Movie Diaries: Software

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Let's say that you want to put an animated monster in your movie, like in Jurassic Park (t-rex, to pick the benchmark example) or Dragon Wars (just about everything, to pick the newest) or Lord of the Rings (Gollum/Smeagol, to pick the one everyone will know.)

For the PC user, the software you wanted was Autodesk Maya.  According to MySimon.com, it can be had for as low as $ 2000.

Notice, the past tense.  "The software you wanted was..."

Today, I learn about a software called Blender.  I'm still looking at it, learning about it, but based on what I've seen so far it looks like a complete Maya replacement.  I've been watching a film called "Elephant's Dream"* whose animation was produced using Blender, and I have to say I'm impressed (by the technology, if not the animator's style). 

Now, the real kicker.  Blender is open source, free under the GNU General Public License.

http://www.blender.org


* The movie has a very European flavor, very stream of consciousness without any real plot.  But I was watching for the animation. 

EDIT: and while we're at it: http://www.celtx.com/overview.html