Blender
Blender is a free and open-source software for producing both animated and still three-dimensional graphics. It is capable of producing films, visual effects, interactive 3D applications or video games. Blender's features include 3D modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging and skinning, fluid and smoke simulation, particle simulation, soft body simulation, animating, match moving, camera tracking, rendering, video editing and composting. It also features a built-in game engine.
Links
Blender Siggraph 2011 (4:44) a short video on YouTube showcasing Blender Special effects.
NYSTIC a Blender Community devoted to teaching and sharing with Blender beginners and experts alike.
Studio Physics Real-Time Demo using Blender version 2.66 on a PC: i7 920 + ATI 4890
Blender Mama an architect who uses Blender for 3D visualizations and likes to share tips in using Blender.
Blender Tips 3D TipsTutorials & Hotkeys for beginners.
Blender Guru Tutorials from down under by a Blender enthusiast, Andrew Price.
Keyboard
Version 2.4
Version 2.5
Lone House. A still image created by Blender.
Below are some videos made with Blender (Including one of my own)
Big Buck Bunny [00:09:56] An animation of a bunny after abuse from the neighborhood bullies, breaks from his gentle nature and that goes Rambo on them. This was the Blender's Foundation's second "open movie" This is the full short film.
Sintel [00:14:48] An animation of a woman, Sintel, searching for her pet dragon. It was the third Blender "open movie". This is the full short film.
Plumíferos (English: Free Birds) [00:01:47] This is the English trailer of a 2010 Argentine computer-animated adventure comedy film. It is a 80 minute Argentine computer-animated film involving birds, a bat, and a cat. I have found the English version DVD of the movie in Walmart and purchased it. The above link is to a short trailer of the movie.
Chicken Chair [00:01:28] An independent video short of a walking robot chair.
About Different Kinds Of Switches. [00:06:30] Using Blender I was able to animate the switches, to electrically open and close them. When you see the switches rotate around, in reality the switch was stationary but I was flying a virtual camera around the switch, the whole time keeping it focus on the switch. An Ongytenes Production
1911 Colt [00:03:21] A video short by Sterling Roth of a Colt pistol being assembled by flying parts. All of the parts are modeled to blueprint specifications.
Tears of Steel [00:12:14] The latest movie by the Blender Foundation. A mixure of real people and Blender FX. The film's premise is about a group of warriors and scientists, who gather at the “Oude Kerk” in Amsterdam to stage a crucial event from the past, in a desperate attempt to rescue the world from destructive robots. This is the fifth Blender "open movie".
Lighthouse [00:03:01] A commercial made for Liberty Mutual using Blender. A village pulls together to aid a lighthouse keeper in his time of need.