Flash Animation!

1. Creating a new Flash file.
Launch Flash CS3 Go to File > New.
In the “New Document” window, select “Flash File (ActionScript 2.0)”, then hit OK.
Save the file.



2. Setting the stage.
In the Properties box, click “Size” to open “Document Properties” Set Dimensions as 720x480, background color as Black, frame rate as 30 fps.



3. Inserting layers in the time line and name them.
On the layer palette (next to the time line), create new layers and name them according to your images. Each one of your images will be imported on a seperate layer. So if you have 3 still images, your flash will have 3 layers.



4. Importing images and converting them to a movie clip symbol.
Select first frame on your first layer, go to File > Import > Import to stage on the menu bar: Select your first image and hit OK. (Flash will ask whether you want to import all of the images in the sequence. Hit “No”). Your image will be placed on the stage. Then, select the image (by clicking on it on the stage) and go to Modify > Convert to Symbol on the menu bar. Name it, and select the type as “Movie Clip”. Then, hit OK. Select your movie clip on the stage and align it properly on the stage.

Select first frame on your second layer, go to File > Import > Import to Stage on the menu bar: Select your second image and hit OK. Flash will ask whether you want to import all of the images in the sequence. Hit “No”. Tour image will be placed on the stage. Then, select the image and go to Modify > Convert to Symbol on the menu bar. Name it, and select the type as “Movie Clip”. Then, hit OK. Select your movie clip on the stage and align it properly.

Select first frame on your third layer, go to File > Import > Import to stage on the menu bar: Select your third image and hit OK. (Flash will ask whether you want to import all of the images in the sequence. Hit “No”). Your image will be placed on the stage. Then, select the image and go to Modify > Convert to Symbol on the menu bar. Name it, and select the type as “Movie Clip”. Then, hit OK. Select your movie clip on the stage and align it properly.



5. Working with timeline.
On your first layer, go to the “frame 10” and add a key frame (go to Insert > Timeline > Key Frame). And go to “frame 40” and add a frame (go to Insert > Timeline > Frame).

On your second layer, move the first key frame to the “frame 21” by dragging. Then, add a key frame on the “frame 41” (go to Insert > Timeline > Key Frame). And go to the “frame 75” and add another frame (go to Insert > Timeline > Frame).

On your third layer, move the first key frame to the “frame 55” by dragging. Then, add a key frame on the “frame 75” (go to Insert > Timeline > Key Frame). Go to the “frame 87” and add another key frame. Add keyframes on “frame 94” and on "frame 105" as well.



6. Working with “tween” animation.
Select “Frame 1” on your first layer (and select the movie clip). On the property panel, go to the “color” pull down menu and select “Alpha” and set the value as “0”. Then, click a frame in between key frames 1 and 10 and on the property panel, go to the “tween” pull down menu and select “motion”.

Select “Frame 21” on your second layer (and select the movie clip). On the property panel, go to the “color” pull down menu and select “Alpha” and set the value as “0”. Then, click a frame in between key frames 21 and 41 and on the property panel, go to the “tween” pull down menu and select “motion”.

Select “Frame 55” on yout third layer, (and select the movie clip). On the property panel, go to the “color” pull down menu and select “Alpha” and set the value as “0”. Then, click a frame in between key frames 55 and 75 and on the property panel, go to the “tween” pull down menu and select “motion”. Then go to the “frame 94” (select the movie clip”) and on the property panel, go to the “color” pull down menu and select “Alpha” and set the value as “0”. Then, click a frame in between the key frames 87 and 94 and on the property panel, go to the “tween” pull down menu and select “motion”.



7. Exporting your movie as a QuickTime Movie.
Save and do “test movie” (on the menu bar: Control > Test Movie). If everything looks good, you can export the movie as a QuickTime movie. On the menu bar: File > Export > Export Movie… In the QuickTime Export dialog box, click “QuickTime Setting…” and set the proper setting (MPEG-4 Video) and hit “OK.
Now, you can view the movie in QuickTime.