Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours [Paperback]

Phillip Kerman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0672327546 | ISBN-13: 978-0672327544 | Publication Date: October 10, 2005 | Edition: 3rd

Explore the depth and flexibility of Macromedia Flash 8 with Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours. Fundamental topics are presented one-by-one in a series of 24 one-hour lessons that will help you master the basics of Flash. Author Phillip Kerman, an internationally-known Macromedia trainer and multimedia expert, offers you a clearly-written, well-organized introduction to Macromedia Flash 8 without becoming too overwhelming. You will cover such subjects as:

• Drawing and Painting Original Art
• Using Motion Tween to Animate
• Animatng Using Movie Clips
• Using Actions to Create Non-Linear Movies
• Optimizing a Flash Site
• Publishing a Creation

Not only will you master the basics of Macromedia Flash 8 with Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours, you will also be better prepared to learn more advanced topics in the future.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Philip Kerman is an internationally recognized expert on the use of the Web and multimedia for training and entertainment. He frequently presents at Macromedia User Conferences, contributes articles to Macromedia User Journal, and he has taught Flash and other Macromedia authoring tools in workshops around the world. In addition to showing others how to create multimedia, Kerman has had plenty of opportunities to get his hands dirty in programming. He programmed the all-Flash website www.m-three.com for Paris France Inc., which was included in both Communication Arts Interactive Design Annual and the British Design and Art Direction Annual.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Macromedia is not exaggerating when it says that Flash is "the professional standard for producing high-impact web experiences." You only need to visit a few sites that use Flash to understand how compelling it is. Using graphics, animation, sound, and interactivity, Flash can excite, teach, entertain, and provide practical information.

More than half a billion users already have the free Flash player (which is needed to view Flash movies). The fact that Macromedia continues to distribute this software so effectively means that the potential audience for Flash content is huge and continues to grow. Also, the fact Adobe decided to acquire Macromedia is due to Flash's enormous success.

The tools needed to create Flash movies are within your reach. After you purchase Flash, the only investment you need to make is time learning. You can even download Flash from www.macromedia.com and use it for 30 days before having to purchase it. It's exciting to watch people go from fiddling with Flash to making entertaining movies. Imagine a great musician picking up and learning an instrument in a matter of days. It really is that amazing. If you're motivated, with just a moderate time investment, you'll feel as though a powerful communication tool has been given to you.

Flash is so unique that sometimes the less experience you have, the better. If you have preconceived ideas about what Flash is or how you're supposed to use drawing tools, it might be best to try to forget everything and start fresh. This book is organized in such a way that you should start seeing successes quickly. With each task, you'll prove to yourself that you're acquiring knowledge and skills.

I don't need to give you a pep talk because you'll see for yourself. In just a few one-hour lessons, you'll be creating drawings that you may have thought you weren't capable of. After that, in a few more hours, you'll be making animations. Finally, after 24 one-hour lessons, you'll be unstoppable. I know this. I've taught Flash to hundreds of students, and invariably even those who don't have fire in their eyes at first will recognize the power Flash has given them and that they can hone their Flash skills over time. Where you take your skills is up to you, but you'll get a great foundation here.

You may not feel like a pro overnight, but you will feel that you have a powerful communication tool in your control. When you can't wait to show others your creations, you'll know you're on your way. Get ready to have some fun.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Sams; 3rd edition (October 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0672327546
• ISBN-13: 978-0672327544
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #982,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been teaching Flash since version 3 and writing books since version 5. I also do contract development (programming).

My early experiences in photography have a direct correlation to my job today. The feeling I get when I see a project that I assemble come to life is the same I'd get watching a photograph develop in the darkroom.

While I understand that great projects involve the work of many dedicated
people, I'm not shy to point out that I was the primary programmer for the following projects:
. the original Millennium Three site (archived at
http://www.deepplay.com/sites/m399/),
. a real-time Flash auction that consistently sells over $5
million in cattle during a typical 90-minute sale (http://www.stampedecattle.com),
. the site for the "other" cool office chair (http://www.allsteeloffice.com/number19/movie.asp),
. the Witness to History kiosk featured in the Communication Arts 11th Annual Interactive Exhibition (http://www.commarts.com/ca/interactive/cai05/36_ia05.html).

The short story of my rise from mere mortal to being in charge of everything at
phillipkerman.com LLC goes like this:
. I was a student photographer for Sunset High School's newspaper and yearbook
. I rode my bicycle from Portland, Oregon, to go to college in Rochester, New York
(and got all 2 years' worth of physical education credits waived in the process)
. I graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a bachelor of science in imaging and photographic technology
. I worked for Sinar Bron, Inc., selling premier professional photographic equipment
. I worked for The Human Element, Inc., doing Authorware (version 1) development
. Finally, I drove back to Portland, Oregon, where I've been doing contract work and teaching for more than 10 years.

For details about all the projects I've worked on, see archives of my newsletter at www.phillipkerman.com/newsletter

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've been a professional programmer for over 30 years, and I loved it, May 12, 2006

By 

Caribbeing (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours (Paperback)

I probably have a different background than most readers of this book, because I'm a professional web developer. However, on-line banking doesn't require Flash, so I had never developed with it. But now I want to write some web games, and this book gave me all of the groundwork I needed to start working in Flash.

The learning curve for Flash's design tools was the toughest part for me, and the start of this book covers it perfectly. I understood the timeline, layers, keyframes, and all the rest through his clear explanations. The Flash interface is definitely unique, so the explanations made a lot of things clear that otherwise would not have been.

The programming side of Flash seems to give many people trouble, but that was the easiest for me. Either way, his chapters about Actionscript are clear, simple but not simple-minded, and paced properly.

On top of all that, he answers his e-mail promptly.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book, August 2, 2006

By 

Kevin Stanton (Tualatin, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours (Paperback)

This is my first review of any book. I felt strongly enough about this book to write up a quick review.

I'm a software developer by trade, not really a web developer (so far). I've started down the Flash road a couple of times and have never really done anything with it. Until now. My customer had a need for a flash movie clip so I bought Phillip's book after reading the reviews and they are right on.

I does take a bit more than 24 hours and I'm only on hour 15, but I'm comfortable enough to get done what I need to. This is a great book to get the basics down as well as learn a few of the millions of tricks you can do with Flash. Very well structured - logical and clear, at least to me.

Flash is a very complex program and complex to navigate if you've never seen it before. Phillip does an outstanding job all the way around.

Also, I had a question after publishing my moving and Phillip returned the email within 30 minutes. Awesome!

Needless to say, I highly recommend this book.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better Than Its Title, March 9, 2007

By 

Andrew Starks (Bloomington, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours (Paperback)

I got this book in spite of the "...in 24 Hours" claim in its title... I just hate gimmicks. I'm very glad that I got over my distaste, because the first chapters were the most instructive introductory chapters that I have ever read and the rest of the book did not disappoint either.

Flash is unlike any other media creation tool and it requires a re-education that many content developers find challenging--much like an airplane pilot learning to fly a helicopter. What makes Flash in 24 Hours so special is that it not only teaches you how to use the software, but it also succeeds in teaching you "The Flash Way". You will find multiple "A-HA" moments where you'll set the book a side to extend on an example you just read.

If you are like me, you will be so caught up in the feeling of quick success that this book gives you that you will be tempted to complete the entire 24-hour process in one sitting.

This is the first book that I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn, and understand, Flash.

One warning though:

This book is not very deep. It touches on Action Script and some of the more advanced corners of Flash, but it will not help you build the next online store application or the next Home Star Runner web site. It's an introductory book that should be purchased along with a more specialized book that covers the particular needs that lead you to Flash in the first place.