2. Frames

Where would we be without frames? All of those pictures at home would be bare... (please excuse bad joke...)

We’re not talking about Picture Frames though. These are movie frames. Basically, each frame contains a little picture. When these pictures are put together, the objects move. It’s like a flipbook!

In Flash, the frames are found in the timeline at the top of the screen. They are numbered every five frames, so you can find your way around.

Look at the diagram – though don’t panic. There are lots of posh terms there, though you will never need half of them – or at least, not yet...

Have a quick look at each of these...

Frame – Animation is all about frames. See above...

KeyFrame –             this is where important events in the timeline occur. For example, if you wanted to make a circle change to a square, you’d put a circle in one KeyFrame and a square in the other and use a tween on the frames between them.

Layers – We'll stop by these later...

The Indicator – This tells you which frame you are looking at.

Actions – These frames have an Actionscript code embedded to make the movie do interesting things.

Named KeyFrames – These are just as they appear. A name is given to distinguish the frame when pieces of Actionscript refer to it. But these really aren’t important. It’s just another useless feature of Flash that we won’t be dealing with. Hard luck.

Use F6 to insert a new KeyFrame, or F7 to insert a blank KeyFrame. Just click and drag frames to make them longer or shorter.

Frame by Frame animation is the technique used in the Wallace and Gromit Films - Taking a picture, moving a little bit, and thentaking another picture.

It’s worth practising some simple frame by frame movies, just to get used to the idea of frames:

Just draw an object...

...press F6 to add a new KeyFrame...

... and then move the object to create movement.

Do this a few times and you should see your shape move! Use Enter to see your creation move...

Project Idea - something for you to have a go at!
Try out your frame by frame animation; make a short movie! It can be anything! Because frame by frame animation is so easy, you can quickly make a masterpiece! Let your imagination run wild! (Ask other people if you are stuck for ideas!) Use the instructions above for the first few, and you'll be underway in an instant...

Whilst it may be the principal behind Wallace and Gromit, Frame by Frame is very time consuming and there are much easier and better ways of making things move. We call this TWEENING...