- Apply universally accepted cinematic techniques to your Flash projects to improve the storytelling quotient in your entertainment, advertising (branding), and educational media. A defined focus on the concepts and techniques for production from story reels to the final project delivers valuable insights, time-saving practical tips, and hands-on techniques for great visual stories. Extensive illustration, step-by-step instruction, and practical exercises provide a hands-on perspective. Explore the concepts and principles of visual components used in stories so you are fluent in the use of space, line, color, and movement in communicating emotion and meaning. Apply traditional cinematography techniques into the Flash workspace with virtual camera movements, simulated 3d spaces, lighting techniques, and character animation. Add interactivity using ActionScript to enhance audience participation.
- I almost made the mistake of lumping this book into the numerous but worthy publications that deal with Flash design. I own a dozen or so books on illustration, digital animation and the like. And, of all the publication that produce art and media related instruction books, Focal Press is, by far, the best. It seems that they (Focal Press) have the youngest and most innovative instructors producing their titles. Sometimes you have competing authors who essentially produce similar works, in which case, having one title is usually sufficient. What I thought this book ("Flash Cinematic Techniques") was and what it actually is like the distance of a football field.
- There are very good Flash Animation books that are geared toward helping someone interested in creating web animation. How to Cheat in Flash CS3: The art of design and animation in Adobe Flash CS3' is one of the best, but its focus is on beginning to intermediate skill levels. And, each lesson are separate, unrelated exercises. The end result is that the Flash user has a working knowledge of how Flash works and how it may help the designer to fulfill her/his vision.
Timing for Animation, Second Edition is the foundation of all animation texts. But, this title while considered "The Bible of Animators," has a very narrow focus of discussing how movement and speed affect the overall project/ vision. How to Make Animated Films: Tony White's Complete Masterclass on the Traditional Principals of Animation is a course in creating 2D--or 2 dimensional/ hand drawn--animation films. Tony White's "Masterclass" goes over the fundamentals of how the old Disney animators utilized techniques of traditional illustrations to create images, emotions and movement as the foundation for animated films.
