Flash CS3 special effects tutorial: Difference between revisions

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: This text shortly demonstrates some features and should technical people get going. It is good enough for self-learning beginners. It can be used as handout in a "hands-on" class. That is what [[User:Daniel K. Schneider|Daniel K. Schneider]] made it for...
: This text shortly demonstrates some features and should technical people get going. It is good enough for self-learning beginners. It can be used as handout in a "hands-on" class. That is what [[User:Daniel K. Schneider|Daniel K. Schneider]] made it for...
;Level
;Level
In Flash there are several built-in special effect features.
* You can create some kinds of combined shape/motion/duplication animations (timeline special effects)
* You can work with masks
* You can apply filters
Some of these effects may be very demanding on your CPU. Try to work with simpler objects or space out generated keyframes if this happens.


== Timeline effects ==
== Timeline effects ==


Timeline effects are effects that are automatically generated by the Flash environment from an object. You only can parametrize these effects, but not hand-edit generated objects and frames !
Timeline effects are effects that are automatically generated by the Flash environment from an object. You only can parameterize these effects, but not hand-edit generated objects and frames !


=== Summary of the procedure ===
=== Summary of the procedure ===
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For each of these effects you can set certain parameters, in particular:
For each of these effects you can set certain parameters, in particular:
* Number of copies
* Number of copies
* Offset and rotation paramters, i.e. where the generated images will display and if/how they rotate
* Offset and rotation parameters, i.e. where the generated images will display and if/how they rotate
* Offset start frame: Keyframes in which the images will be drawn
* Offset start frame: Keyframes in which the images will be drawn


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'''Distributed duplicate''' (tumbling): An object will tumble and be reproduced with X copies
'''Distributed duplicate''' (tumbling): An object will tumble and be reproduced with X copies
You may set several paramaters like:
You may set several parameters like:
* Number of copies
* Number of copies
* Offset of copies in x an y position (in pixels)
* Offset of copies in x an y position (in pixels)
* Rotation of copies (in degrees)
* Rotation of copies (in degrees)
* Offset start frame (keyframes accross the timeline that will have this animation). So "number of copies" * "offset start frame" will define the total length (frames) of this animation.
* Offset start frame (keyframes across the timeline that will have this animation). So "number of copies" * "offset start frame" will define the total length (frames) of this animation.
* Linear scaling in x and y direction (in percentage)
* Linear scaling in x and y direction (in percentage)
* Alpha and color change.
* Alpha and color change.
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== Masks ==
== Masks ==


=== Mask and masked layers ===
=== Mask and masked layers ===


Masks are layers that will allow you to see what is underneath through a sort of hole (i.e. a drawing). You then can animate this hole with a motion tween for example. Masked layers are the layers underneath.
Masks are layers that will allow you to see what is underneath through a sort of hole (i.e. a drawing). You then can animate this hole with a motion tween for example. Masked layers are the layers underneath.
In the following picture, a mask lets you see part of bookshelf through an oval.
[[image:flash-cs3-mask.png|thumb|400px|none|A mask with an oval]]


'''Step 1 - Create some contents''':
'''Step 1 - Create some contents''':
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'''Step 2 - Add a mask layer''':
'''Step 2 - Add a mask layer''':
* On top of these layers, create a new layer
* On top of these layers, create a new layer
* ''Right-click'' on the layer name and select ''Mask''. This layer will mask the others and contain a single graphic (shape, grphic symbol or group).
* ''Right-click'' on the layer name and select ''Mask''. This layer will mask the others and contain a single graphic (shape, graphic symbol or group).


'''Step 3 - Define the masked layers''':
'''Step 3 - Define the masked layers''':
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'''Step 1 - Add a simple motion tween''':
'''Step 1 - Add a simple motion tween''':
* Select the mask layer
* Select the mask layer
* Draw a noneditable object (graphic object, symbol)
* Draw a non-editable object (graphic object, symbol)


'''Step 2 - Do a motion tween'''
'''Step 2 - Do a motion tween'''

Revision as of 15:47, 8 October 2007

Introduction

This is part of Flash CS3 tutorials. Doesn't contain details, just some short "how to".

Learning goals
Learn how to add special effects to animations
Prerequisites
Flash CS3 desktop tutorial
Flash drawing tutorial
Flash object transform tutorial
Flash colors tutorial
Flash frame-by-frame animation tutorial
Flash motion tweening tutorial
Flash shape tweening tutorial
Moving on
The Flash article has a list of other tutorials.
Quality
This text shortly demonstrates some features and should technical people get going. It is good enough for self-learning beginners. It can be used as handout in a "hands-on" class. That is what Daniel K. Schneider made it for...
Level

In Flash there are several built-in special effect features.

  • You can create some kinds of combined shape/motion/duplication animations (timeline special effects)
  • You can work with masks
  • You can apply filters

Some of these effects may be very demanding on your CPU. Try to work with simpler objects or space out generated keyframes if this happens.

Timeline effects

Timeline effects are effects that are automatically generated by the Flash environment from an object. You only can parameterize these effects, but not hand-edit generated objects and frames !

