Flash Video for Professionals: Expert Techniques for Integrating Video on the Web [Paperback]

Lisa Larson (Author), Renee Costantini (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470131136 | ISBN-13: 978-0470131138 | Publication Date: July 2, 2007 | Edition: 1

More than just a programming guide, this book takes you step by step through the process of gathering and preparing content, asking the right questions, determining the scope of the project and writing the project proposal. The authors cull from their professional experience of running their own digital media company to explain the special considerations in deploying Flash video applications, presenting ideas for solutions as well as tips for avoiding the most common pitfalls.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

If your site needs video, you need this book

Now there's a single definitive source for everything Flash developers need to know to integrate cutting-edge video into a website—seamlessly. Whether your Flash skills focus on design or programming, this guide helps you with every phase from writing the project proposal to deploying finished applications. A step-by-step workflow directs you through setting up a work environment, designing applications, using ActionScript 2 and 3, Flash® Media Server 2, and every stage in between. Packed with tried-and-true solutions and detailed code examples, it's exactly what you need to deliver interactive video to your clients.

• Understand your clients' needs and ask the right questions to determine the scope of their projects

• Obtain source video and optimize it for Web-based playback

• Develop a site or Web application that incorporates video

• Create and skin a player with Flash in both ActionScript 2 and ActionScript 3

• Explore hosting requirements, server options, and streaming vs. progressive download delivery

• Publish your site and enable the client to update it with automated tools

Learn how to create full-featured video players with custom-designed skins

Develop professional interactive video applications that utilize the power of ActionScript 2 and 3

About the Author

Lisa Larson and Renée Costantini are cofounders of the digital media firm go:toGroup Inc. As technical director, Larson specializes in Flash video development and was featured as one of ten established developers in Adobe's "Flash: Ten Years, Ten Perspectives." Creative director Costantini is an expert in user interface design and usability. go:toGroup has worked with many start-ups as well as companies like Adobe, L'Oreal, and Microsoft.

Product Details

• Paperback: 362 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 1 edition (July 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470131136
• ISBN-13: 978-0470131138
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #941,199 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book for Streaming Video Professionals, July 20, 2007

By 

W. Sanders (Bloomfield, CT) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flash Video for Professionals: Expert Techniques for Integrating Video on the Web (Paperback)

As video prolieferates on the Web, developers who want to add Flash video to their resume are going to need this book. It is definitely for intermediate to advanced users, but that's exactly what's needed for all of the nuances that go into Flash video. So if you're a newbie in either Flash or video, you might want to pump some intellectual iron before jumping in at this level.

The materials covered range from project planning to using bitmaps to create special effects and everything in between. One of my favorite gems in this book (in addition to all of the great graphics) is Jim Kremens contribution of a hand-built player using a Model View Controller design. It is a delight to behold and kicks up everyone's skills a notch or two. Also, it gives the reader and excellent player for customized player design. The examples are written in both ActionScript 2.0 and 3.0 so that in this period of transition between the two versions, you not only pick up techniques for writing Flash Media Server code but some ActionScript 3.0 to boot.

So if you're looking to start doing Flash video professionally, this is going to be an important step to take. Besides, it's clear and well-written; so that always helps. If you like this stuff like I do, you'll have a lot of fun as well.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars GOOD CONCEPTS MINUS THE TYPOS, September 21, 2007

By 

AJ (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flash Video for Professionals: Expert Techniques for Integrating Video on the Web (Paperback)

I recenttly purchased this book. The methods of implementation for the codes and classes are very helpful. The structures and tips are clear and introduce high-level design concepts. The one thing that I feel should be noted is that this first edition has errors in the codes listed as examples in the book. I had to download their sample files from Sybex to get the functional code, which works fine. The code from the book produced compile time errors. Amongst the most notable ones: Codes do not show which Classes need to be imported in AS3, and typos that can be hard to catch for students unfamiliar with AS2 and AS3. It's a good start and I think the second edition should catch these errors.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, July 13, 2007

By 

Jason Mckim (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flash Video for Professionals: Expert Techniques for Integrating Video on the Web (Paperback)

Very good. Covers entire process from encoding to deployment. Covers development process and best practices. Offers clear explanations that are niether opaque to a novice nor overly-simple to experienced developers. Also covers oop, as well as samples in both AS2.0 and AS3.0. There has been a need for a book like this for about two years.