Saber is a new FREE After Effects plug-in from Andrew Kramer and friends at Video Copilot. After a few hiccups, the free filter is now available, vastly improving on AE’s ancient built-in Beam effect. VCP Saber can be used to create energy beams, lightsabers, lasers, portals, neon lights, electric, haze, etc. It features:

• Create High quality energy & lights beams
• Dynamic Text and Mask Outlines
• Realistic Glow falloff
• Advanced Core Settings
• Built-in Distortion
• 25 Presets
• Stackable connectable FX

Beware uncreative moods: job screeners will spot Video CoPilot default settings, tutorial looks, and approaches on demo reels!

There a Trailer and tutorial too. One odd claim about the free filter is that “it’s so dense, every single setting has so many things going on.”

By the way, an update to VideoCopilot’s FREE Color Vibrance plug-in is also available. Here’s the Intro: