need advice for creating flash animations

[p_s_92]

I am a complete newbie with Flash, though I have worked with Flex. I have Adobe Standard Flash Builder 4 and can get Monkey Jam or any other free software if it is available for download.

I need to create animations like the one used in the video at http://www.luminafoundation.org/podcasts/tuning-adventures-in-learning.html

I did a search for free flash animation maker software and free flash templates and found lot of links. Should I get one of the free flash animation maker software tools like and try doing it or a particular one would be better for what I want to do?

Any pointers would be appreciated. How difficult would it be to do it for a newbie?

[guns1inger]

This is not a matter of knowing flash. This is a matter of knowing how to draw and animate. In this case, flash is really nothing more than the paper. You have to know how to draw the animations to make it work. Flash doesn't automate that part of the process at all, especially if it is basic line drawing animation.

Some light reading to get you started :

http://animation.about.com/od/otherusefultutorials/u/animationbasics.htm
http://www.smartwebby.com/Flash/flash_animations.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_basic_principles_of_animation
http://www.brianlemay.com/

[Bjs]

Synfig ... Only issues is output types is limited and requires re-encoding to flash ... but it's free with many guides.

Includes "manual tweening" process which helps to reduce the manual task in assigning animations between each frame.

[p_s_92]

This is not a matter of knowing flash. This is a matter of knowing how to draw and animate. In this case, flash is really nothing more than the paper. You have to know how to draw the animations to make it work. Flash doesn't automate that part of the process at all, especially if it is basic line drawing animation.

Some light reading to get you started :

http://animation.about.com/od/otherusefultutorials/u/animationbasics.htm
http://www.smartwebby.com/Flash/flash_animations.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_basic_principles_of_animation
http://www.brianlemay.com/

Thank you. That is helpful.

[p_s_92]

Synfig ... Only issues is output types is limited and requires re-encoding to flash ... but it's free with many guides.

Includes "manual tweening" process which helps to reduce the manual task in assigning animations between each frame.

Thanks, I will look into Synfig. Do you know which has a greater learning curve Synfig or Flash?