Blender Foundation
{{Short description|Non-profit organization responsible for the development of Blender}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Blender Foundation
| logo = Logo Blender.svg
| image = Blender Foundation headquarters.jpg
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| size =
| caption = Blender Foundation headquarters at Amsterdam, Netherlands
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| formation = {{start date and age|2002|5}}
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| type = {{lang|nl|Stichting}}
| status =
| purpose = Development of Blender
| headquarters = Amsterdam, Netherlands
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| region_served = Worldwide
| products =
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| leader_title = Chairman
| leader_name = Ton Roosendaal
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| subsidiaries = Blender Institute
Blender Studio
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| num_employees = 31 (2022)
| website = {{URL|https://blender.org/about/foundation/}}
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}}
The Blender Foundation is a Dutch nonprofit organization (Stichting) responsible for the development of Blender, an open-source 3D content-creation program.{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/blenderorg/blender-foundation/|title=About the foundation|website=Blender|date=7 May 2021 }}
The foundation has distributed the animated films Elephants Dream (2006), Big Buck Bunny (2008), Sintel (2010), Tears of Steel (2012),{{cite magazine |last=McConnachie |first=Dahna |url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1111810628;fp;2;fpid;4 |title=Open source on the big screen: Matt Ebb tells tales of Elephants Dream |magazine=Computerworld |date=January 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080218093006/http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id%3B1111810628%3Bfp%3B2%3Bfpid%3B4 |archivedate=2008-02-18 }}{{cite web|author=Rui Paulo Sanguinheira Diogo|url=https://www.linux-magazin.de/Ausgaben/2007/12/Modelling-2.50|title=Modelling 2.50|publisher=Linux-Magazin|date=December 2007}} Caminandes: Llama Drama (2013), Caminandes: Gran Dillama (2013), Cosmos Laundromat (2015), Glass Half (2015), Caminandes: Llamigos (2016), Agent 327: Operation Barbershop (2017), Hero (2018), Spring (2019), Coffee Run (2020), Sprite Fright (2021), Charge (2022), and Wing it! (2023).
Goals
File:Blender Foundation Amsterdam team.jpg in front of the Blender Foundation headquarters]]
The foundation is chaired by Ton Roosendaal, the original author of the Blender software. One of the foundation's stated goals is "to give the worldwide Internet community access to 3D technology in general, with Blender as a core".{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/blenderorg/blender-foundation/|title=Blender Foundation - blender.org|date=7 May 2021 }}
The foundation provides various resources to support the community formed around using and developing Blender. In particular, it organizes an annual Blender Conference in Amsterdam{{cite web|url=https://www.blender.org/community/blender-conference/|title=About Blender Conference|date=November 2013 }} to discuss plans for the future of Blender, as well as staffing a booth to represent Blender at SIGGRAPH.{{cite web|url=http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual|title=Blender documentation 2.4|access-date=2013-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928011432/http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual|archive-date=2013-09-28|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.blender.org/news/article/blender-on-siggraph-tradeshow/|title=Blender 2.5 progress|access-date=2009-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722055641/http://www.blender.org/news/article/blender-on-siggraph-tradeshow/|archive-date=2011-07-22|url-status=dead}} Donations are also used to maintain the Blender website and hire developers to improve the Blender software.
