Flash 5 Magic

Macromedia Flash 4 was the standard for web animation and interactivity, and Flash 5 contained improvements in content creation, interactivity, and portability. Those designers not currently using Flash will find version 5 a must-have product and they will need a professional tutorial approach on how to maximize their use of Flash 5. The authors present two dozen projects created with Macromedia Flash 5, all designed to show of the considerable power and flexibility of the program.

J. Scott Hamlin is the director of Eyeland Studio (http://www.eyeland.com), a company that specializes in intertainment design mostly in Flash. Eyeland Studio's clients include Nickelodeon, Procter and Gamble, and Nabisco. Hamlin is the author of several books, including Flash 4 Magic (New Riders Publishing) and Effective Web Animation (Addison Wesley Longman). Scott is also the director of NavWorks, whose products (which include Flash-based products) are now sold at Eyewire (http://www.eyewire.com).

David Emberton is an internationally acclaimed author, programmer, and columnist. Based on extensive experience in Flash application development, David has isolated tried-and-true techniques for building high-impact Flash content that works. His educational works share a unique focus on simplicity, planning, and thoughtful execution, making life easier whether you operate solo or as part of a team.

Matthew David has more than ten years of multimedia experience, as a theater and video producer and director and, over the last six years, as an Internet Technologist. Matthew contributed to the Macromedia Dreamweaver Bible (IDG WorldWide) and Flash 5: Visual Insight (The Coriolis Group). He has also written three courses for Ziff-Davis and four courses for SmartPlanet.com, and he is currently working on new courses for eHandsOn.com. He is Allen Interactions's lead instructor for Macromedia Flash, Fireworks, and Dreamweaver.

Jennifer S. Hall changed careers after managing and programming in a scientific research environment. For the past four years, Jennifer has worked with leading multimedia companies including Top Drawer/Human Code, Thought Interactive, and Eyeland Studios. Much of her work has focused on the development of educational materials for kids and adults. Some of her clients include Disney; Holt, Rinehart and Winston; NavWorks; Deal of Day; Jugamos; and the Austin's Children's Museum. In her spare time, Jennifer eats, reads, runs, sits, rock climbs, and, most recently, windsurfs.

John Lenker is a Creative Supervisor and User Experience Specialist for Martin/Williams, a national advertising agency located in Minneapolis. Prior to joining Martin/Williams, John was the executive in charge of the eBusiness Group at Allen Interactions. John has been featured in industry trade journals for his work as a digital/photo illustrator, has won state Addy awards for Illustration and Poster of the Year, and is a photographer for Uniphoto/Pictor International.

Samuel Wan recites ActionScript in his sleep and dreams vividly in vector format. During the day, he builds advanced game engines and interactive features for various studios as an independent developer. When he's not writing or talking about Flash, he enjoys pushing the creative possibilities of this technology alongside fellow dreamers in the community. Samuel currently pursues graduate studies in Human Computer Interaction at the University of Michigan's School of Information. He would like to take this opportunity to thank his music mentors, teachers, professors, friends at were-here.com, colleagues, and most of all, his parents for their generosity, insight, and foresight.