WEEKLY OUTLINE
DES 252 Winter 2010: Introduction to Adobe Flash CS4. M/T 9am-2pm
Erik Fadiman | efadiman@gmail.com | cell: 206.356.2608 | office hours: by App’t
Credits: 4 | Lab hours: 22 | Lecture hours: 22 | Length of course: 11 weeks | Prerequisites: None
Course description: The purpose of this course is to continue with an introduction to the field of Web Design.
Course outcomes: Upon completion of this course the students will:
• Understand the Concepts of linear animation
• Identify the role of ‘Rich Media’ in the world of Web Design
• Gain a basic understanding of Adobe Flash CS4
• Know when to build web sites with Flash or insert Flash content into an HTML page
• Integrate Video (.flv files) into a web project
• Demonstrate how to prepare multimedia for a variety of platforms/situations
• Understand the basics of ActionScript/Know how to talk with a web developer
Text: Flash CS4 Digital Classroom or Learn Adobe Flash CS4 by Video (Video2Brain)
You will find links to both of these on my website http://www.erikfadiman.com/sccc
Additional (online) reading will be assigned every week.
Weekly Topical Outline. This weekly outline is subject to change at any time.
Week 1: Jan. 4/5
Project 1: Linear Animation
Create a 30+/- second animation. This can be anything you want, but it must have a sense of narrative, it must tell a story.
Requirements: 640 x 360 pixels Maximum file size 1 MB. No exceptions
Possibilities include: an advertisement, a music video, typography in motion, public service announcement, etc
Key Concepts: Flash workspace, Flash tool kit, Frame rate, Keyframes, Mastering the timeline,
Reading: Chap 1,2
Week 2: Jan. 11/12
What’s Due: Project 1, first draft
Key Concepts: Symbols and the Library, Motion tweens, Motion paths, Onion skinning, Shape tweens, Classic tweens.
Reading: Chap 3,4
Week 3: Jan. 18/19
What’s Due: Project 1, second draft
Key Concepts: Flash color tools, The 3-D tools, the Bone tool, the motion editor, motion presets
Reading: Chap 5,6
Week 4: Jan. 25/26
What’s Due: Project 1, final draft. Posted on your website and a copy emailed to me
Begin Project 2: Interactive Product Demo or Infographic
Requirements 500 x 500 pixels; 500k maximum file size. No exceptions.
Pick a product or concept: Determine it’s key features and unique selling points. Write (or copy + paste) six paragraphs about it.
Create and interactive product demo which showcases these features. A good product demo will increase sales. A good Infographic
will clarify complex information or prove a point of view. Key Concepts: UI/UX design, usability, button symbols
Reading: Chap 7
Week 5: Feb. 1/2
What’s Due: Project 2, first draft
Key Concepts: Flash type tool, Controlling multiple timelines, creating masks, working with Photoshop and Illustrator files
Reading: Chap 8
Week 6: Feb. 8/9
What’s Due: Project 2, second draft
Key Concepts: Dynamic text, buttons talking to movieClips, loading external swf files
Reading: Chap 9
Week 7: Feb.15/16
What’s Due: Project 2, final draft
Begin Project 3: Flash Website
Key Concepts: An overview of ActionScript 2.0, instance names, basic timeline syntax
Reading: Chap 10
Week 8: Feb. 22/23
What’s Due: Project 3, first draft
Key Concepts: An overview ActionScript 3.0, and how it differs from AS2
Reading: Chap 11
Week 9: Mar 1/2
What’s Due: Project 3, second draft
Key Concepts: loading external content with Flash and XML
Reading: Chap 12
Week 10: Mar 8/9
What’s Due: Project 3, third draft
Key Concepts: Flash Video, then importance of the .flv format, The Adobe Media Encoder
Reading: Chap 13,14
Week 11: Mar 15/16
What’s Due: Project 3, almost final draft
Working with Students one on one.
Finals Week (TBA)
What’s Due? FINAL Project
Grading and Attendance:
Critique begins at 9:00 am. This means your work is viewable on the web, ready to go, at 9:00 AM.
Three absences in one class will result in a 0.0 final grade. An absence will be recorded for every two tardies in a class. Students doing
other work in a class, unless approved by the instructor, will be considered absent from the class. Students who spend excessive time
on Facebook, email, texting, etc will be considered absent from class. Participation, professional attitude, performance and attendance
are all factors that determine your grade. Assignments are due at the date and time specified. I will not accept late assignments and
they will earn a score of “ZERO”. I will grant an extension if you notify me before it is due. Assignments late for critique will not be
included in the discussion.
Status reports and comments on your work will arrive by e-mail, approximately every 2 weeks.
THE POP QUIZ: 10 POINTS (somewhere in week 6, 7, or 8)
PROJECT 1 20 POINTS
PROJECT 2 30 POINTS
PROJECT 3 40 POINTS