Sep 28, 2015

Jason Keyser's FX Tutorial Series

I'm going to do my best to reinvigorate this site with new content... starting with this!

Jason Keyser has graciously made me aware of his YouTube channel that has an ever growing archive of how-to videos for 2D FX animation in Flash. Though the technical aspects are centred in Flash CS6, the principles he covers apply to any tool & software that you use.

His tutorials are informative and have a wide-range of applications. I'll be showcasing them here every day from now on. His generosity is plentiful, I'm a firm believer of sharing one's knowledge when it comes to passing-on animation tips and tricks and wisdom. It helps animators in training, and animation students wanting to expand their knowledge in this area of the field.

I've always found 2D FX animation is the least taught aspect of traditional animation techniques, and as a director myself, it's the most difficult position to hire for. FX animators are a rare breed, mainly because very few decide to specialize in this area, and it is primarily a self-taught sub-category of the 2D animation industry. So ANY tutorials and knowledge in FX animation is hugely sought after, and Jason is quite gracious in volunteering his time in an effort to share his knowledge with all those interested in creating FX animation.

Here's the introductory videos that cover the basics of how to setup and navigate through Flash:
Setting Up Flash
Basic Drawing Tools in Flash
Using Layers in Flash
More Drawing Tools in Flash
Flash Hotkeys
More Drawing Tools in Flash
How To Not Lose Your Work

With those fundamentals under your hat, let's continue with this one, Intro to Frame-by-Frame Animation: