If you would like to add video effects of light sabers clashing or showing a flash of light when they meet, these instructions will show you how using the Lsmaker software.

1. This is really the second part of a tutorial on “How to Create Light Saber Effects with Lsmaker” and assumes you already have Lsmaker. However, you can apply these instructions on any existing work from Lsmaker or any video in AVI format.
2. Step 2

   If you already have a Lsmaker project file with lightsaber action, follow this step:

   Run Lsmaker and click on File and select Open. Select the lsm file (Lsmaker project file) that you want to add clash effects. You may get an Access Violation error. If you do, just ignore it by clicking OK.

   Skip to Step 4.

3. Step 3

   If you have any AVI video file with live action and light saber video effects from Lsmaker or any software, follow this step:

   What you basically do is go to File and select New. This will open up the choice for light saber color and blade look up front. Select your video import method and then click on the Add button to add your video. Continue to the next step.

   (If you do not have light saber video effects in your action clip, go to the eHow tutorial on How to Create Light Saber Effects Using Lsmaker).

4. Step 4

   
   

   On the lower left corner of the Lsmaker software, add another unused layer. In the video example above, Layer 4 was used to draw the flashing clashing effects because Layer 0 and 1 has swords. Layer 2 and 3 has additional flashing circle effects for experimenting other effects.

   If you are working on any video that already has scene with no clashing effects, the first (Layer 0) will do.

5. Step 5

   
   

   On the upper left of Lsmaker window, Effects Tab, and to the right of the Color label, click on the “…” button and select a clash picture for your clash. Repeat for the blade. You must select the same clash icon as your blade. Later on you can experiment with other combinations of colors, blades, and clash shapes.

6. Step 6

   Advanced the frame by clicking on the Right Arrow Key. Go to the frame where the swords first contact each other. Draw a starting point of the clash with a right click and an end point of the clash with left click. You will be basically creating an oval shape clash.

7. Step 7

   
   

   Draw additional clash points about one or two frames before and after the contact. It won’t look good if the flash shows on just one frame. It will be barely noticeable. Exaggerate the size of the clash. It will look much better than a small one. Depicted here is an example of the white (start) point and black (end) point of the flash oval. Play around with the First Width and Second Width values in the upper left corner to change the shape.

8. Step 8

   
   

   If you are working with an existing Lsmaker project with the Keyframe checked in the Settings Tab, follow these directions. Otherwise, skip Step 8 and go to the next step.

   After you created one clash, click on Don’t Interpolate in the Interpolate button on the left. Otherwise, the software will continue to add flashes between the two separate clashes. When the first tutorial was described, the “Keyframe” was checked. This function will be applied to all layers, unfortunately. The Don’t Interpolate function will get us around that problem.

9. Step 9

   Advance the frames with the Right Arrow Key and repeat the process for the next clash. (After the swords clash, always remember to select Don’t Interpolate in the Interpolate Mode button if you have Keyframe checked in the Settings Tab).

10. Step 10

    
    

    To check your work and see if the clashes are done correctly, go to the first frame and click on the play button. Click on Autopreview to see the render of the current layer each time you advance the frame or playback. Click on Autorender to see the render of all layers each time you do a frame advance or playback.

11. Step 11

    Once you are satisfied with the work, click on Export on the Main Menu and save the final rendered film.

12. Step 12

    
    

    Playback the rendered film to test. Add other effects such as sound and music to enhance the movie.