How the Lightsaber VFX Was Done in Star Wars (And How to DIY It)
Few visual effects are as iconic as the lightsaber. Since its debut in the original Star Wars trilogy, it’s become a staple of sci-fi and fan films. But how was it done back then and how can you recreate it today without an ILM-sized budget? 💡 A Quick Look at the Original Lightsaber Effect In the 1970s, the lightsaber glow was created using a process called rotoscoping . The actors used sticks coated with reflective material, which were then manually traced frame-by-frame in post-production using animation techniques. The glow was added by duplicating and blurring the edges of the traced blade with optical compositing, a labor-intensive method back in the day! And don’t forget the sound! That humming energy? It was a mix of projector motors and TV interference noises layered creatively. 🚀 Fast-Forward to Today: DIY Lightsaber FX You don’t need Hollywood to bring lightsabers to life. Here’s how you can pull it off with free or affordable tools: 🎬 Step 1: Film the ...