How This Big VFX Studio Started Using Blender | Barnstorm VFX

[@azeneza]

what a wonderful story - i was seriously impressed with the VFX of High Castle, i had no idea that it was done in Blender - i love Blender and use it every day, so i'm really happy to have made this discovery

[@ericfak]

Most of this info is from the Blender Guru interview with the company back in 2018 lol. Also it was Lawson who was the 3D guy using Lightwave, not Cory.

[@claudianreyn4529]

I remember when blender started. It was an underground little experiment. It's amazing what has become.

[@ColinFox]

Actually that's not accurate. Blender started life as a game model & level editor for a company called NeoGeo. NeoGeo released the binary of Blender as "freeware", and a community built up around this somewhat powerful but free 3D software. Then NeoGeo went bankrupt, and Ton Roosendaal asked the community to chip in to buy the Blender asset from the creditors. Over $100,000 was raised by the community, and the creditors sold the rights to the community. The software got released under an open source license, and the rest is history.

[@Roberto-rk9kg]

Woww, I'm a Maya, C4D user and on my journey learning Houdini, but evrytime I see videos like this about Blender I want to invest the time to learn it :D

[@PJFoley]

Hey, that’s my old company’s demo reel at 7:20! Good ol’ Dilated Pixels. We really cranked out a ton of Lightwave work.

[@_bbie]

Watched The Man in High Castle ages ago. I didn't know that blender was involved. Wow.

[@gardenfilms1]

Love that he used The Terminal (Tom Hanks) for The Terminal List

[@ed2fun]

That is mentality "You wil figure it up eventually" and made me happy to see I am not the only one and more Studios are taking the challenge to use Blender for big VFX projects, and as them when I receive I call, I trust in myself my team and of curse Blender :D

[@randomdudr]

Of course, not of curse. We are not cursing blender are we?

[@eyeofsolomon]

I have a very small 3D animation studio in Akron, Ohio call EOS Studios. We have decided to use BforArtists as our primary 3-D package. It is a fork of blender with a Cinema 4D, Maya, like interface. I have no problem with this decision and looking forward to some powerful, creative advantages we never had before. Your video was very inspiring.

[@MikeMike-wc8on]

Interesting! But why the choice was Blender~for~artists? I mean it is by functions is the same as Blender, but I found it more difficult to use because of different interface.

[@Dilligff]

@@MikeMike-wc8on I'd think it is for the same reasons brought up in the video where most VFX artists are actually 'trained' in Maya or other softwares. BFA was specifically made as a go-between for those people who found Blenders default interface too alien for them. It is one thing to learn something new, it tends to be more difficult to 'unlearn' something you've grown used to.

[@somedude5951]

Just imagine the huge render times for these scenes. They must have a lot of computers, doing that job at Barnstorm VFX.

[@MiDaY_i]

Render farmssss

[@umran89]

Seeing that they are working on TV shows mostly, which have a quicker turnover time than movies, they most likely got a small size render farm at their place and probably rent out cloud render farms on ad-hoc basis. TV shows usually require quicker deliveries, so the scenes need not be as detailed as movies and a small-mid size render farm usually does the trick. I'm guessing a lot of render issues are taken care off in compositing to avoid re-renders and probably even relight scenes with normal maps in compositing.

[@chubbymoth5810]

Interesting. I wouldn't call using Blender to be easy though as it has a massive tool set. Getting to know those takes quite some time. But if you limit your use to what a commercial application tends to offer, you will probably just use a small portion of that. It's funny that this studio's success is partly due to having a simpler work pipeline as anyone with Blender can do about any task in a project and easily pass on their production.

[@InspirationTuts]

📌 The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/inspirationtuts05231

[@codingwithellie]

Skillshare is the biggest scam.

[@chrisjpndala7576]

The way Blender is used I think it should be taught in schools

[@kentjensen4504]

This is so inspirational, buddy. Thank you!

[@InspirationTuts]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@RealDTSM]

i honestly wish that Blender was taught in schools. hell, when my school offered an Animation class for this school year, i thought it would be a 3d animation class. turns out it was just 2d and we were going to use Adobe Animate (which the school is paying for so hey, free Adobe products), but it just hurts knowing that there are very few people i know at the school that even use or know of blender, that being one random student i know and the IT person. As someone who's been using blender since around March 2020, it's so versatile and useful, and I really wish more people would pick up on it.

