INTRODUCTION TO FLASH CS3

Flash is a multimedia authoring tool that creates interactive animations for the web and CD projects. Unlike many other programs Flash animations stream and play as they download. Flash can be used to create vector based graphics (i.e. drawing), animated sequences, gif animations, stand alone programs (.exe files), video (quicktime) and is available on both Mac and PC platforms. Flash can also be used to create virtual realty movies, games, interactive forms and much more.

Text book: If I had to choose one text book it would be the how to WOW with Flash - book by Colin Smith ISBN 0-321-42649-5. The tutorials are easy to follow short - 1-4 pages and lots of first class graphics on the CD. The other books are good for certain things. Adobe Classroom in a book series has some nice tutorials, but they jump right in without any explanation of the basics and some tutorials are tedious taking hours to complete.

Assignments:

1) Animated Logo using several types of animation - 25%
2) Animated movie or banner - 25%
3) Develop a simple game based on ping pong - 25%
4) Build a flash web site with buttons or menus & preloader - 25%

1) Introduction to Flash

Students will be introduced to Flash's features, layout and drawing tools and will use Flash to insert text, draw and paint objects on stage.

1.1 Students learn to identify the stage, timeline, and tools
1.2 Create and modify graphics using drawing tools
1.3 Draw, paint, an modify object

2) Creating simple Animation

Students will use Flash to create several different types of animated movies.

2.1 Animate objects across the stage using keyframes and tweens
2.2 Animate circle across the stage using multiple keyframes
2.3 Create an object that moves along a motion path
2.4 Shape tween objects
2.5 Use shape hints to make a shape tween smoother
2.6 Create movie within a movie
2.7 Save and export movies
2.8 Embed movie into .html document and center on page

3) More animation and adding Interactivity

Students will create images and text that fades in and out and add buttons and basic actions such as stop, play and hyperlinks to keyframes.

3.1 Create a text banner that fades in and out
3.2 Additional layers to the banner to add more text
3.3. Add buttons from the library
3.4 Create a button from scratch and add rollover effects and actions
3.5 Add new scenes to a movie

4) Working with Guides, Masks and Sound

Students will add masks and sound to movies

4.1 Create an animated banner using a circular mask
4.2 Create animated masks to simulate text writing itself
4.3 Add magnifying mask
4.4 Create draggable mask
4.5 Import sound files into flash
4.6 Drag sound files into movie clips and keyframes
4.7 Convert sound files from events to streaming formats
4.8 Use sound editor to fade sound and cut sections of the sound file
4.9 Publish movies set properties of the sound file mono, stereo

5) Importing bitmaps and movies into Flash

5.1 Identify bitmap image types that can be imported
5.2 Identify other file types that can be imported into Flash
5.3 Convert a bitmap using trace feature into a vector graphic
5.4 Plan and create a story board for interactive movies

6) Adding Action script and controlling movie clips

6.1 Create and add a simple preloader
6.2 Add a more complex preloader
6.3 Use the profiler to optimize movies and reduce their overall size
6.4 Create a form and add action script (luckynumber calculator)
6.5 FS command and calling javascript
6.6 Basic action scripting

7) Evaluation and test

Evaluation based on asignments

Also see our section on Advanced Action scripting

Another book by a Flash Master Hillman Curtis
ideal for Intermediate to Advanced users.

visit his web site - he seems to be
working more with video these days
and so will I!