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Disney Claims To Have Created Real Lightsaber

A handheld continuous beam high-wattage laser would be easy to make. It's probably within our technology today, aside from the problem of the power source.

Having the beam terminate at a given length, not so much. Lasers don't operate that way.
 
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They have a prop lightsaber. It uses a motor to extend an LED beam and has an internal gyroscope to offer resistance.

Since it is around guests, it also has to be safe. Cannot be going around lopping off guests' limbs.
 
Scott Kellogg said:
Apparently, this is a new definition of the word "Real" that I was previously unfamiliar with. ;)
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It's 'real' in the sense that it's a 100% true physical prop that doesn't need CGI embellishment (not to say they won't still do that for some situations with it) to appear as a 'lightsaber' in a shot when being filmed.
 
Noname Given said:
It's 'real' in the sense that it's a 100% true physical prop that doesn't need CGI embellishment (not to say they won't still do that for some situations with it) to appear as a 'lightsaber' in a shot when being filmed.
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I don't think it's meant as an actual film prop. The articles I've read talk about it as something that's debuting at theme parks and is presumed to eventually go on sale to the public as a high-end toy or collectible. It's "real" in the sense that it extends and lights up more authentically than previous toys, so that people playing with them will have a more "realistic" experience.

Looking at that teaser video, it's quite obvious at first glance that it's a lit-up physical tube and doesn't perfectly replicate the look of a screen lightsaber, so I doubt they'd use it to replace the usual effect, except maybe in long (distant) shots.
 
Or they can perform the scenes with the prop so they make the actor's feelings more authentic and then replace it in post-production. Probably too much of a hassle, but they could.
 
YellowSubmarine said:
Or they can perform the scenes with the prop so they make the actor's feelings more authentic and then replace it in post-production. Probably too much of a hassle, but they could.
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They already use lit props when filming the movies. Since at least TFA.
 
YellowSubmarine said:
Or they can perform the scenes with the prop so they make the actor's feelings more authentic and then replace it in post-production. Probably too much of a hassle, but they could.
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No more of a hassle than the animation they already use to enhance the physical props. Heck, they've been doing that since the original movie, and modern digital match-moving makes it far simpler. They could probably do it automatically in real time with the Unreal Engine stuff they're using on The Mandalorian.

Again, the real innovation here is not for filmmaking, but for live shows in theme parks, and eventually for collectibles and toys. The filmmakers don't need any help creating the illusion of light sabers; they've had that down pat for decades. What makes this a big deal is that it allows the illusion to be achieved live instead of just on film or video.


Tosk said:
They already use lit props when filming the movies. Since at least TFA.
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Didn't the original film's sabers have motorized, spinning reflective blades, as an attempt to create a live effect that they subsequently decided to enhance with animation? I gather that's why the Obi-Wan/Vader swordfight had such slow sword movements compared to the fast, acrobatic stuff today -- because the motorized props were heavy.
 
Prop lightsabers have actually been a thing for awhile. You can get a functional one for about 80 bucks online. Make it 200, and it makes realistic noises.
 
Oddish said:
Prop lightsabers have actually been a thing for awhile. You can get a functional one for about 80 bucks online. Make it 200, and it makes realistic noises.
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Yes, of course, but they don't extend like the "real" thing -- the blades are permanent. And the ones that do have telescoping blades don't look very convincing. That's the innovation here -- it combines an authentic appearance and an authentic extension/retraction capability.
 
Oddish said:
That WOULD be a neat trick.
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It is -- actual, not hypothetical, as you can see in the video in comment #5. Apparently it uses the same principle as a retractable tape measure, but there are a pair of flexible hemicylindrical "tapes" that extend from the rolls inside the hilt and wrap around each other into a tube, and between them is a strip of blue LEDs that they pull out along with them. It's quite clever.
 
Mandalorian had some issues with Ahsoka's lightsaber props, something about the battery powering the lighting effect being heavy. I think for distance fighting they used wooden blades but for the close ups they wanted a lit prop for the dramatic lighting.
 
It won't be long until someone uses the power source aboard the Perseverance Rover to supply the power for the saber blade.

Maybe in 10 years someone will have micro sized the power source to be contained in the handle itself.
 
The Perseverance's power supply is a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. It weighs about 99 pounds and peak power generation at launch is only 110 watts which declines a few percent each year. The radioisotope is plutonium dioxide and that weighs 10.6 pounds. There are two lithium-ion rechargeable batteries to provide addition power during peak demands.
 
Christopher said:
Yes, of course, but they don't extend like the "real" thing -- the blades are permanent.
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Stronger that way too. This is akin to a tape measure and will be limber. So good for in camera cosplay effects...then switch to the solid ones for horseplay. One for turning on...one for battle.

Try to have two of these things hit each other...and no amount of viagra will keep them up.
 
I watched the video that explains how the blade moves up and down. Someone used two tape measures with gears attached to each tape that extended and retracted the metal tapes that were attached to a plastic cap.

If conductive metal such as tungesten wrapped in titanium was used in place of the metal tape, a strong current could be ran through the blades that would actually glow super hot and be able to burn things.

Better yet, if the same tungsten / titanium blades were made in a circular pattern that extended and retracted and a current added, one step closer to the light saber.
 
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