[prerequisites]   [objectives]   [course resources]   [session overviews]   [readings]   [web resources]   [student picks]

School of Visual Concepts www.svcseattle.com
500 Aurora Ave N, Seattle WA 98109   (206) 623-1560
Instructor: Marc Hoffman marc@dartfrogmedia.com
Assistant Instructor: David Bradshaw




PREREQUISITES AND EXPECTATIONS

In order to maximize our learning time in class, it is expected that students will meet the following criteria. If you anticipate or encounter any problems with these expectations or with any aspect of the course, please contact me as soon as possible so we can try to work something out: Marc Hoffman, marc@dartfrogmedia.com.
  • Familiarity with Mac OS: Use of the mouse; Locating folders and programs; Basic file management (saving, copying, moving).
  • Familiarity with HTML: Basic understanding of HTML syntax (how tags are used); Basic HTML tags (such as <HTML>, <BODY>, <CENTER>, <TABLE>, <TR>, <TD>).
  • Subscribe to the class email list (instructor will handle this for you).
  • Each student will need to bring a ZIP disk for transporting files to and from class. ZIP disk should be 100-megabytes (not 250!) and formatted for the platform on which you will be practicing (PC or Mac).
  • Plan to devote at least 2 hours of time per week for assignments and practice of skills covered in class. Flash4 is available as a free 30-day trial download from www.macromedia.com/downloads. Students who do not have access to a computer with Flash and a ZIP drive may arrange daytime and some evening hours access to two computers at School of Visual Concepts; please call the school at (206) 623-1560.
  • Weekly class assignments and any necessary files will be available on this site. See "Session Overviews" below for links for individual class sessions.
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COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of this five-week course, students who have fully participated will be able to:
  1. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of Flash as a format for delivery of Web content;
  2. Understand how to create and use the different Flash file formats: source file, Shockwave Flash movies, and projector files;
  3. Use the Flash drawing tools to create and optimize vector animations;
  4. Create and use symbols within Flash;
  5. Program a Flash button to enable user interactivity;
  6. Arrange content using the Flash stage and main timeline;
  7. Use the Publish command to embed a Flash movie in a Web page, and edit the associated HTML code by hand.

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COURSE-SPECIFIC RESOURCES

  • DARTFROGFLASH EMAIL LIST: http://www.egroups.com/group/dartfrogflash
    This email list has been established specifically for students in the course to discuss Flash issues with the instructor and each other. The instructor will monitor the list several times per day and respond to questions as needed. Although you are welcome to email the instructor directly, posting to the list has several benefits. Many of the questions asked are of general interest to the class. Also, students can reinforce their own understanding of Flash by answering one another's questions. The instructor will subscribe you to the list, and you will receive emails from it occasionally. You can also visit the dartfrogflash list website, however you will have to register with e-groups to access the email archives there.

  • SESSION OVERVIEWS:
    Outlines and assignments specific to each class session will be posted regularly by the instructor. Notice of new postings will be announced in class and via the email list.

  • WEB SITE: http://www.dartfrogmedia.com/svcflash.
    This is the site you are viewing now. Course assignments, class outlines, URLs, file downloads, and other resources will be updated on this site.

  • COMPUTERS FOR PRACTICE
    The School of Visual Concepts has two Mac computers available for student use during office hours as well as some evening times. These machines include Flash4 software, ZIP drives, and Internet connections. To arrange for their use, please call the SVC office at (206) 623-1560.


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RECOMMENDED READING

Links are provided to Amazon.com for convenience only. Shop around: Amazon and other distributors frequently discount these titles. There are a couple of other Flash4 books available which I have not included only because I have not reviewed them.
  • Flash 4 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide, by Katherine Ulrich. $18.99. The Visual Quick Start series is well-known for clarity and ease-of-use for those beginning to learn a program. This is a good starter text, and a good buy for those not planning on using Flash extensively in their work.
  • Flash 4! Creative Web Animation, by Derek Franklin, Brooks Patton. $39.99. This book covers the essentials of Flash in a well-organized, well-written style. It also goes into greater depth than the Visual QuickStart.
  • Flash 4 Bible, by Robert Reinhardt, Jon Warren Lentz. $39.99. Still greater-depth coverage than the above two texts, this is a heftier text but still not as complete as its title would suggest. In particular, it does not go much into ActionScripting (nor do any other Flash texts except the following).
  • Flash 4 Magic (WITH CD-ROM), by David J. Emberton, J. Scott Hamlin. $45.00. Few designers come from a programming background, and learning the essentials of Flash ActionScript can be a foreign experience. There is yet to be a book that clearly explains ActionScript for the non-programmer, but this is as close as it gets, and not bad at that. This is not a comprehensive guide to Flash; rather, each chapter is a tutorial in using advanced Flash techniques (primarily ActionScript) to build a project.
  • Flash Web Design, by Hillman Curtis. $45.00. Written by one of the pre-eminent Flash designers, this book is written from a design perspective, and deconstructs a number of Curtis's Flash creations. Have a look at his portfolio first (www.hillmancurtis.com) and, if you like what you see, get the book to see just how he gets those incredibly lovely motion graphic effects with very low file size and highly optimized streaming.
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WEB-BASED RESOURCES

SOME FAVORITE USES OF FLASH www.hillmancurtis.com Beautiful, sleek Flash work demonstrating effective use of bitmaps without bloated file sizes.
  www.funkyfunk.com One of my favorite Flash animations on the Web, simply because the motion is so well rendered.
  www.joecartoon.com Joe has a disgusting sense of humor but his Flash cartoons are so well done it hardly matters. Not recommended for children or vegetarians.
  www.tothepoint.fi/flash/ This Finnish site includes a wonderfully creative and fast Flash version. I don't understand Finnish, still the interface feels intuitive. Be sure to explore thoroughly.
  www.popmultimedia.com One of the best Seattle Flash production studios. Go to their Portfolio Site and click on "animation."
  www.smashingideas.com Smashing Ideas is another great Seattle area producer of Flash. Click on Case Studies and have a look at their Cartoons and Games.
DART FROG TUTORIALS www.dartfrogmedia.com/overview Overview of Flash4: what Flash can do and how its tools are laid out. Designed to help experienced multimedia developers get their feet wet in Flash.
  www.dartfrogmedia.com/toggle Step-by-step guide on how to build a sound toggle in Flash. Includes downloadable sample file.
  www.dartfrogmedia.com/if_frame Advanced tutorial on using Load Movie; specifically, how to know when a new movie is far enough loaded to TellTarget it from another movie.
  www.dartfrogmedia.com/ sampler/flashinf.htm A page of information for clients of Flash designers. Good information for your clients to have before deciding to use Flash on their site.
MORE FLASH TUTORIALS & RESOURCE SITES www.flashcentral.com/Tech/HawaiiMap This tutorial includes downloadable source code for cross-communication among two Flash movies, several HTML frames, and javaScript.
  www.i-Technica.com If you're trying to learn ActionScript and having a tough time with the correct syntax, this is an excellent place to start. It's exceptionally clear and simple.
  www.macromedia.com/support/flash Use the search engine on this site to look through Macromedia's tech notes for Flash. Or read them all to round out your knowledge of Flash.
  www.moock.org/webdesign Colin Moock is a treasure trove of information about Flash and other Web topics. One of the more commonly referenced tutorials in his Flash section deals with Flash and pop-up browser windows.
  www.FlashBible.com/Members The Flash Bible site is the creation of John Croteau, another very generous donor of Flash information.
  www.flashlite.net A good collection of articles from beginner to advanced level. Includes information on distributing Flash via CD-Rom.
  Sibyl Perkins' site Sibyl, a Seattle-area Flash designer, has posted this list of books, sites, and other Flash resources.
LISTSERVE flasher list There are several good Flash developer lists; this happens to be the one I hang out on. To subscribe to the Flasher list, visit www.chinwag.com/flasher
     

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