Adobe Flash CS4 Fundamentals

Description

This Adobe Flash CS4 Fundamentals course about 60% hands on and 40% lecture.  No prior experience is necessary, although we do suggest reviewing the tutorials if you haven't worked at all within the application.  The objectives are to master producing animation, interactive content using CS4; to learn how to quickly and easily create morphing effects and motion using shape and motion tweens; to understand how to create graphics and import graphics, audio and video into Flash; to discover how ActionScript can be used to greatly enhance Flash movies. 

Audience

To get the most out of this Adobe Flash course, you should: 

  • Be familiar with using a Windows-based computer.
  • Be comfortable using the Internet with Internet Explorer.
  • Familiarity with other browsers is a plus.
  • A basic understanding of HTML and design and media applications such a Photoshop and Illustrator.

Course Length

2 Days 

Course Outline

Unit 1: Getting Acquainted with Adobe Flash CS

  • Starting Flash and opening a file
  • Getting to know the work area
  • Working with the library panel
  • Understanding the timeline
  • Organizing layers in a timeline
  • Using the property inspector
  • Using the tools panel
  • Undoing steps in Flash
  • Previewing your movie
  • Publishing your movie
  • Finding resources for using Flash
  • Checking for updates

Unit 2: Working with Graphics

  • Understanding strokes and fills
  • Creating rectangles
  • Using a gradient fill
  • Making selections
  • Drawing ovals
  • Making patterns
  • Creating curves
  • Creating transparencies
  • Creating and editing text

Unit 3: Creating and Editing Symbols

  • Importing Illustrator files
  • About symbols
  • Creating symbols
  • Importing Photoshop files
  • Changing the size and position of instances
  • Understanding blend effects
  • Applying filters for special effects
  • Positioning in 3D space

Unit 4: Adding Animation

  • About animation
  • Understanding the project file
  • Animation position
  • Changing the pacing and timing
  • Animating transparencies
  • Animating filters
  • Animating transformations
  • Changing the path of the motion
  • Swapping tween targets
  • Creating nested animations
  • Using the motion editor
  • Easing
  • Animating 3D motion
  • Previewing the animation

Unit 5: Articulated Motion and Morphing

  • Articulated motion with inverse kinematics
  • Constraining joints
  • Inverse kinematics with shapes
  • Armature options
  • Morphing with shape tweens
  • Using shape hints

Unit 6: Creating Interactive Navigation

  • About interactive movies
  • Designing a layout
  • Creating buttons
  • Understanding ActionScript 3.0
  • Adding a stop action
  • Creating event handlers for buttons
  • Creating destination keyframes
  • Playing animation at the destination
  • Animated buttons

Unit 7: Working with Sound and Video

  • Understanding the project file
  • Using sound
  • Understanding Flash video
  • Using the Adobe media encoder
  • Understanding encoding options
  • Playback of external video
  • Working with video and transparency
  • Embedding Flash video

Unit 8: Using Components

  • About Components
  • Adding a Text Component
  • Using Components to Create Interactivity

Unit 9: Loading and Controlling Flash Content

  • Loading external content
  • Removing external content
  • Controlling movie clips
  • Creating masks

Unit 10: Publishing Flash Documents

  • Testing a Flash document
  • Understanding the bandwidth profiler
  • Adding metadata
  • Publishing a movie for the web
  • Alternative publishing options

Conclusion