The Lightsaber Effects Thread

Supposedly PixelMagic is making one.

 

Supposedly PixelMagic is making one.

SB

 

I'm recording mine this weekend, but I've been RnDing it for a while. Ryan, Brandon, Nate and I have all been trying to get that and the Kylo Ren saber effect down. Here's a livestream I did a couple weeks back doing Finn's saber, it's 2 hours long but if you skip near the end you can see what I ended up with. It's pretty simple, just took some figuring out to accomplish it exactly.

 

I have been doing a lot of look development these past few weeks. I also found Ricardo's RnD video very helpful in that regard.

Here are two tests that I made. I suggest you download the videos and read them in Quicktime.

1. Kylo Ren crossguard lightsaber test
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wb5d0j4wbbeu4tt/KyloRen_Test_v09.mov?dl=0
I worked on it for 5 days in December, constantly coming back to it and tweaking it some more. That said, I'm not entirely satisfied with the result and the blades are obviously too thick. I should make another version soon. I'm confident it will look better and close to the original.

2. Standard blue lightsaber blade test
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ojg5xhodwi03f69/Lightsaber_Test_v05.mov?dl=0
My goal was to improve upon the look for a normal blade and making it so that we can notice slight irregularities in the containment field. Overall, I believe it makes for a more detailed and organic effect. At this point or rather, after having seen The Force Awakens, it doesn't make much sense to me that a lightsaber blade could be perfectly straight and smooth.

Sorry about the pink watermarks. I'm experimenting with Jae Tool's Real Glow plugin trial. I happen to love the plugin so I might buy it later this week! It gives very realistic or accurate results as it uses the inverse square law for its falloff.

Feel free to ask any question you like! But I'm unfortunately not going to record a tutorial as my hardware is pretty bad.

 

Version 6 in yellow. I made minor modifications to the glow's radius and intensity but I totally changed the way I do the wiggle/flicker effect. It's now configured in such a way that it's the core width that varies. I think it looks even better. The idea came to me after I watched duels from Rebels and thought back of how it's portrayed in the Jedi Knight games.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ujaava063di06pa/Lightsaber_Test_v06_Yellow.mov?dl=0

 

Hey that looks pretty good! Did you use the Edge Animate effect? And if it's not too much to ask, maybe you could do an "Old Skool" tutorial with pics and text, like the good 'ol days before YouTube.

SB

 

Hello Steven,

I use a combination of Turbulent Displace and Roughen Edges. And the mask's expansion is also randomized with an expression.

He he, you're right. I could do an old school text and images tutorial. But I am not going to do that until I've brought my process to the extent where I can hardly improve upon it. Here's where I'm at with my second crossguard test.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i8amfegl6o3iel6/Unstable_Blade_WIP_v04.mov?dl=0

 

I worked hard this evening and it paid off! I did my best to match up the original look. Every element was readjusted so that it looks more authentic. Now, I think I'm at the point where I can start working on the vents and start adding the sparks.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i8xsvsokhthbdap/Unstable_Blade_WIP_v05.mov?dl=0

 

Looking good!

 

Have you tried to offset the flicker from the unstable core? They look in unison, unless you're going for that. Nonetheless, it looks good!

 

I noticed ryan-w.com has changed and no longer has ryan wiebers tutorials. He had one where he had typed out the instructions for adding a lightsaber flicker using classic color dodge. Anyone remember how to do that?
thanks.

 

Excuse me, I am not sure I understand your question. However, I will say that it's true my flickering isn't as randomized as it should be since I haven't made it so that the ambers have an influence on it.

 

Scroll down to the bottom:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070517040515/http://www.ryan-w.com/ryan-w/tutorials_sabers2.html

 

You activate the stopwatch, put two keyframes, one at the beginning and another at the end with a value of 0% then you search for the Wiggler tool and set its parameters. Personally, I prefer using using an expression.

 

Thanks gents

 

As well, anyone have a good AE method or link for blaster bolts. I just hand draw mine but they arent quite where I want them to be.
https://www.dropbox.com/home?preview=Backyard(blasters).mp4

 

Your link doesn't work since it's the wrong one. You must copy the link from the Share button.

A new test I've made today. It's based on Finn's lightsaber.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gtuky8db1qsrk87/Standard_Blade_TFA_v02.mp4?dl=0

 

Thanks, didnt know that...hope this one works. https://www.dropbox.com/s/l0rzvxv8fqechkg/Backyard(blasters).mp4?dl=0
Same question about blaster bolts....TFA bolts look different than the prequels as well. Right now I just use the lightsaber method as well as tinting the area around the bolt with an adjustment layer.
Love your saber, it appears to shimmer rather than flicker. Yes TFA sabers appear to have gone fuzzy (electric) rather than pure and solid (lazer-like).

 

Good! Your link works now. I like your stock footage elements in the clip. As for the blaster bolts, you may certainly use the same glow method as with the lightsaber but make sure to animate their blur values according to the bolt's size on screen. Do you have the plugin Trapcode Particular? I have an idea as to how you could make them look right, look-wise and perspective-wise. If you're willing to send me your source footage, I'd be more than happy to produce an example for you. I would also share the AE project afterwards! (What makes them tricky to make is them being parallel to the camera's focal point.)

I agree with your remarks on TFA. ILM has changed a lot of norms in this film. Everything is slightly different in terms of look and behaviour, but it's all for the best if you ask me!

 

heres the stock footage. https://www.dropbox.com/s/e0lwjux1mq44mo1/Backyard test 3.mov?dl=0
No I dont have trapcode, unless it comes stock with AE CC ( I have the subscription version)

 

Good! I'll get started once I'm back home from work. If you don't have Trapcode Particular, I guess you could fiddle with 3D layers in the meantime.

 

Yeah I think Nate Caauwe had a pretty good laser tut for AE using the Beam effect. This was years ago, back when he was VFX Sup on The Movie Spoof series. I'll hit him up and see if it's still around somewhere.

SB


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