Contributors
The foundation is funded entirely by donations from entrepreneurs, companies, and users.{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=Blender Foundation |url=https://www.blender.org/about/foundation/ |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=blender.org |language=en}} Many video game publishers such as Epic Games, Ubisoft, Activision, Valve, and NetEase have made contributions. Nvidia, Intel, AMD, Meta, Microsoft, Adobe, and Google have also funded the project.{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=Blender Development Fund |url=https://fund.blender.org/ |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=Blender Development Fund}}
In 2019, Epic Games awarded the Blender Foundation a {{Currency|1.2 million}} grant as part of their Epic MegaGrants initiative.{{Cite web |title=Epic Games supports Blender with $1.2 million Epic MegaGrant |url=https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/epic-games-supports-blender-with-1-2-million-epic-megagrant |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=Unreal Engine |language=en-US}} Founder and CEO of Epic Games Tim Sweeney stated, "Open tools, libraries and platforms are critical to the future of the digital content ecosystem" and that "Blender is an enduring resource within the artistic community, and we aim to ensure its advancement to the benefit of all creators."{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Blender |title=Epic Games supports Blender Foundation with $1.2 million Epic MegaGrant |url=https://www.blender.org/press/epic-games-supports-blender-foundation-with-1-2-million-epic-megagrant/ |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=blender.org |date=15 July 2019 |language=en}}
Open projects
The Blender Foundation maintains several community-driven "Open Projects" through its affiliated Blender Institute program, including several freely licensed films and a free, open-source video game Yo Frankie! (2008).{{Cite web |url=https://www.blender.org/features-gallery/blender-open-projects/ |title=Blender.org - Blender Open Projects |access-date=5 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020065917/https://www.blender.org/features-gallery/blender-open-projects/ |archive-date=20 October 2013 |url-status=dead }} According to the Foundation, these projects are intended "to validate and improve the 3D open source content creation pipeline with Blender". Each project was created using the Blender software and released under permissive license terms, along with the source material. In addition to demonstrating the capabilities of the software, the Open Projects provided detailed production material (sketches, tutorials, textures and models, etc.) to serve as examples for the Blender user community, as well as finished products that could be widely used for other purposes.{{cite web|url=http://gigaom.com/video/blender-foundation-releases-open-source-movie-sintel/|title=Blender Foundation Releases Open-Source Movie Sintel|first=Roettgers|last=Janko|publisher=GigaOm|access-date=2010-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829201449/http://gigaom.com/video/blender-foundation-releases-open-source-movie-sintel/|archive-date=2012-08-29|url-status=dead}}
On 18 March 2006, the Blender Foundation released its first film, Elephants Dream.{{cite web|url=https://orange.blender.org/blog/elephants-dream-released/|title=Elephants Dream Released!|publisher=Blender Foundation|accessdate=2009-09-25}} In response to the success of Elephants Dream, the Blender Foundation established the Blender Institute to support future software and content development projects. The Blender Institute operates out of a studio within the Entrepotdok building in Amsterdam, where the Blender Foundation is also located, and is headed by Ton Roosendaal.
On 10 April 2008, the Blender Institute released its second film, Big Buck Bunny.{{cite web|url=https://peach.blender.org/index.php/project-peach-is-pretty-proud-to-present/|title=Project Peach is Pretty Proud to Present…|publisher=Blender Foundation|accessdate=2008-02-04|archive-date=2008-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703212327/http://peach.blender.org/index.php/project-peach-is-pretty-proud-to-present|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |first=Ryan |last=Paul |title=Blender Foundation's Peach project begins |url=https://arstechnica.com/journals/linux.ars/2007/10/03/blender-foundations-peach-project-begins |website=Ars Technica |date=2007-10-03 |accessdate=2007-10-13 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.blender.org/news/article/premiere-of-open-movie-big-buck-bunny/|title=Premiere of Open Movie Big Buck Bunny|access-date=2008-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725090018/http://www.blender.org/news/article/premiere-of-open-movie-big-buck-bunny/|archive-date=2008-07-25|url-status=dead}} Based on the movie, the Blender Institute released its first Open Game project Yo Frankie!, in November 2008.
On 30 September 2010 the Blender Institute released its third project, Sintel.
