Help with Lightsaber Prop Construction

[Sym-Cha]

Well I guess you've got some good answers and questions there ... and yes I do know film talk ... old skool with rotoscoping techniques and special fx animation as well as CGI ... instead of the reflective material you could also use green and red reflective spraypaint onto heavy duty stunt blades too, so that they are more easily to follow and rotoscope in post-production with After-Fx. If your budget is low you have to reconsider all kinds of options, sometimes out-of-the-box, ... don't try to make it look real on set ... just make the end result believable ... that's what counts

Chaim

 

[Tom Starkiller]

Neon on tape would be best for following unlit blades. Green and Orange show up best. Unless you can seal the blade, paint will chip off and make a mess.

 

[ARKM]

Gaffers tape is also good for unlit blades. It's what Ryan and Dorkman used in Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 (a popular lightsaber duel video). It won't create any glow effect but is good for tracking the blade for rotoscoping purposes. They use red gaffers tape for both sabers.

RvD2: Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 -- HD - YouTube

 

[Aiden26]

Well I guess you've got some good answers and questions there ... and yes I do know film talk ... old skool with rotoscoping techniques and special fx animation as well as CGI ... instead of the reflective material you could also use green and red reflective spraypaint onto heavy duty stunt blades too, so that they are more easily to follow and rotoscope in post-production with After-Fx. If your budget is low you have to reconsider all kinds of options, sometimes out-of-the-box, ... don't try to make it look real on set ... just make the end result believable ... that's what counts

Chaim

That's why I wanted to add electronics in the hilt. The light from the saber would glow on the person making it believable. I had and idea were I plan the colour grading ahead of time and find an LED that would show up as the colour I need. Also I'm not even sure if colour grading would hav much an effect on the colour of the blades. The colours for the blades are white, brown and 2 are green. With all black cores. But I hav no clue.

 

[Sym-Cha]

If you want a colour light effect on the person wielding a lightsaber ... you could also resolve to a very powerful flashlight with photo filters on top to vary the colour needed to reflect on the actor, that flashlight is being focused on said actor by an out of frame prop person ... of course wielding real fx-lightsaber would be easier but you're on a tight budget, so you have to resolve to other means of fixing the lightsaber issues you encounter

Chaim

 

[Aiden26]

If you want a colour light effect on the person wielding a lightsaber ... you could also resolve to a very powerful flashlight with photo filters on top to vary the colour needed to reflect on the actor, that flashlight is being focused on said actor by an out of frame prop person ... of course wielding real fx-lightsaber would be easier but you're on a tight budget, so you have to resolve to other means of fixing the lightsaber issues you encounter

Chaim

It does sound like a good idea, but It would be hard when there is a group shot with multiple people fighting at once. I managed to figure out my electronics issue with only using 4 parts. Now I just have to figure out the coluor grading issue.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

That's why I wanted to add electronics in the hilt. The light from the saber would glow on the person making it believable. I had and idea were I plan the colour grading ahead of time and find an LED that would show up as the colour I need. Also I'm not even sure if colour grading would hav much an effect on the colour of the blades. The colours for the blades are white, brown and 2 are green. With all black cores. But I hav no clue.

In all 6 Star Wars movies the only time the light from a lightsaber blade cast light on anyone was when Anakin fought Dooku in AOTC- and that's because they used neon tubes for the close-up shots specifically.

In all the other movies even when Luke and Darth Vader are fighting on the Deathstar under the catwalk in the dark the blades don't cast light or color the environment with colored light.

Having LED lightsabers that cast colored light everywhere in a dark scene would actually look LESS realistic because saber effects are always added in post.

If you used reflective tape and mounted a light to your camera you would get the glowing effect without the colored light. Otherwise you're better off just using tape on the blades and rotoscoping the effect. If you really have to have LED blades, on a budget, I'd gut the $25 Hasbro toy sabers and use those blades. They are shorter than normal blades, but clever camera angles could hide that.

 

[Aiden26]

In all 6 Star Wars movies the only time the light from a lightsaber blade cast light on anyone was when Anakin fought Dooku in AOTC- and that's because they used neon tubes for the close-up shots specifically.

In all the other movies even when Luke and Darth Vader are fighting on the Deathstar under the catwalk in the dark the blades don't cast light or color the environment with colored light.

Having LED lightsabers that cast colored light everywhere in a dark scene would actually look LESS realistic because saber effects are always added in post.

If you used reflective tape and mounted a light to your camera you would get the glowing effect without the colored light. Otherwise you're better off just using tape on the blades and rotoscoping the effect. If you really have to have LED blades, on a budget, I'd gut the $25 Hasbro toy sabers and use those blades. They are shorter than normal blades, but clever camera angles could hide that.

I totally would hav used that effect but the problem is, there are a lot of group shots for fighting during the night and day and having lights shine at people would be really tricky and almost impossible. I all ready hav the electronics figured out for pretty cheap, its just the colour grading I need to figure out.

 

[Mandalorian444]

Hopefully your electronics will work out for you. What exactly are you planning to do in the color grading? Knowing what you plan to do could help with further suggestions.

As for the reflective tape, you don't need lights shining at all of them. You simply use one light on or next to the camera pointing in the same direction. The light will reflect from the tape directly back to the light source. So while you have many blades in the scene, you only need one light to get the effect, and it doesn't even have to be a very powerful light. I haven't seen how it would work in the day, but you can't really see the glow anyway unless you're doing it in post, even with electronics.

 

[ARKM]

I'm sorry you're going for the black core saber blade look. Worst thing ever invented in the Star Wars universe IMHO (well, besides midi-chlorians and Jar Jar). I hate it... with a passion. To get that look, you will still need to rotoscope the blades, frame by frame. All that hard work for black blades that glow. *shakes head and walk away*.

