Cosmos Laundromat

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Making Of,Production Cosmos Laundromat – First Cycle

10 August, 2015 | 72 Comments | by Ton Roosendaal

We’re very proud and happy to share the first 10 minutes of Cosmos Laundromat with you. It’s been more than a year of hard work by many people! Thanks everyone for helping to make it, and thanks to the thousands of supporters and donators for making it possible.

Want to see more? Join Blender Cloud and subscribe for just $10 per month, or send us a donation via PayPal to [email protected].

On behalf of everyone on the team,

Ton Roosendaal.

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72 Responses

1. Aaron Carlisle says: 10/08/2015 at 18:25

Amazing really amazing guys and girls can’t wait for more

2. Manuel says: 10/08/2015 at 18:29

Hats off to all of the team! This was outstanding! The quality of the images, the animation, the sound, the smoke, the hair, the composition! A true milestone! I am optimistic this episode ensures the support for the continuation of this fantastic story. :)

3. Lukasz says: 10/08/2015 at 18:36

Open source is getting more and more powerful. Great work, Blender team!

4. Mason Menzies says: 10/08/2015 at 18:37

Do you think i could get the frame for a wallpaper (in the video it’s at 7:50) it’s a fantastic shot. i would love the full res frame of it if that’s ok. fantastic work on the pilot. when will the creation of the rest start?

Stephen says: 10/08/2015 at 19:20

It’s all open source, if you’re a Blender Cloud member I’m pretty sure you can download the project files and render it yourself :)

Aclariel says: 10/08/2015 at 21:48

Like Stephen said, there should be actually around 32 GIG of PNGs (Every single rendered frame in high definition) available.

5. moises torres says: 10/08/2015 at 18:47

so cute I hope you are very successful and congratulations to all

6. Yves PERERA says: 10/08/2015 at 18:54

Hi,

This is (as always) amazing !!! Yet, starting from 58 seconds, the rope that pulls the log disapears and reappears quite noticably :/ having such a mistake directly from the begining cuts out the awesomeness of the whole thing (because then we tend to look out for more disturbing details like the un-smoothness of the earphones wire ^^’)

Nontheless there are some astonishing views !!! The landscape, the sky, the ocean, … it just amazed me !

Congrats for all that hard work, can’t wait to see next cycle ;)

UnintelGen says: 10/08/2015 at 19:51

Funnily enough, you might be wrong about the rope. It’s covered by the tall thick grass which shields it (the rope) for the shot. You aren’t suppose to notice the rope until it’s being tugged, which is evident when Franck tries to pull the log away from the frame. The popping of the rope in and out of the grass helps to sell Franck’s burden. It has to be lifted up very high when he tugs, and on the ground when he releases.

There are probably some inconsistencies; I for one feel the smoke sims are a bit ‘off’… Somehow. I can’t really articulate it. The storm mainly; the washers are freaking perfect.

I too cannot wait for the next cycle… It feels like it could be awhile, but it will be worth it.

Manuel says: 10/08/2015 at 19:55

The rope is being under tension when he pulls, then the tension is released. When its under tension the rope straightens out, thus is visible, when its released, it falls down, thus “disappearing” in the grass. Nothing wrong there ;)

Yves PERERA says: 11/08/2015 at 18:48

Hey thanks for the replies :)

I did notice the tension effect from the scene that was “shot” further away from Frank (and on the side) it helps to understand why, from a close up, the rope is disappearing like that. ^^ I understand the whole will to memphasize the dificulty of the labor. Yet I’m just saying that at the begining, the disappearing and reappearing is a bit to sudden and looks quite fake (like there is an “appear” button turned on and off). However if that scene seems normal to everyone else than that’s great (it’s just me imagining things ^^’). In my opinion that was quite a big and obvious flaw… All the better if isn’t. :)

I agree with the smoke sims being a bit “off” (as you say Unintelgen) however I liked the storm… It’s the cigarette smoke that’s bugging me more. ^^

7. Marc Binsted says: 10/08/2015 at 19:05

Bravo!

8. lol768 says: 10/08/2015 at 19:22

Is there a download available?

Ton Roosendaal says: 10/08/2015 at 20:30

Downloads will be available later, we didn’t setup mirrors for it yet. Cloud subscribers will be able to download it within a day.

Tombert says: 11/08/2015 at 02:11

I am so damn impressed with how good blender has gotten.

This is professional grade, and it warms my heart that it was done with open source.

Great work guys, I *cannot wait* until the next one, hopefully soon!

9. Clemens says: 10/08/2015 at 19:41

Congratulations for the best and most genuine open movie to date! Such a shame it’s so short, but I’m glad you didn’t compromise on quality. Now celebrate and enjoy the rest of the summer! – And then find a way to give us more of this.