In October 2011, Concept/Script Development began for Blender's fourth open film project titled Tears of Steel. Contrary to previous Blender Institute projects, which were 100% computer graphics, the focus of Tears of Steel was the combination of live action footage with computer generated characters and environments. The live action footage was shot with a high-end Sony F65 camera. The project was released on 26 September 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.tearsofsteel.org|title=Tears of Steel | Mango Open Movie Project}}
The Gooseberry Open Movie Project is the fifth Open Movie Project initiated by the Blender Foundation. Ton Roosendal announced the project in January 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.blendernation.com/2011/01/10/project-gooseberry-announced/|title=Project Gooseberry announced|author=Bart|work=BlenderNation|date=10 January 2011 }}{{cite web|title=Blender Foundation – Community Meeting|website=Blender.org|url=https://www.blender.org/bf/sig2013.pdf}} The most ambitious project yet, one of the primary goals is for the Gooseberry Open Movie Project to be the first full-length film produced by the Blender Institute. Work on the film, called Cosmos Laundromat, began in 2014{{cite web|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/cartoon-brew-pick/cosmos-laundromat-first-cycle-by-mathieu-auvray-118305.html |title='Cosmos Laundromat: First Cycle' by Mathieu Auvray |first=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi |last=Amidi |website=Cartoon Brew |date=26 August 2015}} (although a release date was not yet announced). A ten-minute pilot, entitled Cosmos Laundromat: First Cycle was released on YouTube and Netflix on 10 August 2015{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-rmzh0PI3c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Y-rmzh0PI3c |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Cosmos Laundromat - First Cycle. Official Blender Foundation release.|date=10 August 2015|work=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} and premiered at the Netherlands Film Festival on 24 September 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.filmfestival.nl/profs_en/films/cosmos-laundromat|title=Cosmos Laundromat|website=Nederlands Film Festival|accessdate=December 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053733/https://www.filmfestival.nl/profs_en/films/cosmos-laundromat|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}} The pilot won the Jury's Prize at Animago 2015,{{cite web|url=http://www.animago.com/en/press-area/press-releases/artikel/congratulations-here-come-the-2015-winners-of-animago-award/|title=Congratulations! Here come the 2015 winners of animago AWARD|accessdate=December 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105040531/http://www.animago.com/en/press-area/press-releases/artikel/congratulations-here-come-the-2015-winners-of-animago-award/|archive-date=January 5, 2016|url-status=dead}} an international conference for 3D animation.
In 2013, the second episode of a short animated series {{lang|es|Caminandes}} was released under the Blender Foundation umbrella.{{cite web|url=http://www.caminandes.com/about/|title=About Caminandes|accessdate=February 26, 2014|archive-date=May 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512082251/http://www.caminandes.com/about|url-status=dead}} In 2016, a third short was released.
- Caminandes 1: Llama Drama (2013)
- Caminandes 2: Gran Dillama (2013)
- Caminandes 3: Llamigos (2016)
Hero, the sixth Open Movie Project, was announced in September 2017 and released on 16th April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://cloud.blender.org/p/hero/blog/hero-a-blender-2d-open-movie-project|title=Hero, a Blender 2D open movie project|publisher=Blender Foundation|accessdate=2017-09-18}}{{cite web|url=https://cloud.blender.org/p/hero/blog/presenting-hero-blender-grease-pencil-showcase|title=Presenting Hero - Blender Grease Pencil Showcase|publisher=Blender Foundation|accessdate=2018-05-31}} The technical target for Hero was to use and improve the Grease Pencil tools.
Sprite Fright, a short animated comedy-horror was announced on 9 November 2020{{Cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Announcing Sprite Fright: A Horror-Comedy|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/announcing-sprite-fright-a-horror-comedy/|access-date=2021-10-30|website=Blender Studio|language=en}} and released on 29 October 2021.{{Cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Sprite Fright Premiere|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/sprite-fright-premiere/|access-date=2021-10-30|website=Blender Studio|language=en}}
Charge was released the 15 December 2022.{{Cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Charge Premiere|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/charge-premiere/|access-date=2023-06-28|website=Blender Studio|language=en}}
Pet Projects was announced on 19 January 2023.{{Cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Announcing "Pet Projects": a New Open Movie|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/announcing-pet-projects-a-new-open-movie/|access-date=2023-06-28|website=Blender Studio|language=en}} The official release title is "WING IT!" and was released the 12 September 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/wing-it-premiere-date/|title="Wing It!" Premiere Date - Blog - Blender Studio|website=Blender Studio|language=en|access-date=2023-09-21}}
Project Gold was announced on 22 May 2023.{{Cite web|last=Institute|first=Blender|title=Announcing Project Gold: the Next Blender Open Movie|url=https://studio.blender.org/blog/announcing-project-gold-the-next-blender-open-movie/|access-date=2023-07-27|website=Blender Studio|language=en}}
= Filmography =
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://www.blender.org/ Blender official website]
{{Blender Foundation}}
{{FOSS}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Information technology organisations based in the Netherlands