I Have a Question – Olivier Amrein, Independent Artist and Promoter of Blender

Editor: Turing

CGGE: What’s the inspiration and motivation for developing Blender？

O: For Blender, the inspiration is actually not something like money, but really is sharing and giving the power of creating 3D or 2D animation to most people. We want to create a tool so that everyone can have access to it to make animations. For other software, you need to buy a license as they have something like obstacle. But with Blender, it’s really our inspiration, to give a tool for free that is lightweight, so that all the people in our country and all over the world can use it.

CGGE: How do you promote and popularize this software？

O: We have different ways to do it. First of all, of course we have to maintain a website, where people can download it for free. Then they like it and promote it. I would say that most of the promotion is by the users themselves.

CGGE: Do you receive support from government or media in the development and promoting of your product？

O: I don’t think Blender has support from government.

CGGE: What social effects does Blender have？How does it affect traditional industries like culture, movie, advertising and so on？

O: One of the impacts is that more and more people will have this tool on their hand so that they will be able do it. It will impact classical industries. There are some architects who did not think about it before. Even some artist who have not thought about 3D before begin to make it. Sometimes I see people in fashion design begin to print clothes in 3D. We’re very happy to see its impact for all these people. As the tool is free and easily available, people who basically make 2D animation like PhotoShop would like to have a third dimension. So they may download Blender, try it out and find a new way to create imagery. Blender now has a new version, also a 2D animation system. It helps people good at 2D animation to have a foot on 3D animation.

CGGE: How do you view the current situation of digital media industry？

O: Of course it is always changing every day and every year. What I really like to see is that more and more people have access to these, not just Blender, but also you can get the computer and digital camera to make movies. So the entry level is not so high as before. Before, you needed to have a whole team and a lot of money to create movies. Now even kids aged 12 can get their mobile phones and start to shoot, edit, add special effects and make films, because they have computer and tools. So, basically, all the creative people now have tools available to them to express themselves. Everything is more accessible, which means we will get to see more content and also more choices to make, but then you can find out the ones that are really good and creative, and have good ideas and good products. From what I see, China is a big market and like a world on its own. I think there should be more connections between outside world and China, as you have a market and you might do games or animation for the Chinese market, and to make movies for the outside market is another way of thinking. It’s hard to make both work. And maybe they should learn from each other.

Onsite Reporter: Turing