10. Ray J. Braz says: 10/08/2015 at 19:58

Congratulations!

11. doakey3 says: 10/08/2015 at 19:59

It looks epic! I really liked that colorful tornado and the music. The wool on the sheep was pretty awesome. Too bad there’s an F-bomb, I was hoping to show it to my nieces and nephews.

Chris Hamilton says: 11/08/2015 at 14:12

Yes I was very disappointed to see that kind of profanity. Shame on the directors. I’ll watch it again once its out and someone has the decency to make some edits. It’s amazing how such a beautiful production can be trashed with just a few moments of gross indiscretion.

DomTheHerb says: 12/08/2015 at 14:08

Honestly, that’s ridiculous. Using the word “fuck” (oh yes I said it) only adds to the atmosphere since frank wouldn’t give a damn about which words he could use or not given the situation he is in. And by the way you’re missing a lot of fantastic movies when you have a problem with cursing.

Thomas says: 12/08/2015 at 16:31

You do realize the entire project has adult themes? The video starts with a clear attempt at suicide and the main character is clearly depressed and ready to attempt suicide once again.

Thats the obsession we place on language yet things like violence, suicide and depression are perfectly ok to show to kids. Language is just words and shouldn’t hold so much power and fear over people.

12. Dennis Hatcher says: 10/08/2015 at 20:07

SPECTACULAR !!

13. apaza610 says: 10/08/2015 at 20:12

Really a perfectly done job, it’s so beautiful congratulations.

14. Adam says: 10/08/2015 at 20:20

Outstanding work. Quite moving as well with the music and all.

15. Stev says: 10/08/2015 at 20:40

I am incredibly proud! Another milestone for Blender. Visually stunning, technically moving the barriers higher again, and a film with characters and a story that will absorb people’s interest.

Stev says: 10/08/2015 at 21:16

You can delet this comment , sorry

16. Bart says: 10/08/2015 at 20:50

I enjoyed it! It turned out great!

Love cycles. And this is only the first!

17. Voodoo says: 10/08/2015 at 20:55

Fantastic work ! No 1080p though ? How come ? :(

18. Stuart Bowes says: 10/08/2015 at 20:55

Well done to everyone that worked on this, it was definitely worth the time and effort! There is a lot of detail and subtelty and it gets better with each viewing. Thank you.

19. Eduardo Inke says: 10/08/2015 at 20:57

Amaaaazing!!! Congratulations guys!

20. darren says: 10/08/2015 at 21:07

Beautifully shot with a great music score. Looking forward to more :) Well done!

21. BernAr says: 10/08/2015 at 21:10

Thanks everyone for that great experience. Let’s make sure the next cycles will come soon :-)

22. Alessandro Passariello says: 10/08/2015 at 21:23

Ragazzi, siete uno spettacolo!!

23. blender_casual_user says: 10/08/2015 at 21:59

This is awesome!!

Trailer was a little disappointing but this? It’s amazing! Good work everybody! :)

24. Aclariel says: 10/08/2015 at 22:00

Stunning! The visuals, animation, facial expression, music score, everything is just amazing! Again, this project is one to be really proud of. Congratulations, and thanks to everyone on the team! And also, a from the hearth thank you to the supporters.

And again, this mite look cheesy, but a BIG thank you to you Ton. Without you, none of these projects would of seen the light of day.

I can’t wait to show everyone I know, and to share this beautiful community and family.

Best regards there is in the entire Universe! Sincerely your’s truly, Aclariel.

25. Dave says: 10/08/2015 at 22:31

So when did the team at Pixar start using Blender?

…yes…it was that good!! Loved it all and can’t wait for more.

Dave

P.S. Agree with the comment on the F-Bomb though. Slightly out of place.

26. Tom SF Haines says: 10/08/2015 at 23:02

So, I watched every one of the weeklies, and knew exactly what to expect – every last shot. It still surprised me with its beauty – it is absolutely spectacular to look at. Also couldn’t help but notice the sound design, as thats one thing that was never really discussed in the weeklies – really well done, brings the world to life, particularly the majesty of the rainbow twister and the moment of caterpillarisation. Also, I am now making up words.

Brilliant job, and I am looking forward to chapter 2:-) Also looking forward to a high res version being made available on the cloud – want to have a close look at some of those frames!

27. Luis Voronov says: 10/08/2015 at 23:06

Beautiful work. Guys, congrats. Everything is so colorful, the history, the characters and especially the soundtrack. I love it.

Cheers for Blenderrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :)

28. Boisgerault Claude says: 10/08/2015 at 23:34

it’s beautiful, Congratulation for the team, Bravo !! , and continue.

29. Aligorith says: 10/08/2015 at 23:43

Congratulations to the team on their stunning work!

