Exporting for Flash

I know next to nothing about Flash or java..

but is there a way to export a video from final cut or motion that would play as a flash animation for the web? Does that even make sense?

Flash isn't actually a video format, which might make what you're asking to do very tough.

Flash is based on vectors, whereas FCP is pixel-based. They're like oil & water. I hope I'm wrong, but I think you're in for a rough transistion from one to the other and may want to consider streaming.

I believe you can build a Flash project and then embed the video file into it (if that's what you want to do?) my friend built his entire website in a Flash project and the website is for video.


Good luck

Sean

Hi razorbabyy,

Although Flash is, as Mike described, a vector animation format, recent versions of flash have included true video formats and functions as well. There have been several video formats incorporated into flash, the latest and best, called Flash 8 video. (file ext. = .flv). Many believe that Flash 8 is the best of the current video formats for streaming on the web, due to the fact that the quality is comparable to .wmv and .mp4, and players are currently already installed on most Windows, Macs and Linux/Unix browsers. There are additional advantages for using Flash, in that you can combine other animation techniques to to provide higher quality video with lower bandwidth requirements.

To create a web page that plays Flash video, you need a Flash encoder, which comes with the Flash 8 authoring package, from Adobe (http://www.macromedia.com), or you can get one from Sorenson (http://www.sorensonmedia.com) On2 (http://www.on2.com), and a number other vendors. You will also need some sort of Flash authoring application.

Examples of Flash 8, compared with .wmv and .mp4 can be viewed at: [www.hd-vo.com]



Post Edited (05-05-06 10:31)

Travis
VoiceOver Guy and Entertainment Technology Enthusiast
[www.VOTalent.com]

yep mike, luckilly youre wrong pretty much across the board... flash has been video frendly for about 2 versions now and "streaming" really isnt related to the subject.

you can export a flv directly out of FCP. BUT a flv in itself is not a standalone playable format. youd need to have the flash application itself to bring in that flv and build a playback environment (html+swf) for it.

in order to create standalone playable swf's from fcp you'll need one of the applications travis mentioned above. they run from $40 to $400 and up depending on their abilities. the cool thing is that once you get your flv into a swf format, you can drop it on a webpage like you would any other media object... and ive yet to come accross a computer that doesnt have at least a 1 year old or newer flash player - considering that the flash plyer install is practically transparent.

i say get yourself the sorensen compression suite. its the priciest of them all ($450ish) but you'll be covered for just about any format known to man.

Agree about sorrensen...but also check out compression master [www.popwire.com] - it encodes Windows Media far faster than Sorensen with Flip4Mac (at least that's been my experience)....handles naming conventions better - if you are making multiple bandwidth copies of Flash, WMV etc...

Also it's Universal Ready

andy

COOL LINK ANDY - im goinna have to give that shot!

""yep mike, luckilly youre wrong pretty much across the board""

Well, aren't we the lucky one to be RIGHT all the time and impress others with our abilities to put down another who is even trying!

That is an arrogant attitude to display on a public forum and this is not the first time it has been done.

sorry john, he said in his post "I hope I'm wrong,..." i was just pointing out that it was a good thing he was wrong otherwise there would not have been a solution to the posters question...

but good point in calling out that my reply sounded snotty - was intended more as a ribbing than anything else...

mike if my reply struck you as offensive - i do apologize. ; )

Consider me well ribbed and not at all offended. I even wondered why I was posting I know so little about the subject...

Actually, that's not true. I know why I was posting -- I was getting super annoyed that I have almost never gotten a response in the DVDSP forum and felt like replying to the best of my abilities was the right thing to do.

Does anybody have a better DVDSP forum to advertise?



Post Edited (05-05-06 22:26)

cool mike - i thought i had seen you around here before, so i thought a little acerbic ribbing wouldnt bother you. (and again john - i really wasnt trying to be snotty. though im aware that sometimes i can come of as such)

on your point of not getting DVDSP responses... thats surprising. BUT keep in mind that the DVDSP section is much newer then the rest of the forum. i know that for me, i visit the FCP section as a diversion during test renders (which translates to several times a day). but only peruse the DVDSP area about once a week... so dont let that sour you...

what are you having issues with in DVDSP???

wayne,

I am not the thought police but I am sensitive to the tenor of the conversations that go on in this forum. It is important for me to understand that new people are coming on here ever week and they want a safe place to express their opinions.

I can apprerciate that, from your perspective, it was "ribbing" but sarcasm does not come across in words well. Thank you for not taking my comment as an attack to you personally. It is just that all commentaries are welcome and we need to make everyone feel that way. as much as possible. No one person makes up this forum, rather the combination of all those who post either regularly or semi-regularly. We need it ALL!

I like flash too :-) But I don't want to learn the basics of how to create a simple flash file flv swf -- all these are confusing for me. I appreciate the technical explanations, and sometimes I understand some of them, but what I want to know is what's the most practical way of configuring a simple flash file so it can be easily incorporated into a web page? Is there a magic formula? Or maybe a little known secret of how to do it? I clutching for straws here :-)

Hi Vic/filmman.

My guess is that "Flix Pro" would be a good choice for you.

[flix.on2.com]

On2 offers a demo to try out, which would tell you if it works for you at no cost.

There are less expensive routes available, but I think those are for Windows only.

Good luck.



Travis
VoiceOver Guy and Entertainment Technology Enthusiast
[www.VOTalent.com]

now i havent tried ANY of the cheaper (sub$400) mov.flv to SWF converters mentioned above, but i would imagine any of them will get you what you need.

if its a standalone app that you choose to use, its going to be as easy as exporting a reference movie from FCP, open that in your conversion app, select a setting and youre off to the races.

if its an export plugin, then you'll likely choose export > using quicktime conversion in FCP. then you'll select your swf converter from the pull down options, select a setting and again - youre off to the races.

most (and likely all) of the products mentioned above will have exporting presets with various dimensions, frame rates, data rates, audio formats etc... that will suit various delivery targets. you'll just have to play with them to find the one that best suits your taste and bandwidth.

once you have your movie converted to a swf, you just import that into your page with whatever web design tool youre using (just like you'd do with an image).

there really isnt any majic to the process.

My problems are all behind me for now, but thanks for asking...