What is...

[coleknows]

After effects and layers? Sounds like they are important stuff to flash animations. I know i might start making animations when i graduate from HS.

[Zachary]

After Effects is another program by Adobe which you can add effects not-achievable in flash. It is a video editing program really. If you learn how to use the program, i've seen some pretty amazing things done with it on actual live-action videos. I know that some people use it on flash movies also, i believe NathanielMilburn uses it on some things.

Here is a website dedicated to learning about the program.

Layers on the other hand, are a MUST for a flash animator. Look at them as separate pieces of paper. Say you draw a background, then draw a character. If you want to edit that background or character, you risk messing up either of the two. On a layer, it allows you to edit things by themselves. Like your character can be edited on a separate layer than the background. Thus, not messing up your work.

This is also used a lot in photoshop and many other animation/drawing programs.

[guyver01]

I know not much of After Effects other than it is a video editing program but yeah layers are fundamental when talking about flash. Like said before, it can be used to separate the characters, props and backgrounds from each other to allow more freedom of movement and reduce any accidental edits of different items.

The old Scooby doo chase scenes show this quite well as you see plant pots and tables in the front layer wooshing past, the characters running in the middle layer and the walls of the haunted house/castle they happen to be running in, in the back layer.

[coleknows]

Thx guys. Maybe in the future (if your still around) we could make a collab. In fact i'll check out ur stuff considering im nice. :D

So your welcome