 

[Aiden26]

I'm sorry you're going for the black core saber blade look. Worst thing ever invented in the Star Wars universe IMHO (well, besides midi-chlorians and Jar Jar). I hate it... with a passion. To get that look, you will still need to rotoscope the blades, frame by frame. All that hard work for black blades that glow. *shakes head and walk away*.

I think the black looks better than the white. I also never understood why people hate the prequels so much and Jar Jar. I like the prequels better than the originals. Also I know I have to roto scope.

 

[ARKM]

I think the black looks better than the white. I also never understood why people hate the prequels so much and Jar Jar. I like the prequels better than the originals. Also I know I have to roto scope.

That just means you're a young'n. That's not an insult, just an observation. Those that grew up with the prequels tend to like them a lot. As far as liking black saber cores better than white... I think it's just the wow/new factor of it and how much one likes the TFU games/Starkiller character and how much one likes the Clone Wars cartoon. Also, I think age has something to do with it. That and not knowing how light works. If you knew how light works, you just might hate black blades as well. If sabers were real, as described in the Star Wars universe, the black blade would be entirely impossible. Light just does not work that way.

IMHO, if one is going to have a black blade of energy, the only way to describe it should be a blade of supernatural/magic energy and not something made by science. In other words, not a lightsaber. That's how I feel about it anyways. Sorry to derail. Good luck with your fan film.

 

[Aiden26]

I'm not that young and I actual grew up with originals, I just really like the prequels. I know how light works too. Also I'm having second thoughts about the black blade, because I think it might look a little weird during night battles. Thanks for the help! Oh and FYI, it's not a fan film. My films just use Star Wars related weapons but its a completely different thing.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

I like both the white and black blades, and I like the prequels and I'm old. I love the originals, and I prefer colored white core blades, but as long as it's Star Wars I'm a happy guy.

 

[ARKM]

I like both the white and black blades, and I like the prequels and I'm old. I love the originals, and I prefer colored white core blades, but as long as it's Star Wars I'm a happy guy.

Shh. I like to stereotype. Stop ruining my flawed outlook on the world.

 

[ShogunLogan]

Hi Aiden,

I have found that the cheapest that i can make a full working saber from scratch is around 75 bucks, which includes seoul LED and sound card. Best way to go about it is start at custom saber shop forums and read like crazy. Tim is the owner and is extremely helpful and they have every write up in the book on what you would need. I would suggest starting off with a sink tube saber because those are the most cost affective. You can make one for around 30 bucks for the hilt and after that, you would just need the starter led kit, heat sink blade holder and a sound card. I personally enjoy making the hilts from sink tubes rather than buying them because im one of those jerks that likes saying i made the whole thing myself (that and im poor and do not have 100 extra bucks to be spending all willy nilly),

I also like the look and they can turn out really nice and only really need one or two tools to make them. (See below for examples i have done on the cheap)



For the sound card the best bet is to get it from an old hasbro toy that you can find on ebay for 10 bucks or so and just wire it up. Im no electronic guru but it is only a few wires and step by step directions can be found for each sound card on the TCSS website. I dont want to fill up your post with useless info or direct links to parts you would need but feel free to PM if this is something you might be intrested in and id be more than happy to help!

good luck and happy saber smithing!

 

[Aiden26]

Hi Aiden,

I have found that the cheapest that i can make a full working saber from scratch is around 75 bucks, which includes seoul LED and sound card. Best way to go about it is start at custom saber shop forums and read like crazy. Tim is the owner and is extremely helpful and they have every write up in the book on what you would need. I would suggest starting off with a sink tube saber because those are the most cost affective. You can make one for around 30 bucks for the hilt and after that, you would just need the starter led kit, heat sink blade holder and a sound card. I personally enjoy making the hilts from sink tubes rather than buying them because im one of those jerks that likes saying i made the whole thing myself (that and im poor and do not have 100 extra bucks to be spending all willy nilly),

I also like the look and they can turn out really nice and only really need one or two tools to make them. (See below for examples i have done on the cheap)

View attachment 324924View attachment 324925

For the sound card the best bet is to get it from an old hasbro toy that you can find on ebay for 10 bucks or so and just wire it up. Im no electronic guru but it is only a few wires and step by step directions can be found for each sound card on the TCSS website. I dont want to fill up your post with useless info or direct links to parts you would need but feel free to PM if this is something you might be intrested in and id be more than happy to help!

good luck and happy saber smithing!

Thanks for the Info. Since I'm not going for the %100 Hilt look, I am making them out of PVC Pipe. With 1 Pipe I can make 15 Hilts. For lighting electronics I sent a e-mail to the custom saber shop. I haven't received a reply yet. I won't need sound. So just Lights I need to figure out.

 

[ShogunLogan]

Yup. PVC is the way to go to be cost affective and you can get a really good painted/weathered look if you wanted. They also hold up pretty darn well for dueling.

Jay-gon's PVC Hilts - Full tutorial on last page - Page 23

here is a good tutorial on PVC hilts and wiring just for led and no sound that might help out. tells you what you would have to buy and how to wire it up.

-Mark

 

[Aiden26]

Yup. PVC is the way to go to be cost affective and you can get a really good painted/weathered look if you wanted. They also hold up pretty darn well for dueling.

Jay-gon's PVC Hilts - Full tutorial on last page - Page 23

here is a good tutorial on PVC hilts and wiring just for led and no sound that might help out. tells you what you would have to buy and how to wire it up.

-Mark

Thanks for the help Mark!

 

[micheal1191]

You could do a pvc core with a metal shell. I did that with mine and it gave it some heft as well as that cold metalic feel that cant be imitated.

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