TUTORIALS FOR VFX & MOTION GRAPHICS
Free After Effects Tutorials & More Hosted By: Andrew Kramer
January 29, 2007
• Use Custom Preset to generate instant Light Sabers
• Change color and size Setting Globally with ease
 
 
TUTORIAL NOTES:
No information available at this time.
Running Time: 11mins.


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209 RESPONSES TO "LIGHT SABERS"

by jev 7 hours ago
ANDREW HELP PLaes i download it then put it in preset foler and when i drop nothing comes up
by ben jones 11/18/2009
i thought i would help some people you want to use the saber for adobe after effects cs4,

find the program on the hardrive where it had been installed. then go onto support files and presets. put it in there and it should work fine.

ben jones
;)
by DarthTony 11/10/2009
Hello Mr.Kramer.
You are doing a great job keep going so we all can learn ur knowlegde.
Anyway,i am using Adobe After Effects Cs4 and i can't load this one..although is a very good idea this effect with the lightsaber and it would helped me alot with my project...do u have it for Cs4?
Thank you.
by Mr. JCRP 11/07/2009
Hi,
I have been waiting to learn some real industry related stuff. I have visited a lot of other websites but all those are just some really not useful ones which we cant use in a production. The tutorials that you give are just awesome. It answers all the questions that i had till date.

COOOOOOOOOOOOL.

Thanks a tonne!
JCRP
by Armud 10/29/2009
One word...

AMAZING!

OMFG!
My head exploded!

Gratz for tutorial!
by zrz 10/28/2009
cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by Ariton 10/11/2009
Hi, is there any way, for when the top of the light saber is close, and the bottom is far away, means the top should actually be big, and thick , and the bottom ( that's further away ) thinner and smaller. is there any way to do that?.

thanks, and even if not. This effect is the best :)
by Nemo 10/06/2009
this is frikkin' awesome! thx! :D
by Marian 09/13/2009
Hey,
I am from Germany and I have some problems to download this program.
can you help me??
marian
by Chyinong 08/28/2009
I from Taiwan.


???
Great?

AE~~~~~

??????????????
??????
by JOERZ 08/25/2009
You are truly an angel.. thanks for all the tut.
by nitrospide 08/13/2009
hey do u think i can get a copy of the footage u used because my camera has gone bust.
by hgo 08/12/2009
hey nice. i was wondering how i could get the preset.
email:bebe_herbert_grau@hotmail.com
by Adam 08/01/2009
Hii andrew!

My name is adam and i was wondering if you got anyspare time could you please email mme and tell me how to get adobe after effects with out paying so much thanx xD

adam_sxcbeast@hotmail.com
by Alex 07/30/2009
How do i get the preset?
by bert 07/15/2009
how can i get the effect
by Eirik Henden 07/14/2009
Hi Andrew!
I really appreciate the effort of time you put on each of these tutorials.. i really admire you'r work! We all should be thankful for what you are willingly making, and showing us! Thank you Andrew..
Regards,
Eirik Henden
by Neil 07/07/2009
Hey, will this work for CS4 i think its version 9. Please relply! thanks

-Neil
by julien 07/04/2009
hi, i am julien, can you tell me how to have adobe after effects, the same version that you have. thanks,

julien
by joe 06/27/2009
send me a light-sabre? joebeggs27@yahoo.co.uk
by Drew 06/26/2009
How do I get Adobe After Effects?
I have Adobe reader

E-Mail me!

drew-edwards@hotmail.co.uk
by Dima 06/25/2009
Hmmm, how do you add the lightsaber effect onto CS4 or CS3...?
by simon 06/25/2009
can you send me the light saber preset please???
i really need it
ty

E-Mail: siimon111@web.de
by Dimitris (Lombax) 06/19/2009
Can I Work This Preset With The "Tracker Control Motion"? I Mean Not Frame By Frame Manuality But The Lightsaber's Glow Folow My Blade Of My Video.
by matthew puetz 06/16/2009
hey andrew, just wanted to let you know that as a novice film maker I've been perusing your site, and since my first film is in fact a star wars film, I thought I'd take a look at this. Wow! Now I don't have to sit and create the lightsaber glow effect for 1800 frames just for a minute long lightsaber fight. Thanks dude, keep up the good work. Just plot two points every so often, and the thing does the rest for you.
by zachery 06/14/2009
that is so cool
by Rabbit 06/08/2009
Is this compatible with CS3
by Ron 05/30/2009
Hey Andrew
first: Amazing Tutorials!!! really great work, helped me a lot already :D
second: wouldn't it be posible to do a lightsaber with motion tracking instead of adjusting every point? (well, asuming you have footage where you can allways see the begining and end of the saber )
i'm not that far into motion tracking, but i'd like to know where it's limits are... (btw, i got mocha too, don't know if that makes any diffrence :D)