30. horace says: 11/08/2015 at 00:29

wow! :) it’s awesome! i hope the full movie will get made.

31. Game Gratisan says: 11/08/2015 at 00:38

Congratulations! This short movie is greats!

32. PTroes says: 11/08/2015 at 00:52

Hard to believe my eyes at first look, just very, very awesome! kind of a giant achievement for me.

33. April says: 11/08/2015 at 02:56

Congratulations to the whole team! You truly have done an incredible job with this one! I was so excited to see this video and from what I can tell, we will be in for a real treat as these projects continue to develop. Great job and look forward to the next!!

34. Philip Han says: 11/08/2015 at 03:01

i want more!!!!!!!

you guys awesome@@

35. junlacibal says: 11/08/2015 at 03:46

WOW!! ASTONISHING, EXCELLENT. The smokes, The grass and fur interactions from wind and lumber, the rope animations, Those small details of animations is very difficult to achieved but done impressively. The character animations and everything are Breathtaking!! Keep up the good works guys!! You did a great jobs from free software, that’s why I absolutely shifted to BLENDER. Hope I can make a short movie like this or join in your team at least ,,

36. Andre says: 11/08/2015 at 04:00

I hope the next episode won’t take that long…..

37. Sayantan Chaudhuri says: 11/08/2015 at 04:24

:Applauds loudly:

38. alwadhani says: 11/08/2015 at 04:58

what i loved about it is that not only the technical part but also the story is amazing, i think this is a quality that could be competing with Pixar, Disney and… others. no joke i really loved every part of this movie and am looking forward for the rest of the video. well done every one WELL DONE

39. Bertam G. says: 11/08/2015 at 05:00

Good work shoving meaningless profanity into the animation and utilizing psychiatric disorders as the entirety of a character’s definition. Now you’ve just limited where and to whom this short can be played in its intended form.

Strong language has its place but this felt forced and completely wrong within the context of a open film that’s meant to be an ambassador to a wonderful project. Next time think about making a deliverable that we can show to everyone. Even those who are not yet old enough to utilize Blender but could benefit from the sense of wonder we all experienced as kids watching our first animated film.

The subject of depression and other severe psychiatric disorders is a tough topic and not one to be used lightly or to be used as the entire defining principle of a character. From a character writing standpoint its lazy. From the standpoint of trying to limit the damage that modern media has done to the public’s understanding of mental illness, this is downright disrespectful.

That said, the technical aspects of the film are wonderful. The dynamics of the complicated wool/hair and the volumetric smoke are stunning. These open film projects are a fantastic way to push development and generate interest in a powerhouse FOSS application.

I’ll end with an incredibly relevant quote from John Lasseter (Executive producer / Director / Writer of numerous animated films in conjunction with Pixar and Disney) It would behoove any future team working on Blender Foundation films to pay close attention.

“From the beginning, I kept saying it’s not the technology that’s going to entertain audiences, it’s the story. When you go and see a really great live-action film, you don’t walk out and say ‘that new Panavision camera was staggering, it made the film so good’.

The computer is a tool, and it’s in the service of the story”

40. Jonathan Y. says: 11/08/2015 at 06:15

Amazing work team! Hair and volumetrics are incredible. Thanks for showing us Blenders capabilities.

I am, however, extremely saddened over the use of profanity. Not cool. If there is a re-release, I suggest it be changed.

jim says: 11/08/2015 at 08:49

People like you. This is NOT for kids under 12. The suicide theme is absolutely 100% clear about this. Therefore, why make a wuzz around profanity (1 word, calm the f— down) I would not show this to my nephew (6) even if it was without profanity. Not much wrong about that, the whole story will certainly base on this theme and make it be in its place.

Jonathan Yanke says: 11/08/2015 at 21:00

Please stop to consider that it is not only children under 12 who do not want to hear profanity. I do not want to hear it and I am not under 12 (I am 35 years old).

What bothers me additionally is that Blender is showcasing its best visuals yet, but the use of needless profanity immediately restricts how broad the viewing audience will be — regardless of age. Think about it: because of profanity, some will not want to see Blenders best visuals yet. As seen in the comments, decisions such as this unnecessarily cause hurt, even among those of us Blender community.

RBR says: 13/08/2015 at 14:55

There is no broad viewing audience it’s just you and a small minority of people who have unrealistic expectations. Profanity doesn’t hurt anyone, hell it doesn’t even hurt children. It’s only offensive when it’s derogatory towards you but then again you can do that with any English word you filthy sausage wallet.

David says: 11/08/2015 at 12:45

I agree with you totally over the needless profanity. There should be a warning. That would allow those of us who avoid movies with objectionable language to exercise our freedom to not watch such. Sadly, anything else from the BF or BI will not be watched by my family or me.

