Flash 8 Essentials

As a creative professional or interactive developer, you’ll be amazed at the exciting possibilities presented to you by the features available in Flash 8; but as a busy designer, we know you won't have as much time as you’d like to explore these new additions. Never fear; this book wastes no time looking at timeline basics, tweens, or movie-publishing options—it focuses exclusively on the new Flash 8 features, getting you quickly up to speed with a combination of illustrative tutorials, handy references, and inspirational examples.

By the end of the book, you’ll know that there’s no shortage of new tools to enhance and inspire your Flash development; and since this book is written by some of the community's leading Flash experts, you’ll know you’re in good hands. If you’re looking to master Flash 8 with a minimum of time and effort, then this is the only book for you.

As a creative professional or interactive developer, you'll be amazed at the exciting possibilities presented to you by the new features available in Flash 8; but as a busy designer, we know you wont have as much time as you'd like to explore these new additions. Never fearthis book wastes no time looking at timeline basics, tweens, or movie-publishing optionsit focuses exclusively on the new Flash 8 features, getting you quickly up to speed with a combination of illustrative tutorials, handy references, and inspirational examples.

In this book, you'll learn how to

• Benefit from exciting new pixel-level control with the new BitmapData API
• Create stunning visual effects with filters and blend modes
• Add interactive video quickly and easily using cue points, video alpha channel support, and the industry-leading On2 VP6 codec
• Take advantage of speed enhancements with bitmap caching
• Communicate easily with browsers using the new ExternalInterface class
• Add support for uploading images directly from Flash 8 with the new File Reference class
• Take advantage of the new text field and drawing improvements

By the end of the book, you'll know that there's no shortage of new tools to enhance and inspire your Flash development; and since this book is written by some of the community's leading Flash experts, you'll know you're in good hands. If youre looking to master Flash 8 with a minimum of time and effort, then this is the only book for you.

Summary of Contents:

• Flash 8 Overview
• Blending Modes
• Filters
• Drawing and Graphic Improvements
• Video: Alpha Channels and Other Improvements
• TextField Improvements
• Speed Improvements
• The Wonderful World of BitmapData
• Getting Creative with Filters, Masks, and Animation
• External Interface
• Flash 8 Examples

I started my mind going early in life when I was about 4 years old. At that age, I began playing the piano, which was sitting unused in our house. I've been playing ever since then. Later, in 1997, I co-wrote a full-length musical called Chrystanthia. Somewhere along the way, I picked up game programming as a hobby, and eventually ended up making games professionally for home console systems. Then, in 1998, I discovered how I could take all my experiences and combine them when I discovered Flash. The rest is history. I share my ideas on my website, www.glenrhodes.com.

After studying theatre in London, then working for several years as an actor in the US, Todd was introduced to Flash in 2000 and was quickly taken by how it allowed for both stunning creativity and programmatic logic application&emdash;a truly left-brain, right brain approach to production&emdash;and has not looked back. He now freelances as a Flash developer in New York City, creating both silly animations and utilitarian applications. His personal work and experimentation can be found at his website, www.27Bobs.com.

Tink aka Stephen Downs has been a freelance Flash Designer/Developer for the past 4 years with a background in art, design, and photography. Based in London, England he works on a wide range of projects, both for other companies and his own clients.

The growth in his workload has recently lead to the start up of Tink Ltd.

His primary focus is user interaction and interactive motion, integrating design and development to any design specification using best practice methodologies.

For contact info and work examples visit www.tink.ws

For Tink's daily thoughts, visit www.tink.ws/blog

Craig is founder of the award-winning Toronto based interactive agency CRASH!MEDIA and is focused on merging fresh ideas with cutting edge technologies. CRASH has produced Flash and audio work for clients such as Coca-Cola, Intel, Miller Brewing, Bacardi, Sony|Playstation, Cadillac, and Calvin Klein.

A specialist in interactive audio, Craig has spoken at over a dozen conferences worldwide and created the web\'s premiere musical mixing destinations looplabs.com and bacardiDJ. When unplugged from the matrix he enjoys munching crullers and getting his freak on.

Flash Master Instructor, Team Macromedia Member, internationally published Flash author, and RocketBoots Partner, Matt has been using Flash since its inception as Future Splash. With over ten years professional web and multimedia industry experience, Matt was one of five subject matter experts (SME's) invited to work with Macromedia in the development of their official Macromedia Flash MX2004 Developer certification exam.