Effects in Flash?

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Illwilledmarine
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Effects in Flash?

Post by Illwilledmarine » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:26 am

Ive been planning an AMV for a while now, and just starting to get into being able to start editing when I came across a few ideas that, quiet frankly, I have no idea how to pull off. I have very little skills with Photoshop, but I'm sure many effects can be created frame by frame in Photoshop and even mspaint, but I am decently experienced in Flash, so it hit me.
Flash would be an interesting way to create simple effects, but there are factors that I know I'm leaving out such as frame rate issues, and the quality of exported flash files.

My question basically is, how might video effects be pulled off with Flash successfully? By successfully I mean without splitting headaches, wasted time, and overall bad quality. I plan to try it, but just seeing from those that have thought of it whether its a task worth pursuing.

(If this thread is out of place or if there is already a similar thread that I am unaware of, please feel free to redirect me, and sorry for the mess up)

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Niotex
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Post by Niotex » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:01 am

Explain what your trying to pull off. If your just going to say special effects in flash I can assume all sorts of things. So try to be more specific.
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Zarxrax
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Post by Zarxrax » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:43 am

I've been working a little in flash lately, so I might be able to give some halfway decent advice.

My first advice would be to not do effects in flash if you have access to any software that would be more suitable for what you are trying to do. What program are you editing in? If you have to use flash though, here is what I would say:

First off, I think flash only supports integer framerates. So you need to export your video out of your editing program at its native framerate, and then use AssumeFPS(fps=24, sync_audio=true) in avisynth.
Bring your video into Flash and set it up to use 24fps and the same resolution as your video. Add your effects. Finally, turn off the video layer so that you only have your effects left. Export it as some lossless format that supports an alpha channel.
Now take that video back to avisynth and use Assumefps to convert it back to the original framerate. Then bring it back into your editing software and composite it on top of your video using the alpha channel. (im assuming your editing software can support video with alpha channel)

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Illwilledmarine
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Post by Illwilledmarine » Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:52 pm

The effect I'm aiming for is a slashing/erasing transition.
If you know a different way I could get that kind of effect that would be great, but the idea for using flash as a means of making effects was for me to have nearly endless possibilities for customized effects (Depending how creative I can be). And since I have flash already, it would save me money if the solution is software with a hefty price tag.

The video editing program I am going to use is MAGIX Movie Edit Pro, which I'm still learning how to use so I'm not sure on whether it supports alpha channel or not. (This will be the first video I've done in something other than WMM, so I'm pretty excited)

The framerate issue in flash is what I was most afraid of causing a problem, I wasn't sure how to determine what the framerate my footage would be and how to mix them together, but with these settings you gave me Zarxrax I believe I should be able to pull it off (That is if MAGIX Movie Edit Pro supports Alpha channel).

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Post by trythil » Sat Jun 23, 2007 5:47 pm

This video used Flash 5 for a lot of the circular-light-ring-thing effects and the DDR game board sequence. It's nothing special, but I guess it demonstrates that it's possible :P

I created the animations in Flash using audio segments rendered out from Cinelerra for synchronization, rendered them to image sequences (with alpha channel -- that's important), and then imported them into Cinelerra, where they were further transformed and integrated with the rest of the video.

The framerate issue isn't that big of a problem, unless you're doing some extremely lengthy sequence that must remain perfectly synchronized. From the sound of what you're aiming to do, it doesn't sound like it'll be a problem at all if you get your Flash project's framerate close enough to your video project's framerate.

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Anic
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Post by Anic » Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:28 am

Hi all!
Btw u can convert most types of your video to flash by using Video to Flash Converter.
Hope some1 need this :wink:
ia krivetko!

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RosenRed
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Post by RosenRed » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:54 am

Anic wrote:Hi all!
Btw u can convert most types of your video to flash by using Video to Flash Converter.
Hope some1 need this :wink:
you mean someone that will pay to buy your* program? Hmm isn't this advertising? I wonder...


*I presumed it is your program or you are somehow affiliated with the site, if not I'm sorry, but in any case I believe you are just advertising...
<a>Deep Into The Rabbit Hole...</a>

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Anic
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Post by Anic » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:05 am

RosenRed wrote:
Anic wrote:Hi all!
Btw u can convert most types of your video to flash by using Video to Flash Converter.
Hope some1 need this :wink:
you mean someone that will pay to buy your* program? Hmm isn't this advertising? I wonder...


*I presumed it is your program or you are somehow affiliated with the site, if not I'm sorry, but in any case I believe you are just advertising...
Lol! belive what you want, i'm don't advertiser i just give you advise and by the way! Video to flash convertor havve trial version with no time limits :P
ia krivetko!

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RosenRed
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Post by RosenRed » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:18 am

In that case please accept my appologies :oops:
<a>Deep Into The Rabbit Hole...</a>

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Anic
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Post by Anic » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:28 am

RosenRed wrote:In that case please accept my appologies :oops:
no probleno :wink:
ia krivetko!

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