Elephants Dream facts for kids
Elephants Dream is a short movie that was made using mostly open source software. This means the computer programs used to create it were free for anyone to use and change. Blender was the main program used for the movie.
The movie started being made in September 2005. It was released on March 24, 2006. At first, it was called Orange, then Machina. Finally, the people working on it decided on Elephants Dream because they couldn't agree on how to say "Machina." The movie is 11 minutes long.
What is Elephants Dream About?
The movie is quite unusual and abstract. Even though it's called Elephants Dream, there are no elephants or dreams in it. Instead, the story follows two characters, Proog and Emo. They are inside a very strange building or place called "the machine."
Proog tries to explain what "the machine" is all about to Emo. But Emo doesn't want to listen and argues about why it's there. (If someone is reluctant, it means they don't want to do something.)
The Story's Meaning
Bassam Kurdali, who directed Elephants Dream, explained the movie's plot. He said the story is very simple. It's about how people come up with ideas or stories. It also shows how they share these ideas or try to make others believe them.
For example, Proog has an idea in his mind about this special place or machine. He tries to show it to Emo. When Emo doesn't accept his idea, Proog gets upset and hits him.
This story is like a lesson about how people act in relationships. You could think of many other ideas instead of Proog's machine, like money, religion, or social rules. The movie doesn't say that creating ideas is bad. It just suggests that it's better to share ideas with others than to force them.
There are many small hints in the movie that have a meaning. But the creators didn't make it too strict. They hoped people would have their own ideas about the story. They also hoped people might even make a new version of the movie. This connects the movie's story to the idea of "open movie" projects.
How the Movie Was Made
Ton Roosendaal announced the film in May 2005. He is the head of the Blender Foundation. The Blender Foundation and the Netherlands Media Art Institute helped pay for the movie.
The Blender Foundation raised a lot of money by selling DVDs of the movie before it was finished. Everyone who pre-ordered a DVD before September 1 had their name listed in the movie's credits. The film was made available to download for free on the Official Orange Project website on May 18, 2006.
See also
- In Spanish: Elephants Dream para niños
