Lightsaber Effect - Possible in FCX?

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Level 6

11,118 points

Lightsaber Effect - Possible in FCX?

I am working on a light saber scene (like in Star Wars), and I have a few different ideas that I'm playing around with, but I don't have access to Motion or After Effects for the rotoscoping that they would involve.

I was wondering if there's any way to have some sort of 'color detect and replace' filter in FCX so I could have it detect that color, intensify it, and maybe add a glow around it. I have the ability to record the scene with only the light saber green or red or another color, and the rest of the scene different colors; would this be a possibility?

If not, is there any other way to use FCX or iMovie that is cheap or free and makes the light saber actually glow?

iBook G4 14 933 Mhz, Mac OS X (10.4.4), DVD DL 16X, 200 GB FW HD, iPod 20 GB, Canon PS S2 IS

Posted on Feb 14, 2006 10:16 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 14, 2006 10:58 AM in response to Jeff Geerling

Hi Jeff.

I can't exactly help you with the Light Sabre but how about a Laser Beam?

Eureka! supply some 8 FREE filters - one of which is a laser effect.

It might be worth looking at them and you certainly can't complain about the price!

Download them here:-

http://www.kafwang.com/EUREKA/EurekaMain.html

(Click on the "Free Downloads").

Ian.

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Answer 2

Jeff Geerling Author

Level 6

11,118 points

Feb 14, 2006 4:11 PM in response to Ian R. Brown

Thanks for the link; right now I'm using the Photoshop Rotoscoping method outlined here... but it is quite tedious.

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Answer 3

Jeff Geerling Author

Level 6

11,118 points

Mar 12, 2006 8:45 AM in response to Jeff Geerling

As a wrap-up to this thread, I would like to say that my original idea of using some sort of filter to intensify the color of the lightsaber and make the 'glowing' effect will not work. I found that, when the lightsaber is moved, it creates a motion blur, and the color intensity (and hue) changes, making it difficult for the computer to track the blade.

I have decided on using the method I linked to above, where I export the video as a still image sequence, then open them all in photoshop and perform some actions on the files after selecting the blade, then reimporting the still image sequence as a video and adding lightsaber sounds in iMovie or FCX (I'm still working on getting the sound right).

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Answer 4

Mar 12, 2006 11:20 AM in response to Jeff Geerling

On thinking about it, it shouldn't be too difficult.

When you have exported the footage to Photoshop you won't need to do any great artwork. Just a quick straight line along the sabre, using a brush of suitable thickness with a "soft" edge to give the impression of light-spill.

A pale luminous blue would give an excellent effect.

Of course you will have to do 25 or 30 a second - but at least it's only one quick, crude brushstroke. So it shouldn't take too long.

Ian.

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Answer 5

Tim Buel

Level 1

44 points

Mar 12, 2006 6:02 PM in response to Ian R. Brown

hey. this effect can only be done effectivly using Adobe After effects. the way it is achieved in the films (star wars) is done through rotoscoping. i have done it on many occasions with after effects by simply keyframing a mask, layering the composition and applying the blur and color to multiple layers. it makes a very good looking lightsaber, nearly identical to the real effect used in Star Wars.

eMac G4 Mac OS X (10.4.4)

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Answer 6

Mar 12, 2006 7:07 PM in response to Tim Buel

hey man could you possibly reiterate for those of us who arent familiar with after effects? actually i'm not really familiar with final cut either, im starting to learn. my idiot radio and tv class teacher is keeping us on iMovie and its really starting to vex me. its an advance class too, i have to ride a bus to a different school and everything to take it.

im in high school by the way in case you were confused.

please help!!! we are shooting an episode mock reality show based on the life of the charecters in star wars after the movies. it will be great if we can get this lightsaber thing in there! when its finished i will post a link to a .mov

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Answer 7

Jeff Geerling Author

Level 6

11,118 points

Mar 13, 2006 5:45 PM in response to Ian R. Brown

But there are also some frames that require a polygonal selection (when the lightsaber is moving quickly through the frame). If you just draw a line, no motion blur occurs, and it doesn't look quite as real... but for a movie made for the web (or for someone with a little less patience), the line method would work well...

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Answer 8

Jeff Geerling Author

Level 6

11,118 points

Mar 13, 2006 5:51 PM in response to Tim Buel

I found a few good plugins for Final Cut on this website, and there's a free program that does simple (and obviously fake looking, but quick and dirty) lightsaber keyframing on OS X, but I can't seem to find the link anywhere.

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Answer 9

Tim Buel

Level 1

44 points

Mar 13, 2006 9:55 PM in response to Jeff Geerling

umm.. the thing is. After effects is EXTREMELY hard to explain over the interent. I suggest looking on star wars fan film sites such as www.theforce.net. that's where i learned the method, yet i dont think the video is there anymore. The proccess is quite easy to do, yet very time consuming, seeing as it is a frame-by-frame effect. If you need more help, this board has more options for lightsabers using other mac products: http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Films/b10015/9572254/?571

hope you have good luck!

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Answer 10

Jeff Geerling Author

Level 6

11,118 points

Mar 14, 2006 8:33 PM in response to Tim Buel

This is the same place where I've learned a wealth of information about lightsaber battles... Check out some of the great fan films for inspiration!

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Answer 11

Mar 16, 2006 11:51 AM in response to Jeff Geerling

thanks guys!

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