflow.io/ an awesome tool for UE5 to speed up your workflow, I get focus especially on scattering and physic paint tool.