What product to start with creating Flash file?

[Water Buffalo]

I stumbled upon this website while looking for some direction on how to create a simple animation for a personal website. I didn’t realize how little I know.

It is almost overwhelming to know where to start. Can anyone recommend a path to follow? I am no developer, although I have a much greater respect for developers now that I see what an investment in time and money is required to become one. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on a product I won’t use regularly either.

With those constraints in mind, I want to put a simple (??) animation on my website like the one found here: http://www.vaportank.com/ . I love the simplicity of those twirling light strands (without the text) because the site I create will have something to do with lights. Looking at the source code, I see the file is a Flash file (flash2.swf).

I’m comfortable with basic HTML and will probably use Coffeecup (http://www.coffeecup.com/ ) to create my site. What is the easiest and cheapest method to either create or acquire a flash file and add it to my site? I also have a Mac available if there is a better product on that platform.

Thanks in advance…

~Jim~

[WebJoel]

If you don't want to spend money and create your own, there are generous people whom provide freebies (with linkback, which is reasonable in lieu of renumeration). I'm quite fond of effects from this site (they're JAVA, not *fla, but are fairly awesome!!)

http://www.anfyteam.com/

Search around, get some effect that you like, start a site. Encounter any problems, come back around and someone here can help. Effects from this site are well-documented and I have never had any problems figuring out how to install/use these..

[keymaker]

Buy This: http://www.swishzone.com/index.php
You will be a god at flash, it is SO easy to use and doesnt cost nearly what Adobe Flash does.