Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes | eric-yijiao-zhang

influencer Video _ Tiktok promotion

Game Title: Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
Skills: Art Direction, Motion Graphics Design, VFX, Compositing, Cinematic Capture, Video Editing, SFX
Tools: Unity, Cinema 4D, After Effects, Photoshop

Final Deliverables

(Include both 15 second & 30 second videos)

Project overview

I conceptualized and executed this project end-to-end for a TikTok marketing campaign promoting the mobile game Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes. Our primary objective was to leverage influencer content to boost brand engagement and drive game installs (CVR / IPM).

1.Challenge & Opportunity

I was provided with a promotional script and existing footage of an influencer in cosplay. However, upon reviewing the raw assets, two key challenges emerged:

Low Game Relevance: The footage didn't strongly connect back to actual gameplay or the game's core features.
Lack of Visual Excitement: The content was relatively static and lacked the dynamic pacing needed to stop users from scrolling on TikTok.

To capture viewer attention and stand out in a saturated feed, I needed to transform this content into an immersive, high-energy experience while staying strictly aligned with Lucasfilm/Star Wars brand guidelines.

2.Creative Concept

Effective marketing isn't just about clear messaging—it's about creating an engaging narrative that audiences want to interact with.

I pitched a narrative concept that turned a standard promotional video into a cinematic, mini sci-fi short. The story follows the influencer playing Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, before seamlessly transitioning directly into the game world.

Using her pre- and post-cosplay looks, I created a visual bridge between reality and the gaming universe:

The Concept: The creator lives out her dream of becoming her favorite Star Wars character, battling alongside iconic heroes and villains.
Feature Integration: Seamlessly wove key selling points into the narrative—collecting and upgrading squad members, building team synergies across different eras, and highlighting mobile playability (even in the middle of a lightsaber duel!).

3.Technical Execution & Problem Solving

Low-Res & Non-Greenscreen Footage: The original footage was captured in low resolution without a green screen, and re-shooting was not an option.
Rotoscoping & VFX Compositing: To integrate 3D game models into live-action scenes, I used After Effects' Roto Brush and manual rotoscoping techniques to isolate the creator from low-contrast backgrounds.
3D Pipeline: Exported Unity 3D game assets into Cinema 4D for re-texturing, relighting, and animation before compositing them back into After Effects alongside custom VFX (lighting, particle effects, and laser passes).

4.Business Impact & Results

The creative overhaul delivered outstanding performance metrics within the first two weeks of launch:

60%+ Conversion Rate (CVR): Driven directly by this single creative asset.
2x IPM (Installs Per Mille): Doubled the performance of all other active creatives in rotation.

RAW FOOTAGE & BASE ASSETS

Initial Influencer Deliverables

Unedited influencer video clips submitted without green screen backing, serving as the foundation for post-production, background replacement, and CG integration.

INTEGRATING CG INTO LIVE-ACTION FOOTAGE

Below are two example VFX shots with detailed breakdowns outlining the complete pipeline:

3D Asset Refinement: Transferred 3D game models from Unity to Cinema 4D for texture polishing and refinement before re-importing back to Unity.
Lighting & Animation: Configured lighting setups in Unity to match live-action light sources, then animated 3D assets and captured sequences against a green screen.
Keying & Compositing Preparation: Keyed out green screen elements and isolated the main live-action talent using After Effects' rotoscoping tools.
3D Tracking & Matte Painting: Executed 3D camera tracking and created background matte paintings in Photoshop to build scene depth.
VFX & Dynamics: Generated environmental and visual effects simulations (snowstorms, smoke, sparks, lightsabers, and blaster fire) in After Effects and Cinema 4D.
Final Polish: Multi-layer compositing complete with lens effects, glow passes, color grading, custom sound design, SFX, and voiceover integration.

GREENSCREEN KEYING & ASSET ISOLATION

3D Pipeline: In-game assets were polished and re-textured in Cinema 4D.
Lighting & Render: Configured scene lighting and animated assets in Unity to generate clean green screen plates.
Compositing: Keyed and isolated 3D models for seamless integration alongside live-action footage.

VFX SIMULATION & DYNAMICS

Environmental Effects: Simulated dynamic snowstorms, atmospheric smoke, and fire spark particles to match live-action lighting and environment scale.
Action Elements: Built and composited custom Star Wars visual effects, including lightsaber blade ignition/glow passes, blaster bolts, and laser interactions using After Effects and Cinema 4D.

CINEMATIC & GAMEPLAY CAPTURE

A blend of stylized cinematic sequences and direct gameplay footage to showcase both story narrative and real-time mechanics:

Cinematic Game Capture: In-game 3D assets were extracted, polished, and re-textured in Cinema 4D, then relit, animated, and captured inside Unity for a high-fidelity look.
PvP Gameplay Capture: Real-time player-versus-player gameplay captured directly within Unity to highlight core UI and combat mechanics.