This series provides a practical guide for using Macromedia Flash MX to create animations and interactive Web sites. The Flash MX series presents information for intermediate to advanced media designers and developers who want to learn the latest techniques for animating graphics and enhancing visual media with sound and music. Topics covered include: Drawing tools, design concepts, animation techniques, text and forms in animation, compound objects, scenes, timelines, layers, filters, and masks. One full course in this series is devoted to the incorporation of sound and music into Flash movies. Each topic covered includes tips and techniques for maximizing the effectiveness of Flash MX when viewed on the Web.

After completing this course, students will be able to:

Flash Overview

• Recognize the basics of Flash animation
• Recognize the Flash work environment
• Use Tools, panels, and menus
• Create keyboard shortcuts
• Work with frames, keyframes, layers, and scenes
• Use the Color options
• Organize objects
• Import graphics
• Create, modify and use symbols
• Create basic animation using individual keyframe

Animation

• Distinguish frame types
• Create Shape and Motion tweens
• Identify object properties that can be tweened
• Describe the advantages of tweening
• Orchestrate the dynamic object elements

Text and Forms

• Format text
• Animate text blocks
• Create micro-animations and graphic text
• Morph text
• Create an animated text banner

Coordinated Animations

• Plan and organize a Flash movie
• Create and control a compound object
• Create and organize scenes
• Create and edit movie clips
• Create and use masks

Sound and Music

• Select sounds for recording
• Import sound files into a movie
• Apply sounds to buttons
• Modify sounds by looping and streaming
• Create a music video

Flash Overview

• How Flash works
• Basics of Flash animation
• Basics of Flash animation
• Tools, panels, and menus
• Creating keyboard shortcuts
• Layers
• Drawing tools
• Other tools
• Colors
• Organizing objects
• Importing graphics
• Symbols
• Animation using individual keyframe

Animation

• Frames and tweening
• Shape and Motion tweening
• Using tweening
• Working with multiple layers
• Movement along a path and toward the viewer
• Tweening color
• Morphing
• Web site opener

Text and Forms

• Formatting text
• Animating text blocks
• Micro-animations and graphic text
• Morphing text
• Animated text banner

Coordinated Animations

• Setting the scene
• Compound object
• Animating compound objects
• Organizing scenes
• Independent timelines
• Editing movie clips
• Masking layers
• Filters and masks
• Creating a three-scene cartoon

Sound and Music

• Sound files
• Importing sounds
• Using sound in a movie
• Sound control in buttons and frames
• Controlling sounds in a movie
• Editing, looping, and streaming
• Music video