Summary of the procedure

Step 1 - Select an object and open the effects tool
  • Create a new layer
  • Insert an object (i.e. text, shapes, simple graphics, groups, graphic symbols and button symbols, bitmap images)
  • Select this object
  • Right-click->Timeline Effects or else Menu Insert->Timeline Effects , then see next step
Step 2 - Select an effect
  • Select an effect and adjust parameters
  • You can preview the effect within the Effects tool.

NB: Ignore error warnings about Flash 7 etc.

Step 3 - Start over
  • Right-click on the object: Timeline Effects; Remove Effect or Edit Effect

There are three submenus for effects (I can't see the difference between the first two)

  • Assistants
    • Copy to Grid (not a timeline effect, just a multiplication of drawing to a grid)
    • Distributed Duplicate. Will make "tumbling copies" of an element.
  • Effects
    • Blur (object will blur and change size in all or one chosen direction)
    • Drop Shadow (just draws a static drop shadow)
    • Expand (object will expand/shrink)
    • Explode (object will explode and draw different fragments on an configurable arc)
  • Transform/Transition
    • Transform (A shape tween with extra options, e.g. duration, position, scale, rotation, spin, ...)
    • Transition (A motion tween with extra options, e.g. direction, duration, fading, motion ease)

For each of these effects you can set certain parameters, in particular:

  • Number of copies
  • Offset and rotation parameters, i.e. where the generated images will display and if/how they rotate
  • Offset start frame: Keyframes in which the images will be drawn

Important: Using the special effects means that you can not change anything Flash will generate. Also, do not make modifications to the object. Flash will:

  • rename the layer (do not choose a "better" name)
  • add stuff to a Effects Folder in the library
  • Add an item to the library

If you want to remove an effect, it is best to Right-click->Remove on an object ! You also can delete all the generated objects, but this is more work and you may by mistake delete something else ....

An example with timeline effects

The following (ugly) example contains three effects:

Distributed duplicate (tumbling): An object will tumble and be reproduced with X copies You may set several parameters like:

  • Number of copies
  • Offset of copies in x an y position (in pixels)
  • Rotation of copies (in degrees)
  • Offset start frame (keyframes across the timeline that will have this animation). So "number of copies" * "offset start frame" will define the total length (frames) of this animation.
  • Linear scaling in x and y direction (in percentage)
  • Alpha and color change.
  • Blur: Motion blur that my include change of alpha, position or scale of an object
  • Total duration (in frames)
  • Scale (in percentage): Object will become bigger or smaller.
  • Resolution, i.e. number of steps: How many times should the object be duplicated during the blurring process.
  • Horizontal/vertical blur on/off and direction

Explode

  • Effect duration (frames)
  • Direction of explosion
  • Arc size (x/y pixels)
  • Rotation of fragments and change of fragments
  • Final alpha (in percentage)
Timeline effects example

To edit each animation, you will get a menu like this and you have to play with the parameters until you get it right. Remember that you can not make any changes to the object or the generated objects (except using the right-click->Timeline Effects menu !

Distributed duplicate timeline effect

Example:

http://tecfa.unige.ch/guides/flash/ex/special-effects

An other example that uses tumbling is this "enhanced" video.

http://tecfa.unige.ch/guides/flash/ex/component-video-intro/

Masks

Mask and masked layers

Masks are layers that will allow you to see what is underneath through a sort of hole (i.e. a drawing). You then can animate this hole with a motion tween for example. Masked layers are the layers underneath.

In the following picture, a mask lets you see part of bookshelf through an oval.

A mask with an oval

Step 1 - Create some contents:

  • Put them in one or several layers. We will make them "masked" later in step 3.

Step 2 - Add a mask layer:

  • On top of these layers, create a new layer
  • Right-click on the layer name and select Mask. This layer will mask the others and contain a single graphic (shape, graphic symbol or group).

Step 3 - Define the masked layers:

  • The layer just beneath the Mask layer already should be masked. If it is not, right-click on the layer name and select Masked.
  • You can make other layers underneath to be masked with the same procedure. Move normal layers in a position after the mask layer or a masked layer or create new ones...

To undo masked layer, just right-click and revert back to "normal"

Simple motion tween

Step 1 - Add a simple motion tween:

  • Select the mask layer
  • Draw a non-editable object (graphic object, symbol)

Step 2 - Do a motion tween

  • Like in a normal motion tween...

Example:

http://tecfa.unige.ch/guides/flash/ex/special-effects

Shape tween

  • Step 1 - Draw a shape in the mask layer
  • Step 2 - Do a shape tween

Guided motion tween

You need to animate a movie clip. You also can do simple motion animation that way.

Step 1 - Create a movie symbol

  • E.g. create a drawing then Right-click->Convert to Symbol, select Movie Clip
  • E.g. Menu Insert New Symbol (CTRL-F8)

Timeline might look like this:

Movie clip in a mask

Step 2 - Edit the movie symbol

  • Double click on the symbol
  • Create a guided motion tween (this implies that you should again make the graphic into symbol, then proceed in the same way as normal guided motion tweening).

You embedded movie clip might look like this:

A guide motion animation of a movie clip as mask

Example:

http://tecfa.unige.ch/guides/flash/ex/special-effects

Filters

This section needs to be written. When you do a "normal" motion or shape tween have a look at the options in the parameter panel....

Links