Ton, please consider pre-pending a warning to the Cosmos pilot and any future film projects. This isn’t censorship, just being responsible. By providing a warning, you allow each potential viewer to decide for themselves. This oversight has sullied the achievement of a fantastic demonstration of Blender’s capabilities in the hands of experts. It gives each of us casual, or up and coming pro, users of Blender a great boost and inspiration as to what may be accomplished with Blender in the days ahead.

LG says: 11/08/2015 at 19:10

I’ve made a quick edit of the film that removes both the profanity and a large portion of Frank dangling from the tree. It also has a parental discretion advisory at the beginning, as the film still deals with adult themes like suicide.

I will post it if the licensing/Blender Foundation allow.

As I am not associated with the project, those wishing to view the film are encouraged to view the official version, as intended by the film makers.

illwieckz says: 11/08/2015 at 20:19

Well, it seems some people are just complaining because it’s not Big Buck Bunny 2. That film was never expected to be a childish cartoon, animation does not mean kids, and nothing obliges the Blender Foundation to be limited by children’s entertainment constraints.

Concerning the suicide theme and the strong word, well, that are real life concerns it’s normal to have movies about real life concerns, and there is already plenty of them. Having made a fantasy movie like Sintel¹ in the past does not mean they can’t have the right to be more explicit or explore other areas.

______¹ You know, the movie where someone kills for real the beloved one because she looks for a mental image and an illusion instead of reality, preventing her to recognize the one she looks for, experiencing the real one as an obstacle to the one desired, fighting the reality as an obstacle to the wish, destroying by herself all her hopes because of her blindness.

Adam Dominec says: 12/08/2015 at 13:19

I am surprised how many people here feel offended by that single choice of words — but as far as I know, there are seven more billions people in the world. Perhaps we could settle on that you come from a different culture than the authors? To me, adding an American-style parental advisory at the beginning would feel quite disrespectful in this regard but the CC-Attribution license certainly allows you to do so.

41. Aravindkumar says: 11/08/2015 at 06:21

Awesome work guys , waiting for the next episode.

42. Jan says: 11/08/2015 at 08:36

Congratulations! Amazing work team!

Thank you

43. jonathan ball says: 11/08/2015 at 09:57

Yes been waiting for ages for this, great all round!

The sound works really well with the story and adds so much. Cant wait for part 2!

44. YAFU says: 11/08/2015 at 12:41

Excellent! I liked it a lot and I want to know how the story continues. Congratulations to all the team!

I noticed from 4:56min to 5:12min some noise in the out of focus beard, and some weird changes in the sheep hair located above the mechanism.

45. Anony says: 11/08/2015 at 14:24

Very nice! Though the video quality was really disappointing, such a waste for those great visuals. I think it’s Youtube to be blamed, so I’m really waiting for a better quality option for everyone and not only the cloud members. Especially that Youtube doesn’t allow downloading in its ToS.

Reply 46. Another Fellow says: 11/08/2015 at 15:07

the pacing of the episode is incredible. I remember it feeling off when watching the unfinished products, but now it’s finished it feels like this film could be something incredible. I hope that this time around you will get the support to make the entire movie.

47. ChaosKills says: 11/08/2015 at 18:30

Amazing I can’t even to begin to explain how much I hope I can produce an image as well done as that one was! Hat’s off to all who made that short film… Hat flippin off to all of you!!!!!

48. Josef Meier says: 11/08/2015 at 21:27

What a memorable milestone for Blender and the Open Source Community! I’m proud to be listed in the credits :-) !

49. Josef Meier says: 11/08/2015 at 21:34

And the story plus dark atmosphere (I loughed about the F*** discussion earlier in this thread and hope that no kids or sheep’s psyche will be harmed by it :-D ) fits perfectly to an open source movie in my opinion. Finally no childish rubbish but adult entertainment. Yeah!

50. Frank says: 11/08/2015 at 21:48

Is it rendered in CPU or GPU?

Andy Goralczyk says: 12/08/2015 at 08:58

It’s rendered entirely on CPU (scenes use too much memory – up to 24gb – to be handled on GPU, Sub surface scattering and Smoke also work on CPU only) .andy

51. vilem d says: 12/08/2015 at 07:41

Best of open projects so far, definitely! Great animation, visuals, also charactes act so believable…. Glad those 10 minutes were spent for a slow buildup. Really, great improvement in the way what and how was produced…. :) A lot to criticise too again, but biggest part that hurt is sound overall , and also directing, but really, that doesn’t matter so much this time, other parts make it up for that.

52. Neil PIke says: 12/08/2015 at 11:50

Beautiful, exquisite work… and personally I liked the “f-bomb” and so did my grandkids.

53. Sergey says: 12/08/2015 at 20:43

When blender cloud users can download the wonderful video? I’ve been waiting it for 2 days..