Blender Conference 2022 · Amsterdam · October 27–29, 2022

BCON22

Felix Meritis, Amsterdam 94 recorded talks 3 days · 5 parallel tracks Return after 2 pandemic years

BCON's triumphant return after two years away. The largest BCON ever at the time — 700+ attendees, 94 presentations, and a community hungry to reconnect. Marked Blender's decisive emergence as a serious industry tool.

▶ Blender YouTube (BCON22) Official Site PeerTube
94
Talks
700+
Attendees
3
Years Since Last
Oct '22
Date
Historic return: BCON22 was the first in-person Blender Conference since 2019. BCON20 and BCON21 were cancelled due to COVID-19. The community's excitement was palpable — 94 recorded presentations over five parallel tracks made it the largest BCON in history at the time. The new venue, Felix Meritis, has been home to every BCON since. Sponsors: Intel, Coreweave, Sketchfab, Render Street, Protocube, Chocofur, Comovid.
🎯

KEYNOTE

Keynote — BCON22 Opening
Ton Roosendaal — Blender Foundation
KEYNOTEROADMAPRETURN
▶ YOUTUBE
Ton Roosendaal opens the first in-person BCON since 2019. An emotional keynote acknowledging the pandemic years and looking forward to Blender 3.x's trajectory. Covers the foundation's financials, community growth, and the road to Blender 4.0.
🎥

VFX & FILM PRODUCTION

Working in the VFX Film and TV Industry
Robert Rioux
VFXINDUSTRYCAREER
▶ YOUTUBE
A frank discussion of what it's actually like to work in the VFX film and TV industry, and where Blender fits within that ecosystem. Covers the realities of studio pipelines, Blender's growing role, and practical career advice for aspiring VFX artists.
From Pre to Post — VFX Pipeline Overview
Rejin Chamandy
VFXPIPELINEFILM
▶ YOUTUBE
An overview of the full VFX pipeline from pre-production to post, with Blender positioned within each stage. How shots flow from concept and previs through production, compositing, and delivery — and where Blender provides the most value.
🔷

GEOMETRY NODES — EARLY ERA

We Can Do That with Geometry Nodes… (Early Version)
Simon Thommes — Blender Studio
GEO NODESPROCEDURAL
▶ YOUTUBE
Simon Thommes' BCON22 version of his "Geometry Nodes can do that" talk — showcasing what was at the time pushing the boundaries of the node system (before Simulation Zones). A great historical snapshot of what was impressive in Geo Nodes in 2022 vs. what's possible today.
⚙️

CORE DEVELOPMENT & ASSETS

A Bird's-Eye View on the Asset Browser System
Julian Eisel, dr. Sybren A. Stüvel
ASSET BROWSERDEVELOPMENT
▶ YOUTUBE
The Asset Browser — introduced in Blender 3.0 — was very new at BCON22. This talk explains the system architecture, the roadmap, and how the Blender community can start building asset libraries. A foundational talk for understanding how Blender handles non-procedural assets.
🏢

INDUSTRY & STUDIOS

Video Mapping for Live Open-Air Operas
Clemens Rudolph
LIVE PERFORMANCEVIDEO MAPPINGEVENTS
▶ YOUTUBE
Clemens Rudolph created all visual content for live outdoor opera performances — "Tosca" (2019) and "Rheingold" (2021) — with audiences of 3,000+. A solo artist managing two-hour performances mixing live cameras with pre-produced Blender animation, projected onto buildings. A remarkable use case for Blender in live entertainment.
Design by Food — Procedural Gastronomy
Unnamed Artist
PROCEDURALCREATIVEUNUSUAL
▶ YOUTUBE
Using Blender to design food — procedural recipes, plating visualization, and gastronomy design using 3D tools. An unusual and delightful talk that shows Blender's versatility in design disciplines far outside conventional CG.
📖

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Why BCON22 matters: After three years without an in-person conference, BCON22 represented a community reunion as much as a technical conference. The 700+ attendees who gathered at Felix Meritis were meeting people they'd only known online for years. Blender 3.x was at its height — Geometry Nodes had arrived, the Asset Browser was new, and the industry was finally starting to take Blender seriously.

What was new in Blender then: Geometry Nodes (still no Simulation Zones), Asset Browser, Cycles X (the major Cycles rewrite), improved sculpting, new curve objects, and the beginning of what would become Blender 4.0's overhaul. The conference program reflected an ecosystem in transition — artists experimenting with new procedural tools while developers laid the groundwork for the next generation.

The 94-talk archive: With 5 parallel tracks over 3 days, 94 videos were uploaded. This is 2 days, 6 hours, and 30 minutes of content. Search @BlenderOfficial for "BCON22" to browse all recordings.

Full archive: 94 videos. Search @BlenderOfficial for "BCON22" or browse PeerTube. Community talk list maintained on Blender Artists. Sponsors: Intel, Coreweave, Sketchfab, Render Street, Protocube, Chocofur, Comovid.