greetings from germany! Ron
by Hi Mr Andrew! 05/29/2009
YOU THE BEST!!!! I like this program
i live in Russia!!! im speak russia!
good luck, Andrew
by Matthew 05/23/2009
Hi Andrew!!!
Can you please tell me where I can get the preset please!!!
My e-mail is matheus11397@yahoo.com.br
Thank You Very Much!!!

PS: Great Tutorial!!!

by luke0978 05/22/2009
can you please send me the preset. Thanks
by Friedemann 05/19/2009
i dont get how to make the motion blur
by Felix 05/11/2009
Could you please send me the lightsaber preset?

afterflower@sina.com

Thanks!
by Rebecca 05/07/2009
Is there any way I can get the light saber footage? I have the preset but I don't have any footage to follow along with. Thanks
by Lyubi 05/02/2009
hi andrew could you please send me the preset i dont know where to find it an if you cant do that, please tell me where to get it
my email is yelling_is_fun@hotmail.com
thanks in advance
by Jake 04/30/2009
can you make this work for cs4?
by Brady 04/29/2009
can i get the saber preset thing
by Jaimiko 04/21/2009
WAU! excelente tutorial, thanks!
by Ad 04/17/2009
guys just download the project and it is inside there! great tut andy thanks for all your tutorials helped me loads keep it up!
by Uri 03/29/2009
Just a quick tip-
next time just track motion!
create a noll and all that crap and just parent one of the position parameters of the saber to the position of the noll and it will become a lot easier..
by MichOpL 03/24/2009
Great ! pleas send me the Light Saber preset :D
my e-mail is micho_1991@o2.pl
ty :D
by Michael 03/22/2009
can you send me the preset mscullin544@gmail.com thanks
by Ricke 03/22/2009
Hi I thogt that was cool, but wher do i download the pogram to do it?? and I dident understand how to get that andrew cramer mapp. Can you pleas help men or send some links?? Thanks.

Trollkarlen95@hotmail.com
by RICKY 03/21/2009
please send me the preset rickymt14@gmail.com
by Brian 03/16/2009
Can u plz send me the lightsaber preset, ming1037@hanmail.net, thanks ^^
by Sunny 03/14/2009

Could you please send me the lightsaber preset?
by sunny 03/14/2009
Really very nice
too good
i like it
i like your voice Realy
Thanks
by Hatakraa 03/11/2009
Could you please send me the lightsaber preset?

saber_sword212@yahoo.com

Thanks!
by Hendy 03/06/2009
Hi, I know that everyone has asked this but... where is the saber preset, and could you send it to me if possible? Thanks!
by Jotalegend 03/01/2009
Hey Andrew Were did you published the saber effect
by Habib 02/27/2009
send me the Light Saber preset, please !

habibspider@hotmail.fr

Thanks
by grishio 02/20/2009
hey great work, coud u send the light saber presets,
thanks
hrwet89@hotmail.com
by Gray911 02/18/2009
Can you send me the Light Saber preset, please?

rattle-snake_91@mail.ru

Thanks =)
by Christer 02/01/2009
like i said before great tutorial. but my question is. when can you make a tutorial for making the heroes flying effect :)
by R.J. 02/01/2009
sweet that was a gret video I never new thet you can actoaly make a lightsaber becaus I'm a big fan of star wars buy
by Christer 01/31/2009
Hay ther.. i must say the this is a great tutorial i learnd alot from this :D keep upp the good work. now i will try learn gunfire :D
by Dan 01/29/2009
Hello Andrew Kramer. I had a question about your lightsaber preset. Is it compatible with CS3 Professional? Because whenever I use it, either the lightsaber doesn't show up or a window opens saying that the preset or whatever could not be found. If it is not compattible with CS3, could you make a preset that is? Thanks.
by Sindre 01/20/2009
Hi andrew im a big fan! and i just wondering. how do i get the lightsaber plugin or wathewer it is please tell me!..:)
by VoltisArt 01/04/2009
PRESETS: Are at the grey Project button next to Watch...the server seems slow for me, but it's there.
Also READ the "Please Read" disclaimer down between here and where you go to comment BEFORE posting problems!
_ _ _

Grant,

Video editing isn't quite yet for the faint of funds, but it's getting much better over time. Used to be in the $20,000 range, so $600 is pretty nice, considering. :) I'm not into it myself yet, but yeah, new Adobe programs are not what most of us would call cheap.

You may be able to find used copies on eBay or another program to do this kind of thing on a lower budget. Andrew's presets will not work with other programs, but the directions in the tutorial are pretty universal to video and photos.

The biggest breakthroughs he offers are the additive formulae for the glow and the two-point line, which is easier than manipulating four or more points.

It takes time, but with a little fiddling you can come up with this kind of effect in any photo or video editing software. (Well, not Windows paint, but almost anything above that!) Just use your favorite movie stills or photos as reference for the illumination and play with layer filters.
by Grant Frownfelter 12/30/2008
so basically you can only do this if you are really rich this program costs like 600 dollars if im wrong tell me
by Sam 12/30/2008
Hi Andrew. Can you send me the preset of that lightsaber ? Thanks in advance !! retribution.svk@gmail.com
by Peri Chain 12/29/2008
Hey Andrew. Could you please send me the light saber preset. I would really appreciate it.
by cajsa 12/29/2008
Hello! ^^ I've got a problem. I have got after effects cs4 on my computer and I wanted to do this effect, and I did excatly as Andrew said, I think, but my light is like standing still. It moves but it doesnt follow the saber but it moves like it.. :) what am I doing wrong? can someone please send me a message and tell me how i should do? ^^ it would be nice since I have to have this video finnished soon :)
my email: c.wilen@aland.net
sorry for my bad english
by Nino 12/28/2008
hi everyone I just want to ask about the before post about Alpha levels and Simple Choker I´ve tried almost everything trying to put in the AE cs3 and AE 7.0 the light saber in all its versions but nothing happens always appears that warning No exist: Saber Control please if somebody can help me; and try to be clear with the anwers
thank you so much.
by Mike 12/22/2008
Andrew:

Great tutorial. I was doing it the old fashioned way with the 4-point masks frame by frame, and while this tutorial doesn't make short work of the frame by frame aspect of it (motion tracking anyone? lol) it does cut the amount of work in half. One thing I noticed though. Something I do in contrast to what you do when the sabres intersect.

I was playing around with it, and noticed that if you do instead of using the lighten transfer mode, if you use add instead, yes it affects the color a little, but it also gives you a soft glow at the intersect point, to simulate a. energy surge when they connect.

In the tests I've done, the color loss is minimal, but then again, to each their own.

Love your work man, and Keep it up!!


Regards
Mike Phelps
Technical Supervisor
Fairfield Public Access Television
by boby 12/15/2008
Andrew YOU ARE BEST!!!!
and for noobs here :D just download the project file, there is the light saber effect.. dont spam here that you want it :D just download..
AND BIG THANS to ANDREW! like your tutorials..
by Tobias Ripper 12/13/2008
Why Can't u use a motion tracing?
by Andrew 12/13/2008
GUYS GUYS GUYS!!!!!! Click project for a ZIP with his presets zip. It has 6.5 and 7.0, but I tried it and 7.0 Preset works with CS3! Just follow the install guide thats in the zip.
by Tom 12/04/2008
you can find the download under were it says project files next 2 watch up the top!!!!
by filippo soncini 12/02/2008
the same effect for after effect cs3 exists???????????????
by Noah S 12/01/2008
I know everyone probably asks this, but i can't find the download for the preset and i ask that you could send it to me! Thanks a bunch
by Ryan 11/27/2008
great tutorial but were do you get the lightsabe preset from i really want to find out i have brought most of your packages but cant seem to find it
by snakodude 11/25/2008
I downloaded the lightsaber effects, but i cant get adobe after effects on this site can someone please help me?!
by Will 11/24/2008
hi, great tuts, how/where can i get the light saber effects, when you just flew through the folders and found it, where can i download it from?

is it free?

