|
The Role of Online Flash Animation In The Application Of Visual Communication
Abstract
While human beings leap from “the age of ten-time speed” to “the age of digital”, the development of technology in twenty-first century makes it difficult to calculate its own speed. Along with personal computers becoming the basic equipment, the convenience made by Internet walks out from colleges and into our daily life. The plain text transferring systems added in dynamic performance. Because the software packages for editing web pages and web animations are presented in the market, to build a website is not a privilege to programmers. Every industry has its own show on Internet; interesting small animations penetrate into every corner, like famous “A-kuei” (from Spring House Entertainment Inc., Taiwan), “MashiMaro” and “Pucca Couple” (from Korea), and the spokesman for a Japanese drink “Qoo”. A variety of new animations break the barrier between countries, religions, culture and locations, propel into our field of view, and more or less change our visual or auditory senses. Furthermore, animations manipulate the spiritual experience of fans and directly or indirectly alter their life styles and behaviors. This research plan is based on online Flash animations arising in Taiwan during 1999 to 2002 and focuses on the subtle interaction through the virtual t space, Internet, between users and visual designers. This research also opened a wider view of online Flash animations and its role in the application of visual communication. It is expected that the discussion in the research pushes the works of visual designers closer to the need of users and promote the aesthetic cognition of users as well when they enjoy the visual impacts. Therefore users and designers both take advantage from the interaction.
Following the issues mentioned above, the major content of this research is:
1. To discuss and analyze the rising and survival of online Flash animation in Taiwan by surveys and documents.
2. To analyze physical and mental feels of audience brought by the appearances, styles and personality of characters in online Flash animations and the reason and attraction that alter the mode of behaviors of some users.
3. To analyze the influence of online Flash animations on the process and results of visual design.
4. To make a conclusion based on the three topics above and to plan the directions and to predict the conditions in the future development of online Flash animations in Taiwan.
Design theories tell us: “There is need, so there is design.” As the top one rich person in the world Bill Gate said, the meaning of “Internet” is “information at your fingertips”. In the same way, this marketing channel forms at your fingertip. It acts like a promotion trick, first making viewers love it and then making them want to own it. In a short time this channel not only transfers these cute animation characters into best-sold products but also changes the tradition of visual communication. Based on the research, it is suggested: First, the appearance of animation characters is the foundation of online Flash animation; second, the creation of personality of characters and content of the stories make more influence on the minds and daily behaviors of Internet Audience than appearance does. Finally, audience has the desire to understand or possess the related products of visual design. Therefore it is suggested that to raise the attraction of animation characters, content and connotation are the points that animation designer must emphasize. They significantly build the long-term positive interaction between users and characters.
|