Attention, Filmmakers: Here’s How to Make Your Very Own ‘Star Wars’ Lightsaber Effect

Fanboys, rejoice! VFX guru Joey Shanks is back with a new how-to video that looks back on how “Star Wars” achieved one of the most iconic special effects of all time. Best of all, he explains everything you need to know in order to make a DIY lightsaber in the comfort of your own home.

Check out the above video for a history lesson that takes you back in time to 1977, when the original “Star Wars” team first created the ingenious, entirely in-camera lightsaber effect. From a flashgun handle to “Scotchlite” reflective tape, Shanks hunts down all the materials needed to recreate the lightsaber, proving you don’t need to live in a galaxy far, far away to own the coolest weapon in cinematic history.

For more videos that demonstrate dazzling digital effects using everyday objects, head to the Shanks FX YouTube page.

READ MORE: Attention, Filmmakers: You Won’t Believe How These Stunning Landscape Shots Were Taken