This workshop provides an introduction to Macromedia Flash. This popular animation and web design tool uses vector graphics combined with streaming media to create movies that can be used on the web or in many other applications. It creates very compact files that can contain graphics, sound, animations, and more. It's pretty neat and fun to work with!
The workshop was designed to help beginning users with some basic concepts and skills that I'd like to have had before I learned Flash. I picked my top 10 list of things I wish I'd known (could have been 25!). It is a hands-on look and try of several basic things like drawing, selecting items, using layers, understanding frames, understanding and using symbols, and making a simple motion tween. I hope that by spending about an hour together, you can save several hours of "figuring it out" as you work farther in learning Flash.
In addition, the presentation web site gives examples of what people out there are currently doing with Flash (commercial and school children). This workshop will be conducted by Kathy Page. I'm a severely graphics-challenged person who has done one interactive project using Flash. I will use my project to give you a behind the scenes glimpse of action scripting. The web page for the workshop includes links to Flash resources such as newsgroups, mailing lists, online tutorials, and experts.
(Resources and samples include resources shared in previous workshops by Joan Davis, Doug Holshuh, Mark Strait, Thomas Murray, and Fred D'Ignazio. Doug< Mark, and Thomas also have constructed a set of Flash tutorials. This can be found at EDIT Studio Tutorials.)
Web pages for the workshop, including links to Flash resources such as newsgroups, mailing lists, online tutorials, and experts. (These were put together by Joan Davis for last semester's Flash workshop. They are great resources, and we will look at them as well.)
To be better prepared for this workshop, you should have a general idea about what Flash does and how it is used. To get acquainted with what Flash can do, visit the Macromedia website at http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/ and view some of animations in the Flash gallery. You can also download a 30-day trial version of the software from this site. OR you can copy the installation file from the FLASH SIG STUFF folder on ITSTUDIO.
For the more self-directed learners, take a peek at one of the Flash tutorials. There's a version that you can run from the Flash application itself, or you can take a look at the first few sections of Macromedia Flash 4: Using Flash (a 200+ manual). This manual is available as a PDF file on http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/downloads/. OR you can copy it from the FLASH SIG STUFF folder on ITSTUDIO.
The following text is an excellent choice those with absolutely no Flash experience:
Kerman, Phillip (2001). Teacher yourself Macromedia Flash 5 in 24 hours. Indianapolis, IN: Sams
Do not register for this workshop until youare sure you will attend. The only way to cancel your registration after it is submitted is to contact Lloyd Rieber at lrieber@coe.uga.edu.