[@johndeggendorf7826]

Was Lightwave the program that originated on the Amiga…in the video toaster days? Ancient history. 🤔🍷🎩✌️

[@TV-kj3gi]

Yes, Lightwave originated on the Amiga those days and was used for series Babylon 5 and seaQuest DSV that time on Amiga

[@nixonmanuel6459]

Thank you very much!!

[@InspirationTuts]

You're welcome!

[@Bokaj01]

I remember the times when one was ridiculed for using Blender...'Blender Boy!' etc lol...Oh how the times are changing...I knew it would go this way :D

[@sebbosebbo9794]

thats what I want to see on the next Conference ... p.s. Embark studio ..too..

[@christiansanchez7448]

Blender would be a cool elective to offer at high schools since it's free

[@3dcreativeworld99]

Thank you for the link and tha great video 👍👍🤩🤩

[@InspirationTuts]

You’re welcome 😊

[@Awakenbeing]

This video boost my morale and inspires me to learn Blender for create better content as small studio.

[@satishpillaigamedev]

awesome

[@DS-pk4eh]

I hope Narnstorm made a nice donation to Blender fondation.

[@miko8234]

How is it possible to draw in blender like in the video at 8:45?

[@dracon436]

InspirationTuts always great videos, can you please make the next video on pipeline for videogames using blender, what best tutorial do you recommend to be indie game developer thanks in advance

[@arnosti1615]

you will make me to be pro by watching your video

[@abhijeetsiddam6145]

Where can i find the 8:11 football full video.. Thanks

[@chrisjpndala7576]

great video

[@InspirationTuts]

Thanks!

[@TV-kj3gi]

Blender's new interface started with version 2.8 (not 2.7, as started in the video)

[@crabbycat8884]

Truespace and Lightwave is my gateway in college, not because i'm liking the software, it because at that time every 3d software had different approach and i'm so interested with it (at that time blender application size was fit into diskette), my benchmark 3d software always sidefx houdini, can't believe now blender using the same approach and i'm slowly incorporate that today to my pipeline 3d production

[@TerenceKearns]

yeah I remember truespace. I think Lightwave started out on the comodor Amiga computer. Those we the days.

[@ColinFox]

@@TerenceKearns Yeah, Lightwave came with the Video Toaster, the world's first consumer grade non-linear, non-destructive video editor. It was originally just intended for motion graphics, but expanded to the point where it was used for the TV show Babylon 5.

[@TerenceKearns]

@@ColinFox a close friend of mine from school designed the circuitry for some Amiga hardware graphics addon which apparently did some amazing stuff - I think it did 24bit graphics or something. It was his first year out of high school so he skipped university. I never got to see it. He used to sit next to me in class reading reference manuals to microchips holding the book under the desk so he didn’t get in trouble for not paying attention in class. He runs a company called Pervasive Telemetry in Sydney, Australia where we grew up.

[@RomboutVersluijs]

One thing im curious about is what app was used for simulations. Blender has it, vut its old and not that good. Wonder what they used

[@luten4824]

my main question is how they deal with OCIO for theses shots years ago because it didn't existed soon in blender

[@doctorkj5640]

I sincerely doubt that Blender was used for all that demolition sims, explosions and particles because that type of vfx is extremely dependant on the strong pipeline which is not Blender’s strongest side. Blender is really capable almost-all-in-one package but only to a certain degree.

[@saladpotato]

Here they come.........

[@STICKOMEDIA]

Yesss the Blender wave

[@montumeroe9593]

Bloody hell I've got a long way to go before I can do anything near this stuff.

[@InspirationTuts]

It's okay, we all started somewhere!!

[@montumeroe9593]

@@InspirationTuts Thanks mate!

[@christianniyokwizerwa]

Do you mind doing a video predicting how blender 5.0 will look like?

[@Z-add]

Blender 5 will do everything. Solve dark matter problem and even send kids to school.

[@TheMissingxtension]

Blender was really good and i was trying to use it for everything! Even the video editor was awesome, but they have an Nvidia problem. For no apparent reason if you have an AMD card it doesn't use it. The community has lost its way

[@keremikzz6509]

i dont understand why people dont use it. Even if it was much worse than the current programs it has all the elements inside which makes the workflow really really fast. If you are a experienced artist there is no problem with that so it is much much worth to be free. Most of the softwares you will have to export anyways and software doesnt matter than, so why not use a software that everyone can work with the parameters progressively with unlimited range of tools?

[@TerenceKearns]

Blender’s dominance is inevitable. Its ability to be customised by studios is unlimited and the core platform itself is growing at a massive rate.

