14 DAY TRIAL // Which are the tools in creating a neat website? I won't go enumerating all of them as I am sure that not all of you will agree with me and I will certainly forget this or that. But a common instrument employed in the activity is Adobe Flash. A bit of flash input to your website gives it a professional touch and looks damn good.
However, creating all sorts of special effects in Adobe Flash is not an easy task. Generally, the user is required to have a certain experience in the field and a good grip of the Timeline tool. And more complicated results are achieved after a lot of effort combined with creativity and patience.
However, easy ways to do this have appeared a long time ago by means of the extensions appended to Adobe Flash. They are designed by third party developers in order to make your work easier and to smoothen the learning of newbies.
Creative MovieFX from Extend Studio has been approved as an Adobe Flash component and can be installed using the free Extension Manager from Adobe. The application itself does not come for free and the cost is $49.99. There are no restrictions to the use of the demo version, but the results will be covered in demo watermarks for each effect you apply to the movie clips.
The Extend Studio application comes to offer a large variety of effects you can use in your work. The interface integrates perfectly in Adobe Flash and can be used as any other component in the software. The Component Inspector takes all the properties of the other windows and can be docked and incorporated in Adobe Flash.
For an easier get around with the application, as soon as you install Creative Movie FX, its help files will be integrated in Adobe Flash's help. The information provided there comprises all the aspects related to the additional component. Thus, you can read about how to use Creative MovieFX, view the full list of effects it comes with and advanced users can read about working with the Action Script.
But before this can happen you will have to install it. Use Adobe Extension Manager for this. It will not take more than a few seconds. This utility is a convenient way to install, enable/disable and delete the extensions in the Adobe applications. After the installation is over, you can use the extension to its maximum potential.
To get started with the application and benefit from the advantages it brings, you will have to activate the Components window in Flash (either go in Windows Menu and choose it or simply press Ctrl+F7). In the Extend Components section, there will be a new entry called Creative MovieFX.
The main ability of the component is the drag and drop function for adding effects to your clips. The operation is as simple as can be because all you have to do is drag and drop the entry on the movie object in the workspace and a small item will appear marking the target. The effects can then be managed due to the Component Inspector. In Flash 8 the tool will be launched automatically when the effect is dragged, but in the latest version (Adobe Flash CS3) you will have to launch it manually. It resides in the lower part of Adobe Flash (Properties window) or it can be enabled from Windows menu, right under Components.
The three tabs available in the Component Inspector allow you access to the 70+ effects, details, customizing them and saving them for later use. The extension is extremely easy to use and addresses all categories of users, from beginner to intermediate and advanced level.
As I said before, you can apply a different effect for each of the targets in the workspace. The extension will automatically identify it and as soon as you drop the effect on one of the objects, its name will be acquired in an instant.
The General tab will list all the effects provided by the extension. These are split into nine categories, covering areas like "Slicing", "Overlay", "PassingBy", "Color", "InPlace", etc. A special section is Custom that allows great flexibility in customizing the effect.
After setting up the category, you get to choose the actual effect you want to use. Making categories and effects makes finding the right entry a lot easier for the users.
Next in line is a minimum customization of the way the effect appears. For this you can set the duration (in number of frames), define the wait time before starting the animation and the way it behaves: start the animation, reverse it or simply do nothing, as the effect will be controlled from Action Script. By the way, the latest Action Script is not yet supported by the extension so it will not be available if an Action Script 3.0 is selected.
Auto Mask check box should be used if you want the animation to be masked by the original movie clip edges. The last option in the General Configuration panel is Start Hider which will hide the target until the effect starts, so be careful with the wait time.
Effect Details lets you do a little more customization to the selected effect. The options available depend on the previously selected effect, but generally, you get to tailor the effects with regards to the angle, ordering type, color, piece duration, fading etc. As mentioned above, these are all dependant on the category and the effect chosen in General Configuration window.
The last tab available in Creative MovieFX is presets. This is where you can save your customized effects for later usage. The only alternatives here are naming your newest creation, loading it or deleting it from the presets list. As soon as you save the entry, it will be available for you to use (check the drop down list for it).
The application provides more than 70 preset effects and the possibility to customize and save them. Its ease of use is great for all types of users and it will not add clips to the timeline or the stage so it is not at all intrusive and lets you handle the objects easier.
The Good
The integration with Adobe Flash is great. Even the transparency of the window when dragged has been implemented. And if you are looking for some help with using the extension, look no further than Adobe Flash's help menu (the last entry is Creative MovieFX).
The list of effects is impressive and the fact that they can be customized and saved for use in future projects only ads to its value.
Power users can save a lot of time by employing one of the preset effects or by quickly customizing them. The self-tailored results can be saved and used whenever you want.
The Bad
Action Script 3.0 support is not implemented yet. But I am sure that the developer will fix the issue and come up with the full fledged version on the application.
The Truth
Some users may see a bit too much of the price and little on the advantages of the application. The price tag is indeed selective when it comes to the clients, but considering the benefits of the extension I would say it is worth the financial effort.
No timeline additions and the stage is clean while the objects can be customized with various effects, either from the preset list or customized by the user. And when you think that the component is approved by Adobe Flash, I guess there isn't too much to say save that quality is the prevailing aspect.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
