Digital Animation

Here are two examples of 'flash' animation.  Animations can be any size you like and there are many effects available, including sound, so your imagination is the only constraint. Some can be very complex whilst others remain compact and simple - you can even design a whole website in 'flash' format although it is not something I recommend as a rule... 

                  

The initial design and compilation takes lots of time and patience but if the intended audience is impressed and receptive, it will be worth the effort.  Flash animations can even include menu options and hyperlinks so when you click on a particular part of the animation, it takes you to a link specified at the time the animation is created.

Their uses range from entertainment, attention grabbing or plain banner advertising and they don't just work on websites.  They can be included in lots of other media too but their main use as far as this website is concerned is - websites!

Originally the principal software for creating and running such files was Shockwave and it remains the market leader.  However there are many others, less expensive and somewhat less complicated to use but the end result is the same.   Don't be confused with animated GIF files like the one on the left - these are entirely different.  They are simpler in concept and mostly comprise a series of similar images to give the impression of animation, or the same image that progressively changes to give a similar effect.  The software for creating these is  rather different and less involved than 'flash' software.   Indeed some standard graphics or image editing software will create animated GIF files.  Click the image on the right for a bit of fun with a 'flash' animation and be sure to turn on your sound or you'll miss the point...

Another interesting animation technique that is often seen in commercial use is 'morphing'.  A simple demonstration takes two distinctly different pictures then digitally transform one until it changes to become the other.  For example you might take a picture of a pretty young girl and transform (morph) it  into a cute dog.  There is some excellent and inexpensive software available for this and the most work you'll have to do in using it is perhaps matching the backgrounds in each shot - something you can do in standard graphics software.  The technique can be useful for demonstration or website use and is  entertaining, challenging and strange at once!

If you would like to know how to get started with flash animation, drop me an email and I'll be as helpful as I can.  If you prefer to let someone else do it for you, then I can supply what you need for a small fee and you don't have to pay until you're happy with the result so what can you lose?  I can even supply the images.

If you would like to see a commercial example of my animations, visit http://www.paraisohomes.co.uk and see how they are used to advertise a service on that website without being intrusive.  They can be very impressive but after a while they can also be irritating and they should be used advisedly.  Get in touch if you need a flash animation.