Hi,

I like websites which have a way of *action-izing* photos/videos/graphics. As an example:

http://www.bajabros.com

A simple photo has been given action-izing via the "opening curtains"..very effective. Note the menu selection bar (using hand drawn lettering) mounted vertically. Very cool, & un-conventional. One must be unique! I'm looking for this "feel" of elegance & sophistication. I bet certain business clients would dig it.

I have no idea how the above .swf file was created. Was it using a fancy multi-hundred $$ program (MM Director, exported as a .swf), or was it a smaller program? I found a list of interesting programs (which use .jpg, .avi) at

http://www.handyarchive.com/free/shockwave/index3.html
[ click on the other 5 odd pages for relevant programs ]

I need some referrals to *effective* web-developer programs, who can integrate photos/vides/graphics (hand drawn sketches, paintings, etc). Preferably shareware, or inexpensive ones. I might spring for the expensive programs, if it really pays off (i find clients that require their use).

I have a programming background, so my .html design is done using line editors like Pagespinner, WebWeaver (i.e., I'm low-level "hack"). As opposed to these higher-level "drag & drop" type programs (e.g., Adobe GoLive, Macromedia FlashMX, et al), where you only deal with the "objects", & are completely insulated from the xxxML, .swf code.

for flash animations it is less like programming and more like real animation. the flash MX program is what people use to create flash animations. I don't know of any other program that can create flash animations.

As for the handwriting thing on the side, that is just a simple imgage over routine in java script that swaps images if the mouse is over the image. just search google for "javascript image swap" and you will find tons of examples.

Edit: there is an option to select "programmer" interface in flash mx when you first run the program. I've never used it because I feel animations should be done using real animation tools

need some good sites for tutorials? you'll be amazed!

http://www.flashkit.com/
http://www.virtual-fx.net
http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash
http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey...hockwave_flash/
http://www.enetserve.com/tutorials
http://www.were-here.com
http://www.moock.org/webdesign/flash