Special Effect for our Star Wars fan movie

[AJA]

Yes, I'm making a Star Wars fan movie with some of my friends (don't tell Lucas!)... I've already posted some lightsaber test a pretty long time ago and now they're the easiest part of the special effects. Here's something new:
http://koti.mbnet.fi/dima/downloads/23hitsnd2.avi (230 KB, 0:01.23, DivX)

So, there. It's short but that's just the bit I want comments of. I made it in Adobe After Effects 5.0 as my first try with the particle playground -effect. I haven't even figured out if there's a way to set a time when those particles will die.

Any comments? Or suggestions how to improve it?

[Jimi]

Its great! Sounds just right!

[Paranoia]

sounds pretty damn close to me well done

Paranoia

[AJA]

Thanks!

[Scummbuddy]

Wow, I'm really impressed.  This keeps looking better and better.

[Vel]

When are you gonna release this movie?

[Neole]

Dang thats superb! How do you do that?? Frame by frame painting?

[Zathor]

I just love that!
It looks so amazing!

[AJA]

When are you gonna release this movie?

Well, we'll start filming in july. That probably takes two-three weeks. And then all the special effects and editing etc. But we'll try to get it finished for christmas. And maybe I'll make someone upload a smaller version (if I can find a host) with English subtitles (movie will be in Finnish) if someone with ADSL or better would want to see it.

Dang thats superb! How do you do that?? Frame by frame painting?

Not quite. The lightsabers are masks on a white solid and they're made by moving the four corners of the mask frame by frame and then with some magic they'll look like the real thing. And the particle effect component takes care of simulating the sparkles. And the melt metal effect is also a mask but on a yellow solid and then with some tricks it looks a bit more realistic. So, the only frame by frame things are the lightsabers.

[Xadhoom]

Looks great and sounds great. Only nitpick I can think of is that the whole motion of it all seems a little slow...like they're not really striking with all they got. Do I make any sense? Maybe if you sped the whole thing up 40-50 percent...on the other thand that might look like crap...oh well, it seems you know what you are doing. Got me impressed, that's for sure.

[AJA]

Thanks!

You're right. It's a bit slow. But this clip is only a test. We have to practise those fights before starting filming and we try to be maybe a bit slower than in the final film because we have to teach the other actors (who fight in the scenes) what they have to do and it's a bit hard to draw these fights on paper etc. so we do it like this.

[danny*]

it looks damn GREAT,AJA!!!!

[Xadhoom]

In that case, NO CRITS! It looks totally real, and the soundwork is excellent.