Anybody out there making money with blender.
And what was your latest or greatest project for a client?
I have been doing 3D w/ Blender for $$$ for a couple of years now- most of my clients are production companies that need supplemental animation for commercial or infomercial spots- usually logo builds or product demos…
Some you might recognize, others you probably wouldn’t- probably the most notable paying job using Blender was developing a custom green-screen interactive outer space battle ride for director Sam Raimi’s son’s bar mitzvah. All the elements for both front and side view camera angles were created in Blender, then at the event, the participants (in front of green screens) were composited onto the backgrounds, creating a DVD that looked like they were in the middle of an outer space battle…it went over quite well, and paid decently- about $2000 (US) if I remember correctly…
i have made money with the use of blender, but am not currently. 
Me also,
I sell Renderigs for Magazines and outlines for technical documents.
Product design (art) and so.
I am doing it now for 6 or 7 years.
see my H.P. the link is my signature.
It’s my day job, and I hope to expand soon, God willing.
I’m not but I would like to know how I might go about doing it…
I have used Blender several times to make posters and other items for my workplace. I have also used it to make different effects for freelance work.
I’ve also been asked to do a series of MP3 players for our intranet.
I would like a job where I get to use Blender every day as my “Primary Employment”, but this is good!
I think a big part of getting steady work is to have a good website, and obviously a really good demo reel,
I have yet to make any money with blender, (looking over my shoulder, and covering the screen) but I am getting payed to learn it, just dont tell my boss wink wink…
LOL Same here, but I have been lucky enough to contribute back to my workplace, for which I am happy.
I’m using Blender together with XSI and Maya at a gamedev company (2 years), mostly for basic modeling, UV unwrap and sculpt. My colleagues are using Roadkill for the same… Our latest project is non disclosed (next-gen), but it was used in RTS games Warhammer: Mark of Chaos and Warhammer: Battle March (this one is still not released, but comming in 2008)…
I am presently animating a dragon for an Australian firm which will be a video that is shown in a casino in Macau, China. (I am in Atlanta, GA, USA). So, it’s really a global thing going on and very exciting to be part of! Other things I have done for $$ are on my creative website.
Poison,
Did you go to school for that?
how did you get the job?
answer sent in pm…
I wrote a book about Blender and made a little bit of money. I also use it commercially as a rendering package.
I am in the US, but it seems like blender is way more main stream over in Europe, and especialy in Amsterdam, at least thats where they hold the blender confrences for a few years it seems,
Do you think blender is more popular over seas?
blender is part of the toolset I use at work. Main toolset consists of blender, illustrator, indesign, photoshop and one of our content management systems.
I’m not using Blender to make money, but I’m using torque constructor game engine.
I’m helping make 3D interactive tours of Bible places for a small university in Jerusalem.
Currently trying out blender for personal projects.
Ive used it for loads of commercial work, from pop promos to film elements to series titles for the BBC and PBS and continue to do so…
so I would like to join this discussion with some (for me very imortant questions):
1 - what are the chances to: start my own studio or get a job by some 3d company?
2- is the most important web-page + demo reel? (I’m asking that because of I would like to know what shoud be my next steps)…
many thanks in advance
1-) depends on yourself, if you know people and have potential clients, going your own studio is a shitload of work but very rewarding. Depending on where you live there’s also these tax-forms and labour-forms and insurance-forms and whateverwelike-to-bug-you-with-forms to be prepared for, or have a budget for the guy/gal that will do it for you. If you want to work for somebody else:
2-) A demo reel is mandatory, a website is nice, but when you are looking for a job, sending a demo reel, and a good resumé is the only way to land a job interview and a job… that I know of, some people have connections… and whatever you do: don’t forget to put your name and contact details everywhere on what you’re sending in…
A website is nice, but don’t expect people to go there unless there’s some outstanding work on it, or usefull info like tutorials or such-like.
Remember, if people are hiring you, that they have to pay bills too, so you have to be able to show what you can be worth to them. And whatever you do: don’t forget to be who you are at an interview: it’s like meeting a friend for the first time, and evaluating wether you’ll get along with the company/people that work there.