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Info Wanted: your opinions on the changing lightsabers colors in the OT

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 (Edited)

since I’ve spent about 3 months re-rotoscoping the sabers in ANH from the DVD version, aside from the zen like moments it produces in your head and demeanour, I’ve also gone three a number of realisations about the ‘look’ of lightsabers in general.

1. when looking at the original original material. the concept of the sabre blade was a bit open to debate. largely due to the technology of the time.

luke’s bens and vaders saber all look different at different times throughout the film so it is hard to reach a general concensus of what a sabre blade should be.

2. how sabres look in the prequels is entirely different and at odds with the OT.

so, first conundrum I faced. do I make the sabres in ANH look like the prequels? in my gut, no. the colours are way too rich, also the corona/halo around the white core is very different to that of the OT.

second conundrum, colours.

yes ben is blue, luke is blue vader is red. but are they?

in the prequels we are almost dealing with primary colours, but in the OT, vaders saber is more a pink, bens is blue, lukes goes from light blue, white to purple blue. a fact borne out by how it appears in empire. it’s more a purple than a blue.

I chose a middle ground here and went for stronger, more vivid colours, but more the look of the OT for the sabers, just making the halo’s bigger, and also making the white cores a consistent colour (pure white) and also a more consistent thickness from shot to shot because it does vary., very much in fact.

vaders sabre in some shots goes from being very thin to being very chubby and this is within a few frames from the same angle.

however, throwing it out to the floor, what are peoples opinions on this topic. Mebejedi certainly I’d like to hear from your good self as you’ve actually re-rotoscoped on your previous version of ANH, possible in Vegas even like I have done myself.

When a woman says yes, she means no - when she says maybe, she means no.

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I think in principle, adherents to the Light Side of the Force are supposed to weild blue lightsabers (as it seems to be an archetypal colour of virtue and goodness), and adherents to the Dark Side weild red lightsabers (as a symbol of aggression and passion).

So that's the colour issue. I think that the definition and richness of the lightsabers in the PT kind of detracts from the mysticism of the lightsaber. Lightsabers should look a little ethereal and mystical, but solid enough to look as though it will have an impact on the physical world.

I hope that was vague enough for ya.
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It meets my seal of approval.

AKA

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I think the lightsabres in ESB should be taken as the benchmark.

As you said, the inconsistencies apparant in ANH are largely due to the SFX technologies at the time. I think these limitations were ironed out for ESB.

And the sabres in the prequels just give the impression of luminous sticks rather than a blade of raw energy.

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here is a you send it link for the sabre work I've been doing

it's a short xvid file.

saber sample
When a woman says yes, she means no - when she says maybe, she means no.

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That looks really good tellan. God knows that must have taken you hours. More power to you man.

Keep up the good work.
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Tellan, did you use 2004 dvd footage for the sample?
Fez: I am so excited about Star Whores.
Hyde: Fezzy, man, it's Star Wars.
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Originally posted by: Arnie.d
Tellan, did you use 2004 dvd footage for the sample?


Actually, I think it was the 1982 VHS release if I read his email correctly.
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no no no.

I've used the VHS as reference for colour and 'look' but the clip is a re-rotoscoped 2004 DVD edition.
When a woman says yes, she means no - when she says maybe, she means no.

http://www.auky37.dsl.pipex.com/falconlogo_web.jpg
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Originally posted by: tellan
no no no.
I've used the VHS as reference for colour and 'look' but the clip is a re-rotoscoped 2004 DVD edition.

OK. I thought WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!!!!!! How did he clean up his laserdisc capture like that!?!?!?!?!?!

Fez: I am so excited about Star Whores.
Hyde: Fezzy, man, it's Star Wars.
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The sample looks pretty good, the only thing I would say is that it needs to be made more natural looking - maybe add some irregularity into the blade, or a bit more flicker?

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ooooh, interesting comment, which sample moth3r? maybe the fact its smaller is missing that out but when you see the full size, full res file, the original flicker in the footage is there. some shots just don't have it because the original underlying cruddy effect doesn't have it.

other thing to note. its really only ANH that has flicker. the flicker is way less obvious on ESB, so if that is the benchmark, there should be nex to know flicker.
When a woman says yes, she means no - when she says maybe, she means no.

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Originally posted by: tellan
no no no.

I've used the VHS as reference for colour and 'look' but the clip is a re-rotoscoped 2004 DVD edition.


Actually, I was being sarcastic. Sorry if I fooled any of you guys!
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The thing is, I think the PT lightsabers was one of the things the films got right. We are talking about a controlled beam of raw energy. It should be alive, yes, but consistent. The size should rarely change, and only the blue or red glow should flicker or fluxuate. The core should be solid and un changing.

But that's just my opinion.
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