Need some help with creating an LED watch from The Division for a short film...

[Lunsfuhd]

Hey everyone! So I'm in the process of building the props for a silly little short film based on the video game The Division. However I'm having a tough time figuring out how to proper do an led watch.

My initial plan was to buy a cheap G-Shock knockoff:

Rip out the internals and add some LEDs around the outer ring of the watch face:

However the biggest issue is fitting the led ring, the battery and micro-controller into the watch's internals.

The other issue being that I don't know if these LEDs would be bright enough to register on camera.

Does anyone have any ideas for solutions? Perhaps micro-LED's?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Lunsfuhd]

Side note, I would just have the actors wear knock-off smart watches with the watch face looking like the game however I don't think they would be bright enough for the camera.

 

[robstyle]

it may be easier to go old skool and print out faux faces, then simply back light them. Youll have more room to get even illumination. Dont stress about it reading on camera, it will. If your budget doesnt allow for much you can use wax paper over the led's to tone the brightness down. There is also EL lighting that comes in a cord type material. End if the day, dont over think it, stick with whats simple and works.

 

[xl97]

While possible, I dont think the effort will pay off by trying to use a microcontroller and neopixels here..

I made fully functioning Arduino compatible circuit, designed to fit in the face of a watch for the TASM webshooters: (thread is here somewhere)

ie:

These were minimized to ensure they would fit in the prop.. (also had SD card sockets on the bottom for audio playback)..


You would have other obstacles here.. such as voltage regulation. (Neopixels require +5v.. but more current than an Arduino can provide.. so needs to be powered directly from a stable +5v power source)..

You would still need to create a custom PCB.. (unless the watch is big enough to fit a Pro-Mini or something inside of it?)


Questions:

1.) Do they need to change color? or will they only be one color per watch?
2.) Perhaps 'faking it' will work? Such as get some thin acrylic cut into circles.. with an etched 'ring' around it. Then you can throw an led or two along the edge to 'edge light' the etched ring?


Neopixels come in smaller packages than just the 5050 sizes.

I believe there are also 1206 RGB leds too? (I'd have to look what I have to be sure... or just ebay/google it)

 

[teslabe]

I don't think you have to worry about the brightness of the LEDs, unless you're shooting in sunlight/bright settings. I find that the LEDs I use need serious dimming, I'm working on an effect for a Spinner build and the NeoPixels I'm using are too bright and had to be dimmed substantially for the effect. Could you post a short video of the effect from the game so we can better understand what you're looking to create, I'm not familiar with the game.