Stanton Cruse to speak at Motion '08 conference

http://www.motionconference.com/

Check out this link and consider attending Motion '08 in Albuquerque! I spoke there last year when it was called "the Best in the Southwest." I met top industry insiders from Adobe, authors like Chris Georgenes, and Trish and Dale Myers. It's a smaller and more intimate conference, so attendees had much greater access to the speakers. I spoke on Virtual Studios, the Flash Animation Pipeline, and Achieving Broadcast Quality Character Animation in Flash. I will cover similar themes this year, except in greater depth as I've been asked to do an full day workshop, aside from other sessions. There is talks of Glen Keane attending and speaking at the conference. I will update you once that is confirmed. See you there!

The New Flash Class Forum - OPEN TO PUBLIC ONLY IN JULY

I started this blog when I was teaching Flash for TV I at Studio Arts. At that time, this was a closed blog for students who were taking my class. Here I post video tutorials that summarize a Flash Class and answer any specific questions students have throughout the week as they are making cartoons from home. Animation in Flash can be a tricky thing. It took me a lot of trail and error, and the generosity of knowledge from Flash/Artists I've worked with though the years, to understand and enjoy the process like I do today.

The goal of the Flash Class is to pay that knowledge forward. The reason we Flash Professionals animate as well as we do, is the open-source nature of the Flash community. Flash Animators are always eager to help other Flash artists with technical challenges of the program.

JOIN UP IN JULY!
I want to welcome anyone who is interested in making cartoons in Flash to join The Flash Class forum for this limited time. Just in the month of July, I am opening up this blog to the public. Anyone who joins in July can continue to blog here indefinitely, regardless if you are taking my class or not. I will begin a new class at Studio Arts in August and at that time, the blog goes private again, but those who sign up now, can remain involved in the conversation for as long as you are subscribed.

-Stanton Cruse
highbar@mac.com

Moving the timeline

Can I move the timeline from the default top horizontal view to a vertical side view where the frames go from top to bottom?

Cartoon Solutions 50% discount on Flash Bundles

First off I'm not affiliated in any way with this company at all - I received this offer in an email yesterday if anyones interested Cartoon Solutions is offering a 50% discount on all their Flash Characters and Backgrounds....I have no idea how long this will run but for details here is a link:
Cartoon Art Bundles 50% Discount

EFX's blog

Here's a blog I've been keeping for my own effects/efx's reference if any one has any thing they'd like to add or upload feel free to at any time.

http://colbertf.blogspot.com

Questions...

Okay, here are few that I hope don't get too muddled while I am trying to ask them:

1) On the monster comp you gave us...say I go into the arm pose, and want to use a specific frame on my main timeline that includes the spots, etc. There are four layers in the arm layout (main artwork, two spots and mask). How do I translate that into the one cell on my timeline?

2) Say I want to do close up of a character...Is there a good way to "zoom" in, without free transforming my comp to get bigger and bigger?

3) On the monster comp, the frame rate is 30, instead of 24. Is there a reason for that?

4) What are the steps for installing the extensions you gave us onto my computer? I have a copy of flash, and forgot to take notes on how to do that.

5) How do I get an outline around my comp and not the individual objects?

6) Also, I found the magic wand tool when I clicked on the lasso. I can't get it to work the way it does in photoshop. Does it work differently?

7) Say I draw something freehand, is there any way I can add translation points to the artwork to maniupulate it ?

8) Can I draw something in photoshop, and then convert it into an object in flash to manipulate it like something I drew using the flash tools?

I hope these aren't too many questions. Thanks, Lori

moving a set of key frames

If I have a set of key frames (1-45) on one's in 2 single layers how can I move all 45 frames of animation in the time-line together to a different location on the stage? Hope this makes sense?