When we think of Pixar, we often think of the groundbreaking stories that the studio has produced, including Toy Story, Up, and The Incredibles. Although the animation house does not exactly want us to focus on the visuals, the employees work tirelessly to capture the look they need to tell a story. Pixar licenses its rendering software, RenderMan, to other studios, who are then able to pull off breathtaking visual effects as well. The incredible aspect of the software is that for every leap forward that Pixar’s RenderMan undergoes, the entire industry benefits. Not part of the industry? You can now get the software for free!

According to the official website for RenderMan, all of the last 15 Oscar winners in the Visual Effects category have used Pixar’s software, indicating its popularity and sheer power. Students, educators, and those simply interested in rendering using the software previously had to pay for a license, but Pixar is encouraging more development by giving those who are trying to learn and experiment (as opposed to attempting to make a profit) the ability to do so without opening up their wallets. Additionally, there will be no restrictions placed upon the free licenses, so no watermarking or timed limits!





Commercial users will have to fork over $495/license (not much when you consider those looking to turn a profit often earn in the millions). The software will be available for all widely used 64-bit OSs, including Mac OS 10.8 and 10.7, Windows 8, 7, and Vista, and Linux.

UPDATE (3/24/15): Pixar’s RenderMan is now available! Those looking to obtain a non-commercial license for free can click here.

Check out the full press release for all the details below: