Adobe After Effects: Lightsaber Tutorial 1/2

[MrABDOU1988]

forai merci

[Alankartambe1]

i cant see the cursor u r so fast

[jawsykilla]

@lisaisanut yes but the end result is not near as good.

[JordyBasu]

would you have to do this for each frame if u make a video with the lightsaber effect?

[jawsykilla]

@JordyBasu Once you have created a nice looking lightsaber using this you would simply turn off all of the adjustment layers and animate the lightsaber core mask to fit round your lightsaber in every frame of the video. you then turn on all the adjustment layers and render.

[chazzman11]

where did you get the footage of the phantom menace without the lightsaber effect from?

[jawsykilla]

Go to Google Images and type Rotoscope Qui Gon, it is the first result. Hope this helps!

[coolmolletje]

i'm sorry, but i don't get what you're saying. it's your accent -.- first blur 10, than 20, and what are the next ones? i though 40 and 80 but i'm not sure

[jawsykilla]

yeah it's 40 then 80

[goranification]

where did u get that image? ooooh and i almost forget it,good video!!.

[GNSstudios]

I did everything exactly but my lightsaber appeared much more transparent than yours.

[jawsykilla]

Are you sure you didnt accidentally change the transparency of one of the layers? Also are you sure you set the correct layers to Screen?

[GNSstudios]

aaa i figured out what i've done wrong. When you were telling us the levels to put the bluriness at, i thought you said 10, 20, 40, 80. I started experimenting with these levels and i realised it was actually 10, 20, 4, and 8. Sorry for wasting your time on this.

[jawsykilla]

Absolutely no problem what so ever, I'm glad you figured it out :)

[daank1]

my whole screen turns blue and not the blur

[jawsykilla]

Bring your video/image to the very front (top) of all the layers and set it's blending mode to screen. This will allow the lightsaber to be shown through. The top adjustment layer needs to be below your footage otherwise it will affect your footage.

[daank1]

dear jawsykilla when i do the collor blend u say that it only affects the blur but with me it doesnt how does that go

[jawsykilla]

If you mean it doesn't do anything when you apply color balance then make sure you have created a black solid layer that is at the back of your comp. If you mean otherwise please reply to this.

[02082025745]

ummm. i mask it but when when i put the eye on all it shows is white background and my mask's outline

[jawsykilla]

Are you sure you are masking and not creating a shape layer?

[02082025745]

yes i'm masking and what did u call the white solid

[MurphyBros70]

thanks for the tutorial. i have question though. i went to ryan w's website, if you know who that is, and download his contact flash. when i put it into my video it only works at the beginning. ill go to the frame where i want it and it just doesnt appear. i can put it anywhere in the video but it jumps back to the very begging. its really annoying. if you know how to fix that it would be really helpful.

good tutorial, thanks

[jawsykilla]

Yeah I know Ryan Wieber and I can say that I have used his Contact Flash before on an Old old project. I never had this problem though. I don't fully understand your problem. Send me a message explaining fully if you can.

[imintz]

Oh no im not so good at english, especialy when people dialect is english :)

[tycoonmusicluver]

that program is $1,699.00 ......... wtf

[SandGorak]

i got the full version for free just hack it with a keygen lmfao ! ur jokes man stupid !

[Matsumotochampion]

What version of Adobe after effects is it?

[jawsykilla]

Version 7.0

[RichinGunz]

do u have to make it frame by frame?

[jawsykilla]

If you are animating it is the best way to do it because it will give you definitely the best end result. :)

[valvarexart]

subbed, you own!

This is complicated, especially with moving frames =(

[deFATpanda]

Is this free

[jawsykilla]

the tutorial well yes, the program no.

[DBZisthebestanimever]

this sucks i can't download it cuz it will take more than 12 hours cuz adobe's upload speed sucks

[lXnerdXboysXl]

blehh.

[dazmate]

Really helpful tutorial, I managed to add it to video, once I worked out how to get a keyframe per frame for the mask.

[collyonwowdomino]

but now my computer has crashed a new is on the way, when i get it and the harddisk and all that stuff i will upload the vid ^^.(this is my mom's comp.) PS: i will subscribe to you. =)

[jawsykilla]

Thank you!

[collyonwowdomino]

no i get it:) i can make light saber now =) soon gonna upload video whit a pen... thank you very much =)

[jawsykilla]

Awesome, I will definitely watch it :)

[collyonwowdomino]

ooo thank you=) now i can do it i think =)

[jawsykilla]

If you have any questions, I will gladly help :)

[collyonwowdomino]

at 2:45 i don't understand how you removed the picture

[jawsykilla]

Hi, i clicked the image layer and pressed delete. Thats all. :)

[olabadola21]

man i don't understand a shit of what you are saying XD :P sorry

[StarDida]

where do i "complete the mask" ??

[jawsykilla]

You know when you are creating the mask when you have done your final point of the mask you click the first point you drew and it will complete the mask. Hope this helps.

[jawsykilla]

Yes but can you put it on a video and add motion blur to it? I think not so how about you go crawl back up your mother's ass!

[sullivan556]

yo that link u gave me can u give me it again it didn't take me to the download page

[jawsykilla]

Sorry, but because no-one downloaded the file in 30 days it got removed and i have no backup on my pc. Sorry once again.

[sullivan556]

oh yeah i'm gonna have to make a keyframe with mask path and then do it the same way u did afterwards

[jawsykilla]

Exactly correct.

[Kingofspin077]

thanks for tutorial. I'm goin to try this soon.

[sullivan556]

thnx really helped man apreciate it. but does this work with video to like can i use it the same way?

[jawsykilla]

Yeah, works with video exactly the same way. But you are aware you will have to animate the lightsaber mask, right?

[Sheza58]

How can you save the edited photo as a jpeg?

[jawsykilla]

once you have edited the photo in after effects you can click Composition >> Save Frame As >> File then next to output module click the text saying "Photoshop" then under Format select JPEG Sequence. Hope this helps!

[Sheza58]

Cheers. Sorted.

[Sheza58]

Cheers mate! Followed this step by step and it worked out great. Grandma is a jedi!

[Haloguyofmars]

LOL

[legodude122]

im fine now though fixed it so it format avi ty m8

[jawsykilla]

no probs

[legodude122]

uh...i dunno

[legodude122]

it says no such AVI COMPRESSER

[jawsykilla]

when you import .wmv files?

[legodude122]

does it like windows media player and when i go to properties it says its pcm

[jawsykilla]

yes windows media format is ok its .wmv,, it doesn't like .pcm so it wont import that

[legodude122]

please help plus ty for doing a windows one instead of mac

[legodude122]

but now i've got a problem.

i can't import footage can you help plz

it says no such AVI compresser

[jawsykilla]

What file are you trying to import? what is the extension? after effects doesn't like .mpeg, it likes .mov and .wmv.

[idiotsriot10]

were can you get that version of after effects for free???

[footieharry84]

in a trial version

[sparklingoofaza]

im having all sorts of problems :P now i cant change the color of my lightsaber i do what you do and it wont change color i put in like 100 and nothing happens

[jawsykilla]

Have you got a solid black layer that must be at the very back. If you havent then create a new solid that is pure black and drag it to the back and then the color balance will work.

Cheers, Jordan

[sparklingoofaza]

once again youve helped me so much i owe you alot

[sparklingoofaza]

i am trying to make a video with a lightsaber and those evil little diamonds wont pop up when i hit next frame(after ive made my yellow box) nothing happens yellow box stays in the same place wwhole video PLEASE HELP

[jawsykilla]

ok m8 you need to click the little arrow next to the layer, then the next arrow on the mask then click the stopwatch next to position. This will allow you to change the position of the mask throughout your timeline.

[sparklingoofaza]

thank you so much i really appreciate it :)

[Behemoth2334]

Um what did you click on at 2:19?

[jawsykilla]

I clicked on the first point i created with the pen tool. Once you have done all the points for your lightsaber mask you click back on the first point you created to complete the mask. Cheers

[Behemoth2334]

Ok, thanks man, you Have really helped :)

[bionicboob]

dude why isnt it wotking i try to do it but it always showes the original pic in the mask we formed and the backround turns black?help me plz

[jawsykilla]

Sounds like you arent creating a new solid? Sounds like you are applying a mask straight to the footage layer. Explain more, what layers do you have in your timeline and what layer is the mask applied to? Thanks

[bionicboob]

im following your instructions and it showes the pic it the light saber shape i make

[bionicboob]

how did you remove the original pic?

[bionicboob]

sorry i fixed it

[bionicboob]

how did you remove the imported picture?

[jawsykilla]

What do you mean by remove? message my account plz and stop commenting on the vid plz. Thanks, Jordan

[crazydrj28]

first comment duuuude