lightsaber ambient light

Hello,

this is my first post in here. I was wondering for a while since when was lightsaber supposed to have an ambient light as I haven´t seen such thing until Episode II and Jedi Outcast, both simultaneously released in 2002.

Do you think it´s possible to rotoscope this? And do you like such effect (lightsaber as a flashlight)?

Are you talking about adding ambient light to lightsabers in the movies?

Lightsabers definitely cast ambient light in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, but they don't in any of the other movies.

I believe Adywan is adding some ambient light to the lightsaber duel at the end of Empire for ESB:R, but not in every shot, as it's quite difficult to do.

ChainsawAsh said:

Are you talking about adding ambient light to lightsabers in the movies?

Lightsabers definitely cast ambient light in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, but they don't in any of the other movies.

I believe Adywan is adding some ambient light to the lightsaber duel at the end of Empire for ESB:R, but not in every shot, as it's quite difficult to do.

Yes, I was wondering about adding it into the movies since all of those changes made throughout the years, though I knew it´s not easy; however I think these guys in the video made quite good job with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfa-Pa5IQLg (definitely watch in HD!)

It looks like that 1977 SW tried to do the very first ambient light to the very first lightsabers but unfortunately it´s not so visible in 2004 version.

And here another one, even more visible.

Yeah, for Star Wars, most (not all) of the prop lightsabers had something on them that reflected the studio light.  They were rotoscoped over in post when the effect didn't work as well as intended (I think Luke's training on the Falcon may possibly be unrotoscoped, but I could be wrong).

The sabers never illuminated anything though. They reflected light, but only to the camera. The lighting on Obi Wan's face in the cantina is just the light from the scene, it's not supposed to be from the saber--not even in the SE, as the ambient light in the PT looks very, very different and actually reflects colour onto surfaces. They just darkened down the scene so the sabre stands out more.

zombie84 said:

The lighting on Obi Wan's face in the cantina is just the light from the scene, it's not supposed to be from the saber

True, but at least it does look like it´s lightsaber ambient light, unlike in SE.

ChainsawAsh said:

Lightsabers definitely cast ambient light in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, but they don't in any of the other movies.

 I wonder if the EU's come up with a half-assed retcon to explain away this discrepancy yet.

I think it's more of a case of "pretend it does in the other movies" than explain why it doesn't.

MrPvlmichalek said:

this is my first post in here. I was wondering for a while since when was lightsaber supposed to have an ambient light as I haven´t seen such thing until Episode II and Jedi Outcast, both simultaneously released in 2002.

Already in Dark Forces II - Jedi Knight from 1997 you could use the lightsaber to light the environment around you.

In AOTC, Lucasfilm used flourescent tubes in a sequence of the fight between Anakin and Dooku that took place in a darker part of the hangar.

Oh yeah, I remember using my lightsaber as a flashlight in Jedi Knight.

God, I miss that game.

Leonardo said:

EyeShotFirst said:

They probably think George is gonna eventually replace them with jar jar.

or walkie talkies.

WWWWWWHAT!!!!

Yeah and then in Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy, you suddenly couldn't light a room with your saber anymore (or use the force to see in the dark).

The effects are as inconsistent in the games as in the movies. But yeah, that was fun doing that in JK and MotS, definately added a layer to the gameplay.

I think one of the worst things in the PT was the duel betwixt Anakin and Dooku in the dark.

With nothing but lightsaber ambient light that should have been AWESOME. Instead they seem to swing their sabers randomly for about 8 seconds and then walk back into the light.

TheBoost said:

I think one of the worst things in the PT was the duel betwixt Anakin and Dooku in the dark.

With nothing but lightsaber ambient light that should have been AWESOME. Instead they seem to swing their sabers randomly for about 8 seconds and then walk back into the light.

This.

Allow me to quote from my cutlist scripts:

Close up of ANAKIN in the dark.  Close up of DOOKU.  Close up of ANAKIN.  DOOKU again.  ANAKIN again.  They spin away.  Close up of DOOKU.  ANAKIN.  DOOKU.  ANAKIN.  DOOKU.

So...ten alternating close-ups separated by a single shot of them spinning away from each other....yeah.

Darnit Frink you broke the thread!

Carp, you'd think I'd know better.  Fixed?