Frame-By-Frame and Video Editing Questions

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general5572 - 11 Jul 2008 03:55 GMT

Hello All-

I am very new to Flash, and this is my first post, so please be patient - I
will be happy to clarify anything if you are good enough to try to help me.

I have generated a large number (15000+) of unique JPEG images - all of which
are simply composed of a rectangular area filled with a single color. Each of
these JPEGs is numbered sequentially and each is intended to be a single frame
in an "animation." I have chosen to work with Flash because I want the
finished movie to be deployable on the internet and in a number of situations -
both foreseen and unforeseen.

So far, I have been able to import the JPEGs in sequence into FLA files, with
each image becoming a keyframe in the file. I have also been able to export
these files as Quicktime movies. I have found that I can only make an FLA file
up to a certain size (roughly 4500 frames) before my system starts to have
problems. This means that for my first project, which will be just over 10
minutes at 25 fps, I have made 4 separate FLA files (3 with 4500 frames each,
and one with about 2000 frames). At this point, I am having trouble figuring
out how to make a new FLA file that will "play" these four clips in succession
as a single movie. I have been working through the Flash Documentation and
have also looked at some of the Video Workshop clips, but I am not having
success. I am not committed to the 15000+ jpegs being embedded in the final
file, but I would like to know how to do it with them either embedded or not.

Essentially, I want to know the best way to export the FLA files I have made
(as I said above, I have exported them as QuickTime movies, but I am not
committed to that if there is a better way) to a compressed format and then to
edit them together as a simple sequence of clips to make a larger movie. There
are no titles and there is no traditional animation of a figure on the stage.
The clips look like a series of subtly flickering lights - just the series of
colored fields playing one after the other with no transistions between frames.

I hope someone can help and offer my sincerest thanks in advance!

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Shan-Dysigns - 11 Jul 2008 06:04 GMT

What program did you use to create 15000 images? Maybe there is an export
option to make those images into a video. It sounds like you are trying to use
Flash just as a container for all your images just to export it into one main
video. You can create a main fla file which will load the first swf file. As
that first swf file is playing, you could have Flash load the second swf file
in the background, then when this first swf file has reached its last frame,
you could script it to begin the second swf file. When the second swf file
plays, you could have Flash load the 3rd swf file in the background, etc...

I know this is a messy way to do this, but without knowing what programs you
have (or can get), that's all I can suggest. You may be ok with importing 2000+
images into a fla, exporting as a swf, then doing as I mentioned above, but
there are several better ways to do what you want.

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general5572 - 11 Jul 2008 16:19 GMT

I used the Python script to generate the images. I am learning that language,
too, and had help to write the script that created the 15000 images. It may be
possible to use Python to assemble the JPEGs into a video file, but that is
going to take time to learn how to do. I was hoping that I could take
advantage of Flash to do this part.

It sounds to me like your proposed solution involves writing ActionScript
commands into an FLA file. Is that correct? I have not worked with
ActionScript, but I am willing to try that. Could you suggest a resource I
might go to learn how to write the necessary scripts?

Also, it sounds from what you say that I can simply export my FLA files as SWF
files. I will try that and let you know how it goes.

As far as the "better ways" to do this, I am very open to any suggestions. I
may be able to get Quicktime Pro, Premiere, or Avid MC. Perhaps I just need to
abandon my idea of making this a Flash project and do it as a video in one of
those other programs.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my post. I have other
projects in mind that I would like to do with Flash, and am encouraged by the
receptiveness of the community.

Cheers!

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Shan-Dysigns - 11 Jul 2008 17:59 GMT

I think you would be better off by not using Flash to compile all these images
into a video (especially the amount of images you have). There are many
programs you can use to import all those images and create a video file. I
would imagine the program you used would have an export to video option
(especially if it allowed you to create that many images). Of course, you can
always use a video editor and import the images. If you haven't played around
with action script before, the action script I would suggest would only bring
on many more questions, plus like I said, Flash isn't the best program to use
in this situation. After you have a video file of some kind, you can always
import that video into Flash to perform additional tasks, but that would be
down the line...

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general5572 - 14 Jul 2008 17:18 GMT

Thanks for your help! I am going to focus on the Python script language, and
maybe try to get the images into a more straightforward video editor, as you
suggest. I really appreciate your help, and look forward to learning more
about Flash with the help of those in this forum.

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Frame-By-Frame and Video Editing Questions