FLASHFORWARD 2000

The FlashForward2000 conference held in San Francisco (March 27-29), focused on Macromedia's popular software product, Flash 4 -- the industry standard for constructing vector-based Web graphics, animation, motion, sound and interactivity. www.flashforward2000.com

Writer: Franke James, MFA

Woodstock for Webheads in San Francisco: Flash 4 wins on the web

Twenty-four hundred devoted followers flocked to the FlashForward2000 conference at the Masonic Temple perched high atop Nob Hill, in what felt like the equivalent of a "Woodstock for Webheads". No doubt surprising Macromedia itself, the Flash software has created a cultural tsunami and brought forth a creative outpouring of admiration and love for the most powerful vector-based software tool to hit the web to date.

Ex-patriot Canadian, Rob Burgess, awol from Alias Wavefront, and now at Macromedia as Chairman and CEO, crowed with delight, "We're taking the Internet to the next level." His keynote address featured a raucous Flash cartoon that blasted out a subversive parody entitled "Internet killed the Videostar." The message -- Flash is usurping video and conquering the web hands-down. Burgess cited numerous statistics to prove his point including 46 million successful downloads per month of Flash and Shockwave; and that Flash is the most widely distributed software in the history of the Internet with an installed base of over 222 million people. The Flash faithful ate it up. And why wouldn't they? Macromedia has given them the tool to create the next generation of websites -- and incite unprecedented lust in advertisers and clients worldwide for just a small piece of their Flash skill-set. Burgess went on to encourage the artists and programmers to explore a variety of lucrative business models -- rambling off ad revenue, sponsorships, product placement, syndication models, licensing usage and ending with the holy grail of future web revenue models: micro-transactions, the web equivalent of pay per view.

The Flash Film Festival was the highlight of the 3 day conference. The term film of course was a clever marketing ploy to dramatize and heighten the importance of the digital assets being showcased. Work was divided into 10 categories including Best e-commerce, Best Entertainment, Best Sound, Most Original etc. While Flash films are still an emerging art form, and in that respect a poor cousin to the Oscar's, it was an opportunity to see some of the best work being done in Flash. And of course schmooze with people from Sony, FOX, Disney, NBC, Shockwave and legions of undiscovered, but ripe Flash talent.

The stand-up comic Sinbad, who opened the Film Festival was well received when he acknowledged the new heightened status of the Flash community. In the laid back slang of the "hood" he heated up the audience with advice like "Yo. It's the best time to be an artist, a drawer. You've come up in the world. You can hold your head high. You don't need to listen to no more people asking you what you doing with your pencil -- slapping you over the head and telling you to get a real job. Hell, even I got Flash envy now! ...Flash is to the Internet what MP3 is to music....Hollywood doesn't know what you gonna do!" By and large the audience ate it up because it was so close to their hopes and dreams, their reason for gathering in San Francisco.

Yes, Flash has caught the imagination of dot-coms wanting to create a compelling TV/interactive experience for their audience. The possibilities are tantalizing. Indeed the best Flash sites offer the excitement of music videos with pounding rhythms, writhing figures and spinning logos -- looking as hot as anything you'd see in any medium. Check out Balthaser Studios to see a great example of sound and motion working together. When a Flash site is done well it makes existing HTML sites look very dusty and old. Hillman Curtis, reveals some valuable pointers in his new book "Flash Web Design. The art of motion graphics." He is the creator of some of the best Flash sites on the web www.hillmancurtis.com

However, the perfect coupling of e-commerce and Flash is still rare. Canadian web retailers, and web developers have a window of opportunity to integrate Flash into their client's e-commerce sites now. (It's interesting to note that no e-commerce award was given out at this year's Marketing Awards...) Flash analyst Kevin Burton from U.S. based, SunGard Planning Solutions, "There are very few people who do Internet content well in the U.S. Advertisers have been bashful so far in their commitment. Flash should entice them to make the leap when they see it in action. It is emerging as a core technology for the web."

Phil Terrone, Director of Rich Media for Braincraft spoke about the bank they will be debuting soon for USA Bancshares.com, "By using Flash as our technology we're ten times faster than Citibank, and almost any other site on the web -- it's because Flash is vector based. We're pushing Math. Flash Generator allows us to customize by user. We'll be in broadband, wireless, even cars soon."

A good example of a traditional retailer upgrading their site with Flash technology is that of world renowned jeweler, Tiffany. The redesign was done by the international design group, Oven Digital. Oven's presenters, Gregory Kennedy and Ming Thompsen claimed allegiance to the strict Bauhaus school of design. Ironically Tiffany is the antithesis of Bauhaus design with their ornate baubles and diamond studded adornments. But no worry, the revamped site is a tasteful, albeit conservative setting for Tiffany's jewels. And who will quibble with lax art terminology when a new chapter of web history is being written?

But the Flash organizers saved the best for the last. Chris Casady, an animator with over 30 years of experience, and just 6 months using Flash, shared a few basic principles of animation -- and shed some light on the knowledge base he draws from to animate an object. A reminder that even with the most sophisticated software there is no substitute for years of hard-won experience. Reassuring news for all the analog creatives wanting to put their brains to work in the digital world.

----------------------------------