BlenderHeadMovies: The Return?

[Sphynx]

Hi Guys,

This is one for the BlenderHeads on site, but also for any one interested in collaboration movies and animation production - whether that's as a 3D artist, or in other areas of the crew.

At least six BlenderHeads on site will remember the BlenderHeadMovies team that I put together a couple of years ago - in fact it coincided with exactly the time the Ace took the board down. BHM fell flat I must admit, mainly because of my own workload preventing me from allowing the team to fracture, but I never gave up the BHM domain names and they've been dormant ever since.

The time has come I think to ressurect the BlenderHeadMovies website, and I'm asking for help from the BlenderHeads here on SFM (or anyone else with a constructive view) in order to determine exactly what it is that we need.

I'm not looking to re-form the BHM team at present, simply because my workload of the moment would mean that exactly the same would happen this time as the last.

The new incarnation of the site is about 3 things:

• A place where teams of BlenderHeads can come together to collaborate on animations, whether in their own secure areas or in publically visible forums;
• A place where existing Blender animations and short movies can be viewed;
• A place where we can teach / display information regarding the creation of animations and movies in general - both conceptually, and through the use of animation oriented tutorials.

Naturally, this type of thing will need significant bandwidth and storage so this time around, my company is going to fund the site - partly as an investment in Blender, and partly as an investment in its own future in developing professional Blender artists. As a result, the site will start by using the company server (which only sees about 5% loading at present, bandwidth and storage wise), and will expand to its own dedicated server as and when that may be required.

There will therefore be no charge for using the site as a collaboration area for well thought out and realistic projects.

What I'm most certainly not trying to do is create a Blender oriented 'YouTube'.

I've a load of ideas for this, but at present I'm keeping them under my hat - I'd like to see first what the above description says to people unadulterated by more details and see what you all think and can suggest to inclusion.

[Freak]

Sounds like a great idea; I am still a Noob with Blender.
But if it can improve my skills in Blender and help out in any way I can, Then where do I sign?

[Stargate-Fan]

In my opinion the ideas are very good and it sounds more then interesting, but I am a blender noob

When I have made more expiriences with blender and I am good enough, I would aid you and your ideas

[Sphynx]

Originally Posted by Freak

Sounds like a great idea; I am still a Noob with Blender.
But if it can improve my skills in Blender and help out in any way I can, Then where do I sign?

At the moment, you dont.

At present, I'm just looking for a mix of ideas of what people think would be good on the site - I reckon it's a good few months off being re-released yet.

What this is about is not really gathering people experienced in Blender, but what they would like to see in the website - you can be a newcommer, an experienced Blender hand, or someone who doesn't use Blender at all. It's irrelevant. All you need to do is give me an idea of what you'd like to on a site of this nature.

[Dallidas]

well i would like to see a large(and organzied) collection of tutorials regarding blender.

[Forcemaster2000]

I'd have to agree with Dallidas, blender tutorials are hard to come by, other than the few that have been out there forever...and of course your own tutorial, Sphynx, which I might say are the best there are.

Just posting the blender tutorials you've made yourself would be a great start. I think I only got to do one of them myself, before the site (SFM) went down and they weren't available for quite awhile. Since then, I drifted away from blender, although it stills resides on my hard-drive to this date.

Also, a meshes section like here on SFM would be great...one dedicated to meshes that are easily opened up in blender without having to do a lot of converting work. Not just sci-fi, but real world stuff as well. If talented members started contributing to it, a large database of freely available objects could make any future projects much easier to bring to fruition.

[Freak]

I think Dallidas & Forcemaster2000 have covered the main things, of course you would have gallary for pic as well as animations. Links to Blender sites, for stuff that would not be covered on your site.

[BoogerMc]

Welcome back Sphynx.

Yes, I remember BHM, sorry to hear about it not taking off. I was just anoob then and a bystander trying to cut my teeth, but I'm a bit ahead now and almost done with my original Klingon Carrier project (see link in sig). I could help here and there, but like you I'm kinda loaded down as well. That doesn't mean I'm not here to talk or what not. Crimsonline was around a while back, but he seems to be quite tied up as well at the moment. In fact he kinda had to let his last project drift off into oblivion for a time. Shame really, it was moving along quite nicely. Anyway, nice having you back, keep in touch.

[Sphynx]

Hi Guys - it may have appeared that I've been ignoring you all, but nothing could be further from the truth.

I've been horrendously busy, but I've read every one of your comments. Thanks everyone.

From immediate effect, I've opened Blender Head Movies up again in a beta format, using the default Joomla! SunFlare theme. Naturally, it's not what you'd call up-and-running and won't be until probably February, but feel free to register and participate in its formation.

In January I'll also be putting out a general call for moderators to help run the site - but we've a long way to go before then.

People who are not Blender heads, please feel free to drop by the forums and see the types of things that the site will be dealing with - they may not be there tonight, but they'll be building over the next few days.

Oh, and contributors to the site - I will expect finished articles and good intermediate work to also be displayed here on SFM for the wider CGI community

[Berticus]

I just saw this and I can tell you, I am coming! Expect me in hours!

Excellent idea! (and as usual, well executed)
-albert