Lightsabre geekfest

[J.R. Hudson]

I always wondered how one did the LS effect; easy as weezy it was...

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/3176/sabres0yy.jpg

[SilverWolf]

There was this short that I saw with lightsabers. It was done by the Ho brothers. It's one of the best lightsaber battles in a short I've seen

[Matt Grunau]

Silverwolf, that was the Art of the Saber, and yeah, the choriography was awsome, much better than the overly touted Duality.

Here it is:

http://download.theforce.net/theater/fxprojects/artofthesaber/artofthesaber.mov

John, what method did you use?

[J.R. Hudson]

hI rAPIER

I just used one that you posted; magnetic lasso, edit fill white, layer effect outer glow.....

[Chris Messineo]

John,

Did you find a tutorial for that or were you just experimenting?

Chris

[HorseFilms]

Nerds.







j/k:) Good stuff, John!

[SilverWolf]

Yes the great art of the saber.

[kai]

Now make it move :)

[Shaw]

Now make it move

Damn rotoscoping! =D I get sick of it after several seconds! I can't imagine doing it for a long fight sequence. Those guys at ILM must have a ton of patience.

[lpcvideo1]

Those guys at ILM must have a ton of patience.


No, a ton of money. Who needs patience when you can hire out?

[J.R. Hudson]

Yes; but in the old days it was a few dudes in a warehouse.

[kai]

Here's a quick one I did about 3 years ago. Terribly imperfect, but it was really more of a joke to make fun of this guy I worked with.

http://www.kylestauffer.com/dvx/starwarskid2.mov (23MB)

[CaptainMench]

Now make it move :)

I did this one ... wow - three years ago already? All done in AE frame by frame. No rotoscoping... just used a lightning effect and moved point by point.

http://homepage.mac.com/captmench/StarWars3.mov

CaptM

[Shaw]

Interesting Captain Mench.

I wonder how easy it would be to do this using the tracking built into AE and motion blur... that would definitely be the easy route! Something to try one of these days I suppose.

EDIT: Anyone have a "un-roto'd" short clip to test with?

[J.R. Hudson]

Alright KAI

That dude was totally freakin me out

[Larry R]

I have been roto'ing some footage I took of my nephews to make their lightsabers glow... anyone know where I can find the lightsaber sound effects, to help sell the effect?

[Matt Grunau]

Interesting Captain Mench.

I wonder how easy it would be to do this using the tracking built into AE and motion blur... that would definitely be the easy route! Something to try one of these days I suppose.

EDIT: Anyone have a "un-roto'd" short clip to test with?


I have some I can upload, but the files are massive. If you are able to get a video camera, even a consumer grade, it would be easier to tape yourself. Just get a broom handle or such, put four or five stripes on it with electric or duct tape (to see it easier when it's moving and blurred) and capture.



I have been roto'ing some footage I took of my nephews to make their lightsabers glow... anyone know where I can find the lightsaber sound effects, to help sell the effect?


Right back 'atcha:

http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/postproduction/soundfx/index.asp
http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/postproduction/soundfx/saberfx_fergo.asp

[Larry R]

Right back 'atcha:

http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/postproduction/soundfx/index.asp
http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/postproduction/soundfx/saberfx_fergo.asp

Awesome...thanks! :thumbsup:

[Shaw]

Thanks for the reply rapier. I have my DVX right here. I was just wondering if anyone had a very short clip they could upload. In any case, you're right! I'm off to try it myself!

[Matt Grunau]

YO HUDSON!

Where's the clip of you swingin a stick around? Been waiting to see it.

[Barry_Green]

You didn't see John's lightsaber styling? Man, can't believe you missed it. Here's John Hudson putting his tennis-racket-swinging skills to lightsaber use:
http://tinyurl.com/8phe5

[David Jimerson]

It's making me rethink the pizza with triple cheese I was thinking about ordering.

[Chapman]

My friend and I attempted to make a light saber movie, it took me so long to do because I only know to make it by rotoscoping, http://www.alienryderflex.com/rotoscope/

But heres my movie - http://media.putfile.com/light_saber

[J.R. Hudson]

You didn't see John's lightsaber styling? Man, can't believe you missed it. Here's John Hudson putting his tennis-racket-swinging skills to lightsaber use:
http://tinyurl.com/8phe5

That poor kid :cheesy: :beer:

[Barry_Green]

Oh man, I forgot -- I should have photoshopped you taking out an old lady in a wheelchair... oh well, next time...

[pookie_old]

.http://members.shaw.ca/kg.brown/squrrilslightsabebattle.jpg

[petelms]

:laugh: Hehehehe, that is cool, Pookie!

[Matt Grunau]

That's just wrong.

:evil:

[adderx99]

Pookie, thats a movie id love to see......:laugh:

heres something ive been meaning to try for awhile:
http://www.alienryderflex.com/rotoscope/

some friends and i did this with AE back in the spring, i might post the results sometime...

{edit} sorry chapman, i didnt notice that you posted this link already.

[David Jimerson]

Silverwolf, that was the Art of the Saber
http://download.theforce.net/theater/fxprojects/artofthesaber/artofthesaber.mov



What's so great about this?

[stevesnj]

This dude has done great stuff http://ryanw.michaelfrisk.com/ryan-w/sabers.html

[Matt Grunau]

What's so great about this?


The choreography is awsome.

[Shaw]

Choreography is hard to pull off without some real in depth knowledge of sword play (as it relates to real life). These guys did a good job =)

[pookie_old]

The choreography is awsome.



Real men don't "choreography".:angry:

[David Jimerson]

What about swordplay "relates to real life"?

IMHO, I thought the two kids in the warehouse were better. I thought they shot and edited better, too.

[ovjamaica]

I've done a couple of these. I think they're rather fun, but they take forever. Here's a few links to enjoy.

http://www.pixparty.com/ovjamaica/index.asp?ptype=v&videoid=4519
http://www.pixparty.com/ovjamaica/index.asp?ptype=v&videoid=3551

[Shaw]

I certainly agree that the editing and shooting were better on the one you mention. The swordplay was good there as well. Just with respect to the actual swordplay though, Art of the Saber is a fantastic example (although arguably not executed overly well from a film standpoint).

What about swordplay "relates to real life"?

To choreograph a fight sequence well requires a good knowledge of how a weapon would be used in real life. This is especially imperative when you are dealing with a bladed or hand to hand weapon. With a sword there are very important principles which have been proven in the fire of combat over the centuries. If you ignore these things you run a very serious risk of "fake" looking fights. Of course, you need to know the principles if you want to implement them - hence the difficulty. =)

Real techniques form the base of your choreography and from there you can then give it a little boost (in any number of directions) so it plays out well on screen. Sword fighting, when it comes right down to it, is all about distance and timing (not fancy 'moves' as is so often the standard even in hollywood). If you watch art of the saber closely you can tell that these guys must be martial artists at least and perhaps swordsmen as well. The choreography utilizes spatial and temporal changes that most people wouldn't (consciously) pick up on.

[SilverWolf]

I totally agree which is why I love that movie. Being a martial artist myself really helps with choreographing fight sequences