As a light saver moves faster the blade of light actually bends. the faster it moves the more it bends. So theres your first problem that will add a lot more time to the job if using after effects.
Next will be when objects actually apear to move behind other objects. Now everytime the object moves behind something u need to mask the object in the forground while still working on the light saber in the background, So now your working in a 3d space rather then 2d in essence. More Time added....
Also trying making a light saber that moves behind a womans long hair in after effects, what would take you 30 mins by rotoscoping would take hours in after effects or look increadibly fake. Each section of hair would require there own mask. more time added.....
if you notice the video's i did, you will notice the light sabers actually get turned on, meaning that you have to either use something like photoshop to progresivly remove the stick from several frames going backwards or use a program like Commotion which is still a photoshop type program but for video. Just a little old lol.
If you where doing a stationary planned shot where real life movement wasnt a thing u had to worry about then yes u could use after effects and get similar results but if your doing it as they would in the movies then rotoscoping is your best option to get the real true to life effect.
Im not knocking AFX i use it all the time and use it for some parts of effects. Not saying it cant be done in AFX, but it would take Equal if not longer to do in AFX and remember rotoscoping gives you per easy per pixel acuracy. So If something doesnt look right its user fault.
Hmm what else , oh yeah. As Objects of light get smaller they appear to emitt more radial glow as seen from our eyes or camera. By rotoscoping as in real life that remains consistant.
Doing in after effects the glow seems to remain more constant, Unless you keyframe the radial glow frame by frame its gonna look fake. And at that point your simply guessing the radial glow by appeared distance, which if you do that will make the saber appear to flicker... And to get it not to flicker mean what You guess it MORE FREAKIN TIME....
Here is a link from another website explaining what i just said a little better about the difference
http://www.associatedcontent.com/con...id=5657&page=2
BTW, The haduken was a combo of after effects and rotoscoping.
I got a little lazzy on this one u will notice the flickers of energy on me that i forgot to erase of the energy ball as it resess behyind me. But anyways i used after effects to do most of it, and used photoshop to remove the ball as it resses behind me. By making the ball over the video in after effects. Then rendering out a version without the background video. and taking both the background video and forground video into photoshop. then overlaying the ball video over the background video and simply using the eraser brush on the ball as it moves behind me to erase the parts that wouldnt get seen.
Im gonna work on a new video this week now that i've learned a bunch of stuff in maya, Should combine all 3 elements, AFX PHOTSHOP and Maya 3d program. lets see what comes about.