Despite its relatively small budget, Flow has been delighting audiences around the world and garnering accolades since its release in October. It’s now a contender for the best animation Oscar 2025, and it’s Latvia’s first shot at Best International Feature.
Many are surprised to learn that the beautifully animated film, which follows the mystical journey of a dark grey cat and his companions, was made entirely in the free 3D modelling software Blender. But how do you make a such a powerful piece of animation in free software? The writer and director Gints Zilbalodis has shared some of his experience.
How Gints Zilbalodis Made Flow in Blender
In an interview at blender.org, Gints Zilbalodis, the Latvian writer and director, says he began working on Flow in 2019 and settled on Blender due to the real-time renderer EEVEE. He says the speed of rendering and even just the speed with which files open “saved a lot of time and frustration” on the project, while Blender’s customisability also helped his process.
Workflow and Team Collaboration
In 2021, Gints brought in riggers and developers to create custom scripts that streamlined the workflow. He would design an initial scene in previz and then a set-dressing team would refine it by adding more plants, props and environmental details. Concept artists sketched out buildings and figured out their construction, and other team members focused on developing tools.
Water Effects and Simulations
Water is a huge part of the film. This was handled by Mārtiņš Upītis, who would develop a Blender add-on for water effects, and Konstantīns Višņevskis, who handled smaller simulations, such as splashes and researched techniques for stylized fur and feathers, working on shaders.
Character Animation and Pipeline
Gints cites the arrival of the Belgian and French co-producers Take Five and Sacrableu Productions in 2022 as a key moment. They developed more tools and rigs to deliver character animation. “Expanding the team with experienced character and pipeline TDs, as well as animators working in a well-structured process, was essential to handle the complexity required by the film. This was a truly international coproduction,” he says.
Learning Blender
As for learning Blender, Gints says he picked up a lot online, while Konstantīns handled writing scripts. “I can’t write scripts myself, so having someone in the studio to help was invaluable,” he says. And while he says most animators made the switch to Blender within a week, “the learning never really stops”.
Conclusion
Gints Zilbalodis’ experience with making Flow in Blender demonstrates the power of free software in creating high-quality animations. With the right tools, collaboration, and learning, even small budgets can produce outstanding results.
FAQs
Q: How did Gints Zilbalodis learn Blender?
A: Gints picked up a lot online and had Konstantīns handle writing scripts. He says most animators made the switch to Blender within a week, but “the learning never really stops”.
Q: What add-ons did the team use in Blender?
A: The team used several add-ons, including GeoScatter for distributing plants and other environmental elements and Animation Layers to create handheld, shaky camera movements. They also used Cell Fluids and FLIP Fluids for fluid simulations.
Q: What was the role of co-producers in the project?
A: The co-producers, Take Five and Sacrableu Productions, helped develop more tools and rigs to deliver character animation and expanded the team with experienced character and pipeline TDs.
Q: What was the budget for Flow?
A: The budget for Flow was relatively small, but the film has still garnered significant accolades and is now a contender for the best animation Oscar 2025.
Watch the video below to learn more about the animation of Flow in this video from the Blender Conference.
The animation of Flow — Blender Conference 2024 – YouTube
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