Flash Web Design, the v5 Remix Review

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Author: Hillman Curtis
256 Pages

I originally reviewed this book in May of last year, shortly after it was first printed. For the sake of convenience, I'm reposting that review here. I've also included the full list of things that have been updated for "the v5 remix" below.
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Of all the books I received for review, this was the first one I went for. Having a look into the mind and methods of Flash Guru Hillman Curtis would no doubt give me a new and unique perspective on Flash design. In the book, a number of his projects are dissected piece-by-piece, providing new insights on Flash, its limitations, and the advantages of these limitations.

The book looks cool! With a funky layout and simple color scheme, this book is not only a powerhouse of tricks and techniques, but it's a total pleasure to read.

Having been a Flash designer for over a year, I've always thought the power of Flash was in its ability to deliver words in a compelling way. These words, when combined with music, invoke an emotional response in the viewer. However, Mr. Curtis takes a different view and mentions the "Global Visual Language," stating that "the motion is the message." It's imagery, not words, that have the true power. He addresses the "multitasking attention deficit", and stresses the importance of identifying the viewer's emotional center in order to keep them engaged in the presentation.

Powerful stuff.

Hillman then deconstructs, step-by-step, over half a dozen of his fantastic Flash works. The biggest benefit to this book is not really seeing HOW he does things, but understanding WHY he does them. The limitations of Flash discourage many Flash designers; Hillman points out that these limitations can easily be turned to advantages, which can actually help you to create more powerful and compelling presentations.

The book begins with a few of his more basic works, using simple lines, alpha effects, graphics, and so on. However, he quickly jumps into topics important to any Flash designer: making ads for clients with restricted file sizes, the importance of displaying a company's logo, how to test the movie for streaming, and more. Having a background in film, he has created spectacular Flash presentations, some of which can be viewed here.

Certainly the chapter that's the most useful to any Flash designer, beginner or expert, is the last one. Have you ever created a Flash presentation you loved, hoping it would blow your client away, only to be shot down and made to overhaul your presentation? Hillman, with help from the folks at Juxt Interactive, gives you the inside secrets on presenting your ideas to clients in a way that will amaze them and avoid such overhauls. Using these tricks, you can cut down development time, saving you and your client time and money.

This book is a revised edition of Flash Web Design: the art of motion graphics. The "v5 remix" is basically the same book, only the screenshots have been updated, the book's instructions use the Flash 5 panel system, and the Actionscript has been rewritten. If you already own a copy of last year's Flash Web Design, you don't need to worry about getting the latest copy.

While the projects in the begninning of the book are simple, I know that if I were a Flash newbie reading this book, I'd feel pretty intimidated. I would recommend this book mostly to those experienced with either Flash design, or to those with basic design knowledge.

In my opinion, this book is an invaluable resource, even for those who would consider themselves Flash experts. Reading this book isn't like learning Flash by means of tutorials; reading this book is like having a private session and a look into the mind of one of the world's most successful and acclaimed Flash artists.

Level of skill this book appeals to:

Level of recommendation, based on other books reviewed: Highly recommended to anyone seeking to expand their design style. The technical knowledge that's contained in the other books is certainly useful, but it's obviously important that anyone creating sites in Flash should have a few "design" tricks up their sleeve as well.