To properly conclude this topic, I wanted to do a "proper" version of my illustration shot by using all the latest v7.7 features, so I've redone the lighting from scratch.
Mainly I used shaped lights and the "Inverse Squared Decay" option (physically correct, natural decay) on all lights.
I've also used all the anti-flicker switches (Shadow, GI) and avoided HDRI aliasing by using a LDR image instead of a HDR image as IBL light (that I only use for "ambient lighting").
Last but not least, previously the scene was only lit from "practical lights". So I've added a final touch that any DP would probably have done, I added a blueish RIM light on the right of the Character.
And I've rendered the all sequence as images sequence in 4K (for 2K production) to have extra antialiasing on top of the iClone 3x3 supersampling.
Here is the result:
I'm very happy with the result, it is quite different from the previous one but imho much more natural while having similar "softness". (I bet some of you will prefer the previous one, probably because it is a bit warmer but I could fix that with color grading, the important thing here is the lighting "behavior").
This comforts me with the idea that I can approach what a pathtracer could give me with a fraction of the rendering time with the native iClone rendering. It is not perfect and still misses features, but we can definitely produce decent images with it.
The thing is, in this scene, the set is from an old Stonemason (from DAZ3D) set which has barely PBR materials. I had to cheat here and there to make some material more PBRish but this is definitely not a true PBR set.
And that's why the result is not as photorealistic as it could be.
And this is interesting because it shows one thing (which is my all point with this "PBRish/Plausible Realistic" kind of rendering idea):
While both contribute in each aspect:
1) Lighting and Exposure define the "cinematic look".
2) The PBR materials define the "photorealistic look".
To better illustrate this, check these two images, one being a screenshot from the movie "Aliens" (1986).
I've color graded mine to match the color grading of this Aliens scene:
The "Aliens" screenshot is definitely more photorealistic, for obvious reasons, but in terms of cinematic look, we feel definitely "at home" with my image.
Same "softness", "punchyness", "highlightness", you name it, even the skintone, albeit mine should be a little bit warmer, a bit more reddish but this can be easily addressed.
If you don't pay much attention at first you could definitely think both images are part of the same movie.
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guy rabiller | GOETZIWOOD STUDIOS
"N.O.E." (Nations Of Earth) Sci-Fi TV Show, Showrunner.