Elephants Dream Director Readies Blender-Animated Tube

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Elephants Dream Director Readies Blender-Animated Tube

Posted by timothy on Saturday April 21, 2012 @03:15PM from the moving-pictures dept.

TheSilentNumber writes "Bassam Kurdali's free culture 3D animation, Tube, is nearing the final stages of production. Tube is a collaborative effort between 56 artists from 22 countries — some of which are at war. After directing the first of the Blender Institute's 'Open Movie Projects,' Elephants Dream, Bassam wanted to prove the viability of free cultural works and usability of free software like Blender and PiTiVi for independent filmmakers. Just a few days after launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the project, the goal has been met, which means we should see the final release in seven months!"

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Why are the artists at war? by Taco+Cowboy · 2012-04-21 15:30 · Score: 0

I did not read TFA
Why are some of those artists at war?

--
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
1. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 15:34 · Score: 0
  
  No, artists from 22 countries. Some of those countries are at war (presumably with each other).
2. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 15:35 · Score: 0
  
  You didn't read TFA, but did you try reading TFS?
  The artists are from various countries. Some of the countries are at war.
  Artist A -> Country 1
  Artist B -> Country 2
  Country 1 and Country 2 are at war.
3. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 15:36 · Score: 0
  
  the age old VI vs. Emacs battle over editing scripts of course.
4. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 15:42 · Score: 0
  
  Well it all began when A. Kaczinski blatantly copied R. Dmitryev's teapot and put it in an obscene image with a Poser model...
  But I'm sure you knew that the 'which' (being 'which') referred to the countries, not the people who (being 'who') would have been referred to as such.
  Back on-topic... cool, but with 56 people behind it, $22k is only about $400 per person. I realize these are, for the most part, enthusiasts who are just doing it for fun - but those who have been saying that movies should go with the patronage model will have to point out some better patrons than KickStarter backers (so far, in terms of film projects funded through there).
  I also wish that the $25 pledge level reward was a little more enticing. Perhaps a frame, or set of frames, from a film *print* if one ends up being made for the festivals referenced, rather than a digital image that you could render out yourself given the assets you get at the $1 pledge level, or screencap if they're literally just sending you a frame 'as is' included in the film.
  ( Those suggesting that the additional $24 is mostly a donation: you can actually pledge above the reward level, in essence donating - though most projects use it to handle international shipping costs. )
5. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 15:43 · Score: 0
  
  I looked at the crew's map, but nothing jumped out at me. Which countries are we talking about here?
6. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Sun · 2012-04-21 16:19 · Score: 1
  
  The middle east, particularly around Israel, is extremely dense in countries (always a problem when some smart @!#!@3 decides I need to pick a time zone by clicking a city), so I have to somewhat guess here. I'd say one dot is in Cairo, and then three more dots that may or may not all be inside Israel (if they are, Israel and Egypt officially have a piece accord). Either way, this is not something mentioned in TFA, so ask TheSilentNumber what he meant.
  Shachar
7. Re:Why are the artists at war? by mestar · 2012-04-21 21:25 · Score: 1
  
  The FS does not say this at all. It could be that
  Artist A -> Country 1
  Artist B -> Country 2 ...
  Country 1 is at war with country not even in the list.
8. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 23:14 · Score: 0
  
  If it's anything like Elephant's Dream, Sintel or Big Buck Bunny, it'll be pretty but boring crap. These people can do graphics, but they should get a good writer/director first.
9. Re:Why are the artists at war? by camperdave · 2012-04-22 01:25 · Score: 1
  
  (always a problem when some smart @!#!@3 decides I need to pick a time zone by clicking a city)
  Yeah. What's up with that? Just let me pick my time zone and the date format I prefer. America/Toronto indeed! That Toronto isn't in America, you insensitive clods!
  
  --
  When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
10. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Sun · 2012-04-22 01:38 · Score: 1
  
  Actually, time zones are set by the pair continent/city. For example, my time zone is Asia/Jerusalem. There is also Europe/Paris etc. It's a little confusing, I know.
  Since, last I checked, Toronto was in north America, that is, in fact, your time zone.
  Shachar
11. Re:Why are the artists at war? by hobarrera · 2012-04-22 07:34 · Score: 1
  
  Mind you it doesn't say at war "with each other", it may well be that one of those countries is a war with a third country (one on which there are no artists).
12. Re:Why are the artists at war? by camperdave · 2012-04-22 08:42 · Score: 1
  
  No, my time zone is, in fact, Eastern Daylight Savings (GMT-4). Time zones are not continent/city pairs, they are (apart from a few political deviations) pole to pole strips. Besides, if they want to a continent/city pair, then why don't they say North America/Toronto. Without a North or South designator in front of it, America means the United States.
  
  --
  When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
13. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-23 05:34 · Score: 0
  
  Trust me, they do. Have you read about the project? Go to the actual Kickstarter and read some of the text and look at what they're making. It's awesome!
14. Re:Why are the artists at war? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-23 05:38 · Score: 0
  
  They have artists from Israel and Palestine, at least, and I think they are also making a statement about their American artists. And their director is Syrian, originally!
Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Jonah+Hex · 2012-04-21 16:00 · Score: 4, Informative

So far I have been able to use a combo of open source and commercial products to create a distributed workflow, but tying it all together under single sign on is next to impossible especially to a wiki for organizing all the fiction. Anyone interested feel free to visit us, we seriously need some more creative people working on the site and projects.

