Behind the Scenes: Practical Set Builds for Gigabyte x Capcom’s Resident Evil: Requiem Campaign

Our client Gigabyte partnered with Capcom for promotional campaign for the release of Resident Evil: Requiem, the campaign needed imagery that felt cinematic, tense, and unmistakably Resident Evil while keeping the hero Gigabyte gaming monitors.

At Apex Photo Studios, we produced 7 final images using practical set builds, with each shot featuring a monitor running a specific screen-fill image provided for the campaign.

Project Scope

Deliverables: 7 final campaign images + 36 Key Visuals 
Production approach: Practical sets + controlled lighting + compositing/retouching. Avoid using AI 
Primary subject: Gigabyte monitors with required screen-fill artwork
Creative constraint: Keep visuals PG-13 (no heavy gore)

The Strategy Shift: One Set vs. Seven Custom Environments

Initially, the ask was to build one set and swap monitors to capture the full series.
We proposed a different approach: multiple sets, each tailored to the mood and composition of the screen-fill artwork.

That change made the project feel like a cohesive world instead of repeated content and it was a direction Gigabyte and Capcom quickly embraced.

Location Choice: A 105-Year-Old Basement With the Perfect Dystopian Texture

Resident Evil lives in environments that feel aged, gritty, and unsettling. We immediately knew the basement of our 105-year-old building could deliver that mood authentically without needing artificial “grunge.”

And it worked! The space gave us natural tension on camera with worn surfaces, deep shadows, and a believable sense of place.

Building PG-13 Fear Without Gore

Capcom requested that the imagery remain PG-13, meaning we couldn’t rely on heavy blood effects or graphic props even though the franchise is famously intense.

So we designed sets that could carry the atmosphere through:

• distressed textures and practical detail

• implied story rather than explicit violence

• lighting and framing that builds tension

• prop styling that feels believable and cinematic

The result: scenes that feel “Resident Evil” without needing gore to sell it.

 

Practical Prop Styling: Custom Distressed Boots

For one set, we needed boots with a silhouette reminiscent of Leon’s style. We found a pair of all over print fantasy themed boots with the right shape, but they weren’t black.

So we:

• spray painted them

• hand-distressed and aged them

• tuned the finish to match the scene’s wear and grime

Small details like that are what make a shot feel real on close inspection.

The Crawl Space Shot: Practical Performance + Clean Compositing

For another image, we wanted the set to feel like something was crawling out of the darkness—still PG-13, but unsettling.

We painted a crew member’s arm and had him positioned in a crawlspace behind the monitor. We shot multiple frames with different arm positions, then composited the images and removed the rest of his body to create the illusion of multiple hands reaching out.

It’s one of those moments where practical production and post work combine into something that feels impossible—but still believable.

The Key Visual: Rain Without Putting a Monitor in Rain

The hero screen-fill called for rain, but we couldn’t safely shoot a monitor in real rainfall. So we created a controlled version of the effect:

• wet the ground practically for reflections

• added raindrops in Photoshop

• captured real stoplight reflections in the surface

• got lucky with passing cars, adding natural highlights and motion

Because we used the environment to our advantage, we didn’t need to overload the scene with lights—giving the final key visual a grounded, cinematic feel.

From Approved Images to Full Campaign Assets

Once the final images were approved, we extended the key visual into campaign-ready marketing graphics using assets provided by Gigabyte. 

 This included:

• adapting the hero image into advertising layouts

• creating marketing graphics for the campaign

• designing a mock landing page layout for Gigabyte’s web developers to use as a reference

This kept the visual language consistent across platforms.

Results: A Cohesive Visual World Built With Practical Sets

This project is a great example of how we approach campaigns at Apex Photo Studios:

We build real environments, light them with intention, keep the product hero clear, and deliver assets that scale beyond photography. 

Want Campaign Visuals That Look Cinematic — Not Stock?

Whether you are looking for a practical like set like these or incorporating Ai and other graphics into your visuals, Apex Photo Studios can help!

 
Let’s build your next campaign.
👉 Contact Apex Photo Studios to discuss:

• Practical set builds + product photography

• Key visuals + hero imagery

• Compositing, retouching, and asset adaptation

• Campaign graphics and web-ready deliverables

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