Will
by felipe 11/18/2008
you are a simply genius... where do i get this preset,please,send me an e-mail
by Antônio 11/08/2008
Hey guys,someone could give me a hand here?I watched this great tutorial,but I can't find this damn saber plug-in...If you guys know where to get this,please,send me an e-mail,all right?My e-mail is shinobusensui2@yahoo.com.br
by AsmatullahKhan 11/08/2008
Nice And Very Good
by Vader 11/03/2008
did you know you can also find out how to make just the lightsaber hilt from www.bigyellowbox.tripod.com they tell you what you need to buy and give you your own tutorial for building it i thought this would be helpfull incase you lost the one you used or wanted to sell it
by Jens 11/02/2008
Nice tutorial can you make more tutorials and plz not so advance like the last one. =)
by ashley bridgs 11/02/2008
could u do a video showing how to make the light-saber pop up ready to fight
by Matias 10/27/2008
Hello
I think that you're a master with after effect
If this have writting problems is because I'm from Spain

Can you send me the Light Saber Preset?
Mi E-mail is:
matiaspg@gmail.com

Thanks!
by TylerMontana 10/25/2008
Andrew, you rock! I'm a screenwriter/graphic designer coming from the print area and am now starting to learn all about movie making. I'm pretty good with the creative suite design tools and so I thought, why not get serious with AE, C4D, Final Cut and AP. These tutorials swing the doors of creative possibilites so wide open for me and made me realize everything is possible. So I just wanted to say thank you for these awesome to the max tutorials :)
by altan 10/24/2008
hi,
thanks for everythink Andrew
by Abhorsen 10/20/2008
Where is the preset, can you please send it to me?
by Sora 10/19/2008
Adrian can you pls post the link where i can get simple_choker and alpha_level?
by Adrian 10/17/2008
Hi
I downloaded the Lightsaber presets and dropped them into my Presets Folder, but the Effect won't work, on account that he needs "simple_choker" and "alpha_level". Both if them .aex files, so I went looking for them and found them. Now my problem: My after effects (7) does not recognise .aex files. It simply wont import them at all. Though I work with windows, i've got a suspicion that the problem might be my operating system, vista. Do you know a solution? Many thanks beforehand^^

Adrian
by ANZH 10/10/2008
question:
what if the light saber hits something that is no another lightsaber but like a tube and there are two parts of the lightsaber what can i do?
by Joe Heffron 10/07/2008
Andrew Kramer=God.

My son absolutely things the sun shines out of my b*tt because I transferred his school play into a fully fledged starwars movie, all due to this simple tutorial.
Excellent, many thanks, keep it up.
Once I buy the full After effects, I will definitely be buying some of the cool effects on this site!
by Albert 10/03/2008
Hello,

Could You send me the light saber preset, please?
my e-mail - albi132@interia.eu


Regards from poland,
Albert
by paresh 09/18/2008
hey Andrew when i add the saber preset to my after effects cs3 it says missing saber controls in the effects panel..and rest saber glow and all that r fine . what should i do..please help
by Arjen van Heck 09/16/2008
ive maded myself a movie with the tutorial! here the link for it. andrew i dont know how you get al this infrmation about after effects but ure great!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swhyA5exCXU
by sunny 09/08/2008
in mine it says missin: saber controls? but it still works can someomne tell me the plugins for this and the lightsaber 2 pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee and great tutorial andrew kramer your the BESTTTTTTT
by adam 09/06/2008
were do you save the file to?
by yitzak 123 09/04/2008
hi,
i have been watching some of your tutorials and i was wondering where i can get the software and how much, but i have got premier.pro.cs2 video editing software and i wondered if the packages like the riot gear ould work on that?

great tutorials by the way

regerds
yitzak123
by ZeeK 08/31/2008
ihave download it but it doesnt work well in after effects cs3 because i cant change the thik nes.
by ZeeK 08/31/2008
hey y like the tutorial but the problem is where could i download or get the lightsaber preset plz.
by gorge 08/29/2008
Hi, Andrew!
My name is Egor, I am 14 and from Russia.
You project is beautiful!
Can you send me the Light Saber, please?
Sorry for my pool English
My e-mail is gorge2008@mail.ru
Thanks in advanced.
by Kusiu 08/29/2008
Can I download this tutorial of this wonderful quality ???
by appiex2 08/27/2008
Can you send me the Light Saber preset, please?
i love your tutorials and i want to try anything like this!
please send me this preset! :)
by biggy 08/23/2008
Hi um very nice toturial, i was just hoping someone could send a link or somehow tell me how 2 get/make the sounds for the lightsaber, that is all i need 2 finish my video, plz help,
Thanks in advanced.
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