[@zedeon6299]

In the end they're all the same software, Just because you have slight inconvenience using blender doesn't mean it can't be used in production, cope and seethe

[@ashdalat.]

ah yes, after using blender for almost 2 years, sculpting in zbrush and blenderz even use subtance painter and a week ago when i ask for the first job, they just said" can you use 3ds max? since you dont know how to use 3ds max we have to train you for next 7 months? even they saw the characters i made, blender just not fix their pipe line, then i refused, 7 months no income what an idea((╬ಠิ﹏ಠิ)) , now i am self learning 3ds max, even its not that hard but this pucking 3ds max is really realy suck.

[@OnePatrix]

Thats why, even if I know Blender from a year by now (still practicing to get even better results), started learning Houdini two weeks ago... Just in Case

[@AdolfHitler-lk4vo]

so if u used maya they would also say the same thing? what kind of a cope is this

[@Cola-42]

Yes, it's very important to know the software needed for the area you want to specialize in. Maya is mostly used in the movie and game industry, while 3ds max is used mostly in other more towards industrial stuff like interior design or commercials. Houdini for vfx and simulations and so on... You don't want to learn Unreal Engine for example, and try to get into Disney. Even if UE is insanely powerful for game design. I only use Blender for the add-ons to be honest. There are some really nice add-ons created by the community. I find it still lacking in all the other areas.

[@leucome]

@@Cola-42 Though Disney use Unreal Engine for their TV show vfx.

[@goshawk_fly]

In this film VFX-workers should to make posteffects less rich

[@the.editing.knight]

Wait y is Andrew here?

[@bohomazdesign725]

But but people say "blunda kunt du preducton huehuehue!"

[@gurpreetrai8381]

I am good modelling in blender but i learning character animation So ..... Any one tell me i think make my own pipeline Modelling scene -> Animate-> Render In in in Blender | Maya | Blender For fast work flow Becoz i make like cocomelon cartoons for kid for saving life disturbing gap voilance Some mess content on around And give Valuable msg Be honest I resigned my job for saving kid's life

[@pizola3285]

Most FX were DEFINITELY not done in Blender

[@principedelapaz3593]

the same on maya my friend all studios need houdini for simulation need 3ds max for modeling need nuke for tracking more and more no big studios use one software blender is just in starts in the 6y ago maybe in the next 5y all is change and v ray is coming to blender in 2025 the most big studios use vray so let's se 🙌

[@dimasputra]

ui

[@martyjwalker]

If the Japanese had occupied the western part of US they would have made everyone drive on the left. :)

[@edwardoowew]

InspirationTuts always gets bias in the end. Whenever he talk about blender, he always mention "Maya" somewhere in between like he is pointing out that blender couldn't do a thing or two and always need maya's help. Meanwhile if he is talking about Maya, there will be no mention of blender at all. I wonder how much autodesk pay you.

[@principedelapaz3593]

💖💖easy blender need more time to be complete software vfx in industry maya have more than 30 y on industry mybe for the next 5y coming blender is be the big boy for big project

[@Mrsmifff]

Maya will always be industry standard lol the amount of money they collectively have poured into its advancements and capabilities makes it immortal.

[@zedeon6299]

No one asked

[@ferdinandkasangati5089]

​@@zedeon6299 true bro, no one asked him

[@Mrsmifff]

@zedeon6299 🤡

[@choup-channel]

It's labor that counts, not how much money you pour into a project. Blender has a very strong developer community.

[@choup-channel]

It's how much labor, that counts. Blender has quite a community.

[@jaromor8808]

SkIlLsHaRe 😁😁😁😁😁😁🤡🤡🤡🤡🤣🤣💩💩💩💩💩💩

[@elconquistador3340]

Lol guys just go check the job offering, they are looking for houdini, Arnold artists, and nuke etc. They might have started with Blender for stuff here and there and also because it's free, but anybody serious and sane minded can see how shit blender is in production.

[@ruppert5134]

Yeah that is why Barnstorm used Blender for HUGE productions.....

[@elconquistador3340]

@@ruppert5134 yeah they are so happy with blender that they are looking now for Arnold user, houdini, nuke and so on.🤣

[@MrMargaretScratcher]

Hello again, you never got round to telling us which version of Blender you have installed...

[@elconquistador3340]

@@MrMargaretScratcher is that even important? i have on my machine the 2.93LTS 3.3LTS 3.4 and 3.5

[@arthritic]

Just a matter of time. This is fantastic.