Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial (Master Thread)

Everything Trent said, and more. Invaluable tutorial. A gift to everyone who loves this prop, and this craft that we all enjoy. The pure love and passion dripping from this project is awe-inspiring, and a shining example of the best of what this hobby is capable of. The free and welcome sharing of ideas and techniques which better us all.

If you’d asked me a few years back whether I though I’d ever have an accurate V2–much less one I built myself—I’d have said “no way”. Now, here I am.

Member of the year! And he even dedicated a video to me! I’m humbled!
 
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Gregatron said:
Everything Trent said, and more. Invaluable tutorial. A gift to everyone who loves this prop, and this craft that we all enjoy. The pure love and passion dripping from this project is awe-inspiring, and a shining example of the best of what this hobby is capable of. The free and welcome sharing of ideas and techniques which better us all.

I’d you asked me a few years back whether I though I’d ever have an accurate V2–much less one I built myself—I’d have said “no way”. Now, here I am.

Member of the year! And he even dedicated a video to me! I’m humbled!
Click to expand...
I've yet to start on my V2, but this will be amazing to follow once I get all the materials! Halliwax also dedicated a V3 clamp video in another thread right after I asked for some help! We all benefit from Halliwax's and Trooper_trent's willingness to help us out. Thanks a ton to all involved and are willing to share skills and techniques!
 
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I've popped a few comments on the YouTube channel but I'll add it here too - Just really to cement my appreciation of what you've done here and allowed myself and so many to achieve and create our own V2's to such an exceptional high standard by following your tutorial. I really appreciate all your effort.
 
halliwax
It looks like you really gotta PRESS it in there to be silver screen accurate.

Now we need reference of the box foam. Was it box-cut? Laser cut? Milled? Need to get that proper cushion depth man. Durometer. Maybe she’s seen that much use.


Kind of poking fun but equally not via OCD and legitimate jealousy over the box ;)
Maybe scottjua took these dimenions? Help us scott, you’re our only hope
 
BRRogers said:
halliwax
It looks like you really gotta PRESS it in there to be silver screen accurate.

Now we need reference of the box foam. Was it box-cut? Laser cut? Milled? Need to get that proper cushion depth man. Durometer. Maybe she’s seen that much use.


Kind of poking fun but equally not via OCD and legitimate jealousy over the box ;)
Maybe scottjua took these dimenions? Help us scott, you’re our only hope
Click to expand...

When my friend was staging the pictures we noticed the foam right away, the foam probably changed over the time.

Another thing is it kinda looks like the hinge may be different or a different color... could be lighting

It’s very difficult to get the right angle, he believes it’s because of the camera lens the tv studio used

I don’t know anything about that. But back to the foam, I’m happy with what’s in it now
 
Honestly it’s all a matter of the camera. Like Brandon’s iconic post- celebration V2 picture: the camera was probably staged quite far away making Daniels comparison images difficult to match for scale: sample to sample. The quality of the zoom is what usually forces us to move close closer to the object in question. The actual lense would’ve been at a significant (relative to most people’s comfort) distance. But the lense’s zoom (and subsequent cropping of the image) can capture a broader sense of scale/ essence of an object. Even seeing the top AND bottom almost.

In the extreme. Looking at an object across the room you get the sense of the lightsaber at a tangible distance. Conversely if your eyes are 6 inches from the object you only see from a limited angle.... despite “seeing” the whole thing it’s just not as comprehensive.
 
BRRogers said:
Honestly it’s all a matter of the camera. Like Brandon’s iconic post- celebration V2 picture: the camera was probably staged quite far away making Daniels comparison images difficult to match for scale: sample to sample. The quality of the zoom is what usually forces us to move close closer to the object in question. The actual lense would’ve been at a significant (relative to most people’s comfort) distance. But the lense’s zoom (and subsequent cropping of the image) can capture a broader sense of scale/ essence of an object. Even seeing the top AND bottom almost.

In the extreme. Looking at an object across the room you get the sense of the lightsaber at a tangible distance. Conversely if your eyes are 6 inches from the object you only see from a limited angle.... despite “seeing” the whole thing it’s just not as comprehensive.
Click to expand...

Glad I wasn’t going insane lol we kept losing it, we could line up the right angle, but then the circle on the emitter didn’t match the angle we had... it was in the same angle, but the damn emitter looked off.. so so weird
 
Sometimes you can get a hint at the type of lens setting an image or video has by looking at the metadata. Not sure if that show scrubbed that data from the video. I sometimes use that trick when I need to synchronize a 3D element with a backplate to match the lensing of the still image.
 
Here’s a film visual for those who benefit from more than words.
771BEBC0-1484-4869-8585-22D43C513B86

771BEBC0-1484-4869-8585-22D43C513B86

Vertigo effect. Camera zoom vs close shot (subject example)
“Subject” sample

As you can see, you can literally see more of the subjects’ head as the camera lens pulls away (but still zoomed in) the objects overall size however doesn’t change


0CBD257B-34BE-4A98-BD86-B1F4287C3BB8

0CBD257B-34BE-4A98-BD86-B1F4287C3BB8

Vertigo effect. Camera zoom vs close shot (background example)
“Background” sample (from the classic movie vertigo, where this was first captured on moving film)
Same thing in reverse. The camera zoomed out as it was moved down the stairwell, revealing more of the background even though it feels like it didn’t “move”
 
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