Check out the project I've been working on for some time: www.HEX.xxx

Taking place in an alternate universe known as Obscure Delusion, several videos are now coming to light.

* Maniac Loveseat is a short episodic format show in the Obscure Delusion universe. Featuring HEX and Jacky Paper, it is an unscripted improvised brainstorming session. Things that may be used for building parts of the canon universe and considered madness are wrenched from our viscera on the Maniac Loveseat.

* The Unknown Truth is a science documentary show in the Obscure Delusion universe. Now in it’s land mark 37th season, welcome to **The Unknown Truth** Episode 2012-03-16 with your host, Doctor Watt.

Obscure Delusion Fictional Universe Original Material with references to public domain H.P. Lovecraft characters and works.

Our Distribution Channels:
* Our Main Site www.HEX.xxx
* Facebook Page & Twitter Updates
* YouTube Channel (Original Content Verified!)
* DailyMotion (Original Content MotionMaker!)
* Funny or Die Channel (Funny Videos!)
* Phone 1-800-HEX-SETX - Located Downriver in Trenton, MI.

--
Horror & SciFi Erotic Nudes
1. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Taco+Cowboy · 2012-04-21 16:05 · Score: 2
  
  So far I have been able to use a combo of open source and commercial products to create a distributed workflow, but tying it all together under single sign on is next to impossible especially to a wiki for organizing all the fiction. Anyone interested feel free to visit us, we seriously need some more creative people working on the site and projects.
  Check out the project I've been working on for some time: www.HEX.xxx
  Taking place in an alternate universe known as Obscure Delusion, several videos are now coming to light.
  * Maniac Loveseat is a short episodic format show in the Obscure Delusion universe. Featuring HEX and Jacky Paper, it is an unscripted improvised brainstorming session. Things that may be used for building parts of the canon universe and considered madness are wrenched from our viscera on the Maniac Loveseat.
  * The Unknown Truth is a science documentary show in the Obscure Delusion universe. Now in itâ(TM)s land mark 37th season, welcome to **The Unknown Truth** Episode 2012-03-16 with your host, Doctor Watt.
  Obscure Delusion Fictional Universe Original Material with references to public domain H.P. Lovecraft characters and works.
  Our Distribution Channels:
  * Our Main Site www.HEX.xxx
  * Facebook Page & Twitter Updates
  * YouTube Channel (Original Content Verified!)
  * DailyMotion (Original Content MotionMaker!)
  * Funny or Die Channel (Funny Videos!)
  * Phone 1-800-HEX-SETX - Located Downriver in Trenton, MI.
  I am sure you guys are contributing a lot to the community but need to ask you a question;
  How to encourage artists from developing world to participate ?
  They are not as rich as you guys
  They do not have as many advance hardware as you guys ... and ...
  They can not devote as much time to crunch out the scene as you guys
  
  --
  Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
2. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Grayhand · 2012-04-21 16:14 · Score: 0
  
  Congradulations. I think you set an all time record for the number of links in a single post.
3. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Jonah+Hex · 2012-04-21 16:19 · Score: 2
  
  The wonderful part of using Wordpress as our base and bringing in a Wiki and Forum is so anyone who can participate via text is included, creating a fictional universe is a huge undertaking, and most of it will happen via the written word. Additionally, after doing quite a bit of research I believe Kompoz will allow us to have musicians with even the most basic computer recording hookup participate. Video is where it gets very tricky, and starts to shut out even those of us who have high quality machines to use. - HEX
  
  --
  Horror & SciFi Erotic Nudes
4. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Jonah+Hex · 2012-04-21 16:29 · Score: 2
  
  Not even close, but my link to verbiage ratio is a bit unbalanced. But then again it is meant to be a list of links and info to show we are not just screwing around, we are putting our own money and time behind the project. - HEX
  
  --
  Horror & SciFi Erotic Nudes
5. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 16:51 · Score: 0
  
  CongraTulations.
6. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 18:26 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah, I think you're the one that's "a bit unbalanced" to be quite honest. Just because you're blowing money away on shitty indie films doesn't mean you're not "screwing around." Go spam some hipster site with your link diarrhea.
7. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Jonah+Hex · 2012-04-21 18:59 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, I think you're the one that's "a bit unbalanced" to be quite honest. Just because you're blowing money away on shitty indie films doesn't mean you're not "screwing around." Go spam some hipster site with your link diarrhea.
  Of course I'm a bit unbalanced, I've spent over 25 years as a Windows admin contracting for National and International corporate migrations, roll-outs, and OS/application packaging. I then became so unbalanced that I then started this project while simultaneously working 9p to 5a writing and implementing custom migration code with an international team. I wanted a place to work on the ideas that I, as a long time science fiction and horror reader, had developed and discussed with a few very close creative friends. Frankly I'd take a /. troll with a brain over a hipster any day, but most can't handle not being an asshole long enough to actually collaborate on anything. You may enjoy some of the essays I have on the site, particularly The Fictional Lexicon which combines a Video reading of Roger Zelazny with an essay. - HEX
  
