Comments on: Note from Shawn Kelly, cofounder of Animation Mentor and senior animator at ILM

By: OniOid

OniOid — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:39:35 +0000

If people- we- are the new industry, then Blender is likely the new industry standard for 3D.

By: OniOid

OniOid — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:19:46 +0000

Hi Tim,
thanks for your input, and points taken.
That said, the industry seems to be changing as we speak, as are its standards– both in software-usage and how the industry operates, vis-a-vis its consumers/producers/distributors/etc. and their interrelations. (I'd be curious to know how the number of Maya users compare with the number of Blender users on a global scale.)
As we well know, games and movies produced using Maya are being up/down-loaded and shared for free, freely. The industry as we understand it today may exist differently tomorrow. Schools (and industry) may find it prudent to consider that fact (possibly rather than fighting it).

By: Tim F

Tim F — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:38:00 +0000

OniOid,

AM is about to teaching so that their student's have the best skills to get a job in the industry. They have a superior record of doing so in their very short life. Maya has generally been in the top tier slot of all animation suites and therefore it is an industry standard. While Blender has come a long way, it is not an industry standard, though I feel that will change over time.

If you really want to use Blender with an AM class, you can, but if your mentor is not comfortable using Blender, then it will impeded your learning process. While the underlying fundamentals are the same regardless of what software suite you use, it's each programs idiosyncrasies that define how well the communication transfers between teacher and student. So for now, Maya is the recommended program. Also keep in mind that there are now AM Alumni, who have switched to Blender.

By: OniOid

OniOid — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:01:27 +0000

I would just like to extend a reflective, cautionary note, what with the recent developments with regard/related to ACTA and DMCA (and other similar in other countries) and mention that ILM is a private company that works with those in the industry (i.e., Hollywood and Spielberg) and elsewhere that might attempt, or have attempted, in various ways to restrict people's freedoms to copy and share information– essentially to communicate and create.

It is important to bear in mind that the internet has changed and will change the dynamics of how media– books, music, movies, etc.– are and will be created and shared (despite draconian legislation); and great and arguably better movies have been made on shoestring budgets and with limited technology. The technology's already here, as are the channels of distribution, but it's people's will and imagination that count.

Animation Mentor (AM) is apparently a private, for-profit education company, and its own software recommendations so far seem to avoid suggesting any kind of open source/libre software such as Blender or GIMP, which could easily be modified and taken beyond the features of Maya and Photoshop:
http://www.animationmentor.com/public_assets/AMrecommendations/AM-Recommendations.pdf

By: PapaSmurf

PapaSmurf — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:54:04 +0000

Hey Shawn! Welcome to our club! i love your blog, and watched your video. Your passion and expertise are evident, and thank you for noticing us and working with us to grow our skills as animators. I'm working on building Motion Capture libraries in Blender, and then integrating them into hand-drawn animation, so it is an exciting time for CG animation.

By: phunamy

phunamy — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:56:29 +0000

Well, at least 3 years ago they had a mention on their employment website. Now going through it, I cannot find it.
Should have checked before foolishly posting (sheepish grin).

By: phunamy

phunamy — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:50:32 +0000

Soooo,
Mr. Kelly, when are you going to dip your toes in the blender pool?

Just in case no one has checked out the ILM website for a job, they recommended first learning blender if you didn't know any animation software, then creating a showreel, and submitting. That's how I learned about blender.

By: mfoxdogg

mfoxdogg — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:31:51 +0000

hi Shawn great to hear you liked BBB :) , it would indeed be greaat to make a blockbuster but not yet, maybe plumi ;), anyway great to hear from a guy like you, besure if you do any tests with blender to show us the results :) and if there is anything you want don't be afraid to ask :)

"I wouldn't be at all surprised if the world was stunned by a true blockbuster film someday, created by people collaborating in their garages all over the world." Great saying :)

By: DramaKing

DramaKing — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:07:27 +0000

When I first started with Blender, I looked down on it as "free" software. I didn't think that, in general, professional animators would be familiar with, or have respect for, Blender. By small degrees, I have seen the impact that Blender has made.

Thank you, Shawn, for supporting Blender and the Open Source community.

By: joel

joel — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:34:34 +0000

What would be really great is that people from Animation-Mentor would give input for Blender, making sure It has the tools animators use.
Then hopefully in the future Animation-Mentor will also provide training for Blender..

They seem to have a community that's all based on sharing knowledge, this is the same with Blender. Working together, helping each other would mean both community's could improve.
It would result in Blender getting it's tool-set improved, and Animation-Mentor getting new tools that will make their jobs easier.