Flash Animation

[sourboy]

Just looking for anyone else who has bothered with flash animation. I've recently ditched the old Creation & Customization forum here at CFC for animation and I wouldn't mind trading ideas & assistance with others who are also venturing in the field.

So far I'm able to lay audio and load a few pictures, but my drawings aren't the same quality as a typical flash animation's - and it's not due to artistic qualities, so much as it appears to be a different paint program or something. In other words, mine looks like a computer drawing, theirs are blended like a South Park character - how is this done?

Also, transparency doesn't seem to work the same as say Photo Shop. I can't load a transparent background gif and achieve transparency. Anyone know how to do this in flash?

thx

 

[FriendlyFire]

So far I'm able to lay audio and load a few pictures, but my drawings aren't the same quality as a typical flash animation's - and it's not due to artistic qualities, so much as it appears to be a different paint program or something. In other words, mine looks like a computer drawing, theirs are blended like a South Park character - how is this done?
thx

I think you mean that their animation is smooth and scaleable since they created the objects as VECTOR shapes which Flash is design to move

Also, transparency doesn't seem to work the same as say Photo Shop. I can't load a transparent background gif and achieve transparency. Anyone know how to do this in flash?

You have to import it as a PNG file for transparency

 

[puglover]

I just bought Flash 4 a week ago, and have started making my first cartoon after some practice. If I can make enough, I may put them on a website.

The Demented Adventures of Mr. No Teeth!

 

[FriendlyFire]

I just bought Flash 4 a week ago

UH didnt macromedia give away Flash4 FREE once Flash MX came out ?

 

[puglover]

???

Uh... I hadn't heard about that...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

 

[Jeratain]

I just bought Flash 4 a week ago, and have started making my first cartoon after some practice. If I can make enough, I may put them on a website.

The Demented Adventures of Mr. No Teeth!

Post it here so we can enjoy the fruits of your labor

 

[blackheart]

Where did you learn Flash from? Any good tutorials are anything?

 

[sourboy]

Where did you learn Flash from? Any good tutorials are anything?

Trial and error. Adding sound is pretty easy, then I've pretty much just added one frame at a time and tested it every so often, for timing - of course I have people talking, and thus I want the mouths to look pretty close to accurate.

UH didnt macromedia give away Flash4 FREE once Flash MX came out ?

You have a link? I just googled some cheap free program (it's free without a help section - doh!)

I think you mean that their animation is smooth and scaleable since they created the objects as VECTOR shapes which Flash is design to move

Yeah I figured out after that I could draw inside the program, though I like my own work better. It isn't as smooth & scaleable - but the details are better, since I use real paint programs.

You have to import it as a PNG file for transparency

Sweet, I'll have to try that - could improve things drastically.

 

[Shadylookin]

Trial and error. Adding sound is pretty easy, then I've pretty much just added one frame at a time and tested it every so often, for timing - of course I have people talking, and thus I want the mouths to look pretty close to accurate.


You have a link? I just googled some cheap free program (it's free without a help section - doh!)


Yeah I figured out after that I could draw inside the program, though I like my own work better. It isn't as smooth & scaleable - but the details are better, since I use real paint programs.


Sweet, I'll have to try that - could improve things drastically.

what was the name of the program and where can I download it?

 

[puglover]

Post it here so we can enjoy the fruits of your labor

Mr. No Teeth isn't ready yet. But I'll show you some of my practice videos, though they're rather short.

Just got to figure out how to post flash movies...........

 

[puglover]

Hmm, can you convert flash movies to a JPG or GIF format? The upload system here won't allow the file type this comes in.

 

[Thrawn]

If you could convert it to jpg, it wouldn't be a movie. But I believe you can export from flash as a .gif file instead of .swf.

 

[Jeratain]

Hmm, can you convert flash movies to a JPG or GIF format? The upload system here won't allow the file type this comes in.

No, you don't want to do that. JPG files are stationary, GIF files can have frames, but it's not recommended to use.

Leave your file in SWF format. If it's small enough, upload it at http://imageshack.us/ - if it's larger than the allowed filesize try finding another free webhosting place like Geocities or Freewebs to temporarily host it.

 

[sourboy]

Just got to figure out how to post flash movies...........

Just zip it and post it?

what was the name of the program and where can I download it?

LiveSwif Lite - it gets average reviews (which is why I asked for better), but I can't say it's bad. I'm a newbie with Flash too, but it seems pretty straight forward, and AFAIK it has all the basic features. There's no watermark or size limit or anything (since it's free) - just no help menu.

 

[Silverflame]

I have a bit of experience with Flash, and I've made a few movies in the past. My artwork isn't the best, and there's no plot, but I'm quite proud of my work regardless. Sadly, I lost my files when my computer was hit by a virus (I blame AIM), but the swf files are still up at Geocities.

http://www.geocities.com/silverflame128@sbcglobal.net/

 

[puglover]

All right, this is my second flash movie. The frame rate is a bit fast so you can't really see the dialouge.

Karate Dude: You have insulted my family, now you must die
Evil Khan: No, fool, you will die

Karate Dude: My family is avenged!
Evil Khan: Ow, my evil mustache!

 

[sourboy]

What program did you guys use?

Also, did you set them according to scenes or what? All I seem to be able to do is upload a sound file (more than one doesn't work) and time a series a pictures with the sound (I haven't animated yet, there was no need for my first project). The problem is, if the video is looped, the sound doesn't time with the pictures the second time through.

 

[Silverflame]

I only used Flash MX, with the exception of a sound editing program to cut a music file shorter. When the music is uploaded and played, the music actually goes at a different speed than the animation, so it's hard to sequence it properly. I countered this by setting the music to "Stream," which sequences the music frame by frame exactly with the animation. The downside is that the music could not loop, and I was only able to use one scene for the whole duration of the song. I had a ton of layers, so that kind of drove me crazy.

Flash is a rather complicated software to know, it took me a while before I was able to understand the whole "streaming" of music myself. The best way to learn flash is to just keep using it until you get a feel for how the software works. A lot of the little quirks and features of the system are really hard to explain in text.

 

[puglover]

What program did you guys use?

Also, did you set them according to scenes or what? All I seem to be able to do is upload a sound file (more than one doesn't work) and time a series a pictures with the sound (I haven't animated yet, there was no need for my first project). The problem is, if the video is looped, the sound doesn't time with the pictures the second time through.

I used Flash 4. This particular movie was to short to be set with scenes, but future ones will be.

 

[warmwaffles]

I own Macromedia Flash MX 2004 and dreamweaver and fireworks.....I own it all


Sorry if my animation out classes yours...I'm not bragging but Macromedia is the way to go enjoy my crazy dodgeball/karate movie

I am in the process of making a better addition and sound also

you need flash player 7 to play it have fun