how do i: green screen, make a light saber and motion track

[Mark]

I would suggest, with all due respect, to go through the archives on this site. What you are asking for is quite a lot of info in one post.

Try searching for keylight, then light saber, then motion tracking. BTW, the motion tracking is explained well in the manual and the help file.

Mark

Mark Harvey
Senior Editor
Le Réseau des sports

[Larry S. evans ii]

There are probably numerous tutorials or tips here for lightsabers, and there are two very good ones over at Videocopilot.net.

As far as “making a greenscreen” there are a lot of options.

I shot for two years on one made from a tarp painted with flourescent green marking paint (about $6.00 a can at your larger hardware supply stores. A can covers maybe six or seven sq. ft. well. Light spots will necessitate a lot of cleanup).

“Pro” greenscreen paint comes from Bosco Industries and is about $50 a gallon. It can be purchased from theatrical supply houses, but figure you’ll pay almost that much in shipping if there’s not one near you. A gallon is supposed to give you a reasonably large wall (10′ x 12′).

You can also buy premade fabric or foam greenscreens of several types and varieties from various online places. I got mine from Tubetape.com for around $150, including the hanging rig. It’s 10′ X 12′ and rolls up to put in the bag the rig fits in. I got a second hanging rig for my lights from there too. Lights are important. A poorly lit screen will be a mess to clean up.

Now, if you’re stop motion is table-top, go down to the local sprawlmart or hobby store and buy a couple of sheets of neon green poster board, and tack them onto the wall or a frame so that they fill the area behind your camera. That’ll cost you less than ten bucks total in most places. I use them for doing model shots and miniatures when the scale is small enough to accomodate it. Just remember to light it well so that there are no shadows and you’ll be able to key out fairly well.

As for techniques for keying, follow the tutorials at this website and explanations in the manual. That horse has well and truly been beat to death, and there’s no point in trying to “improve” on what other’s have said much better, before. -R

Larry S. Evans II
Executive Producer
Digital I Productions

[Nigel Parkes-davies]

Andrew Kramer has done some excellent tutorials on Light Sabers in After Effects, one here at creative Cow –

see: https://library.creativecow.net/articles/kramer_andrew/lightsaber.php

and another on his own After Effects resource and training website –

see: https://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/light_sabers_v2/

You will also find extensive tutorials on Green Screen, Motion Tracking and a wide range of tips & tricks both here at the Cow and on Andrews site – don’t be afraid of the search function 😉

I have found that Andrew Kramer’s tutorials and the Cow resources have really opened up the world of After Effects for me – hope they do the same for you.

Nigel Parkes-Davies
Ephergie Studios