If you have just over 12 minutes to spare today, this new open movie released by the Blender Foundation called “Tears of Steel” is definitely worth a watch.
The short movie Tears of Steel was created using crowd-funding by users of the open-source 3D creation tool Blender and was published to YouTube last week.
The Concept and Creation
The concept behind “Tears of Steel” was to improve and test a complete open and free pipeline for visual effects in film, and to make a compelling sci-fi film in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The project aimed to showcase the capabilities of Blender, an open-source 3D creation suite, and to demonstrate that high-quality visual effects can be achieved without the need for expensive proprietary software.
The film was produced by the Blender Institute, part of the Blender Foundation, which has a history of creating open movies to push the boundaries of what Blender can do. Previous projects include “Elephants Dream,” “Big Buck Bunny,” and “Sintel,” each of which has contributed to the development of Blender by identifying areas for improvement and adding new features.
Creative Commons and Community Involvement
One of the unique aspects of “Tears of Steel” is its release under the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution license. This means that not only is the film itself freely available for anyone to watch, but all the raw material used in its creation is also available for download. This includes 3D models, textures, and animation data, allowing other artists and filmmakers to learn from and build upon the work done by the Blender Institute.
“The film itself, and all raw material used for making it, have been released under the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution license. Visit the tearsofsteel.org website to find out more about this, or to purchase the 4-DVD box with a lot of extras.”
The community involvement in the project was significant. The Blender Foundation used crowd-funding to finance the film, with contributions coming from Blender users and supporters around the world. This not only provided the necessary funds to produce the film but also created a sense of ownership and pride within the Blender community.
For more information, jump over to the website.
Impact and Legacy
“Tears of Steel” has had a lasting impact on the Blender community and the broader world of open-source software. The film’s production led to the development of several new features in Blender, including improved motion tracking, compositing, and rendering capabilities. These advancements have made Blender an even more powerful tool for artists and filmmakers, further solidifying its place as a viable alternative to commercial 3D software.
The film also serves as an inspiration for other open-source projects, demonstrating that high-quality, professional-grade work can be achieved through collaborative, community-driven efforts. It has encouraged other artists and developers to explore the possibilities of open-source software and to contribute to the ongoing development of tools like Blender.
In conclusion, “Tears of Steel” is more than just a short sci-fi film; it is a testament to the power of community, collaboration, and open-source software. Whether you are a Blender user, a filmmaker, or simply a fan of innovative storytelling, “Tears of Steel” is definitely worth a watch.
Source: Gizmodo
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