  --
  Horror & SciFi Erotic Nudes
8. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 19:40 · Score: 0
  
  Dude, come on is this a ploy to get pictures of female "models"? Have you gotten any to bite so far? I doubt it will work, but I wish you luck nonetheless.
  I seriously visited the links and couldn't figure anything out or find any materials except your essays and poems, which are ... interesting, but probably more suitable for a blog than for what you are claiming you are trying to do.
9. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Jonah+Hex · 2012-04-21 20:32 · Score: 1
  
  Dude, come on is this a ploy to get pictures of female "models"? Have you gotten any to bite so far? I doubt it will work, but I wish you luck nonetheless. I seriously visited the links and couldn't figure anything out or find any materials except your essays and poems, which are ... interesting, but probably more suitable for a blog than for what you are claiming you are trying to do.
  I do get pictures of female models via responses to my local advertising channels, but since those pics are not part of the project and I have no release for them I certainly wouldn't post them. They are comparable to what you can see on Model Mayhem or the CC Flickr nudes I use. However getting amateur models and actresses in my area is quite a pain, which is why we have been talking to professional fetish models trying to get a reduced rate for a shoot. Most of them have no issues with a Lovecraftian video shoot.
  
  I pulled the Wordpress plugin based wiki down a while back so yes quite a bit of data has ended up in news posts while we considered other options. Additionally quite a bit remains to be transferred from notes and disparate locations into the website, once the backend is complete. Now we are back to implementing a full featured wiki even if we have to sacrifice single sign on between Wordpress and Wiki to do it. Not sure why you couldn't find any videos anywhere in those links, there are three separate video channels listed. (Although Funny or Die doesn't have all the videos, as not all our stuff is meant to be funny.) - HEX
  
  --
  Horror & SciFi Erotic Nudes
10. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Jonah+Hex · 2012-04-21 20:39 · Score: 1
  
  Also perhaps you missed the Help Wanted and WTFAQ in the top menu bar? Granted I've spent more time working on the backend platform (and fighting with a faulty OCZ 128G internal flash drive) than I have on fleshing them out completely, but the project is still in it's early phases and the info there is decent and is mostly made up from bits that evolved in news posts. - HEX
  
  --
  Horror & SciFi Erotic Nudes
11. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Jonah+Hex · 2012-04-21 21:23 · Score: 1
  
  Also wanted to mention that Kaltura is pretty much the list of online video collaboration once we can either get it implemented on a VPS or hosted. (new YouTube editor is also surprisingly good for a web video editor) Currently we are running on a decent HostGator VPS with CloudFlare and MaxCDN, and I recently got a free trial node from VPS.NET to try new Wordpress configs on as well as examine moving from a single HostGator to a cloud VPS model. - HEX
  
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  Horror & SciFi Erotic Nudes
12. Re:Making Distributed Films - Join Us by Threni · 2012-04-22 00:46 · Score: 0
  
  Also they are not creative and have no common sense so you'll need to explain everything 5 times really clearly or they'll make a real mess of it.
  But hey, they're cheap!
Re:more kickstarter ads by BanHammor · 2012-04-21 20:34 · Score: 1

The goal has already been met, so please, cut the bullcrap.
Re:more kickstarter ads by wonkey_monkey · 2012-04-21 21:19 · Score: 1

The GP refers to slashvertisements for Kickstarter, not an appeal for funds through Kickstarter. Not that I agree with the GP; The article is Slashdot-worthy anyway, and the Kickstarter reference is relevant. But his beef is with what he perceives to be an ad, not an appeal.

--
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
Why are these projects so expensive? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 22:18 · Score: 0

Looking at the previous and predicted budgets of these Blender films, they have a per-minute cost way above the equivalent quality film funded by usual means (broadcasters, arts subsidies, etc).
If they're not paying for software, where is the extra money going?
Nearing the final stages of production? by mapuche · 2012-04-22 03:39 · Score: 1

His KS page show the project is starting the animation process, hardly the final stage of production.
Tube -- a standalone film? by TeknoHog · 2012-04-22 09:02 · Score: 1

He should really consider making a series.

--
Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
1. Re:Tube -- a standalone film? by URCHN_LIBRE · 2012-04-22 11:45 · Score: 1
  
  :) We have plans within plans.
In Under 1 Wk, Tube Hits *Barebones* Funding Mark by URCHN_LIBRE · 2012-04-22 12:40 · Score: 1

Just a clarification -- There is no precedent for attempting an open movie at this scale and complexity outside the Blender Foundation, and pledges are only earned once a project's official funding goal is met at Kickstarter. We set a conservative target, cautiously optimistic that community support can exceed that figure and supply the production with full funding.
For more info check out the Tube campaign's main page and update tabs.
Tube has an ongoing production blog at URCHN
Thanks for your solidarity and support!
Fateh Slavitskaya
Producer - Tube Open Movie