Simple flash animation tool - does it exist?

[linea]

I need to produce a very basic 2d character animation for a client,I agreed to do this before thinking it through and taking into account I know nothing about animation. I can use Illustrator though, so I figure if I draw a vector character I can tween it in something, but as animation is not my usual bag I'm looking for the simplest cheapest option, if there is one. Any ideas? The budget for this project is (as usual for me) zero, so freeware suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Frederik]

Although it's not free-ware, Swish is the easiest to use IMHO...

[Gaieus]

Hi Jon,

Would something like this be OK?
http://www.xiberpix.net/SqirlzMorph.html

Here are my brother's kids with it (right click and "Loop" then "Play" - for some reason it does not autoplay thou it does on the original page

[flash=200,250:1rzps1wm]http://www.pozsarko.hu/orros/gyerekek.swf[/flash:1rzps1wm]

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Edit: the little bastards always make these stupid faces when being photoed - this was their "punishment" in public for this

[cornel]

Perhaps useful:
See TOON BOOM ANIMATION products!

http://www.toonboom.com/main/

Cornel

[Mike Lucey]

Good call Cornel. I was about to suggest ToonBoom. I believe they
also have a 'simple' free version.

[linea]

What I need is something that will let me animate some very simple 2d human characters, I've seen the apps that let you create stick-men, I'm looking for something just slightly more sophisticated. It is only a short animation; less than a minute.

[linea]

Thanks Guys, scary kids Csaba! Ill have a look at Toonboom. What I need is something that will let me animate some very simple 2d human characters, I've seen the apps that let you create stick-men, I'm looking for something just slightly more sophisticated. It is only a short animation; less than a minute. I was wondering if there is anything out there that allows you to start off with a skeleton like Poser but 2d.

[Gaieus]

Why don't you animate it in SU then and export the animation which you can convert into flash later?

[princedragoncok]

Do it old fashion style on a piece a paper, frame by frame - try for 10 frames per second. Then put them all into windows movie maker and set at 0.125 sec per frame - you will have an animation. 1 minute will take 600 pictures, about 3hrs work - probably less than a renderer imo

[remus]

600pics/3 hours=200 pics per hour= approx 1 pic every twenty seconds. Im no expert, but id say tis a bit ambitious to do that for 3 hours straight

[princedragoncok]

@remus said:

600pics/3 hours=200 pics per hour= approx 1 pic every twenty seconds. Im no expert, but id say tis a bit ambitious to do that for 3 hours straight

well if all he wants is a stickman with no background then i'd say it's pretty doable, but then again i'm no expert either, nor do i feel like proving it