(Notes from Flash in the Can conference)
Making Flash components (Actionscript 1) to create generative/controlled chaos art.
Components are encapsulations of code which allow a more user-friendly way of updating things on the stage, so non-nerds can basically have powerful rendering and animation tools available without having to learn a lot of code, or rely on snarky developers.
How to print the output of a Flash movie:
MAC — save PDF as PostScript
EXPORT FLASH SCREENSHOT AS .EPS
-instructions here:
http://diary.joshuadavis.com/2006/05/29/bmw-estoril-portugal/
instructions about 75% down the page
-no gradients
-no alpha transparencies
-no bitmapdata
Saves (from Firefox) to C:Program FilesMozilla Firefox with no file extension
Add “.eps” file extension to file, then open in Illustrator, or something
- does not seem to work for bitmap-type files, like that matters for vector art.
OR, just download the PC postscript drivers from Adobe (I haven’t tried this one)
JD says “word” a lot. Also, “rockin'”
3 frame Movieclip as button without using actionscript
1. make MC
2. label three frames “_up”, “_over”, “_down”.
3. MovieClip automatically responds to mouse action as if it were created as a button. No ActionScript needed.
Example of springs and damping for “bounce” effect
Useful tool: http://colorstripping.joshuadavis.com/
-generates string color palette from a .gif
EXPORT VIDEO OF ACTIONSCRIPT ANIMATION FROM FLASH
-DIRECTOR
-import desired Flash movie (.swf)
-add .swf to director timeline
-property inspector: END FRAME: 600 (for 20seconds at 30fps)
File-export->all frames->quicktime movie format->
Basically takes a bunch of screenshots of the desktop then compiles them into a Quicktime movie.
Go to Eric Natzke talk — dynamic animation dude.
-be sure to replace Flash 6 plugin (inside of Director) with Flash 8 plugin for good stuff. Search on MM site for appropriate download/plugin
FOR PRINTING: Make sure hairlines are larger than .25. .25 is often too fine to be printed—
Flash 9 can, in theory, do all of this without all of the hoops to jump through
Ideas come from getting out in the world — NOT looking at the stuff other people do or staring at a computer.
Take photos, find patterns, trace with WACOM.
Using drawings in conjunction with Actionscript. Don’t go all Actionscript because it loses that warm, hand-drawn feel.
“I am successful because I make stuff for ME, not because I make stuff for YOU. You hire me for MY stuff, not YOUR stuff”
VERY inspiring speaker.
Experiment all the time, save all of your experiments. You never know when something, years from now, will be useful.