Editing Flash movies

Jonathan,

First off, I've always thought you were right, too, about not being able to download those Flash videos. That's why I can't figure out how all these kids are editing each others YouTube videos.
I've emailed a few people whose YouTube videos are clearly mash-ups of someone else's Flash video, but no response.

With regard to copyright, you are right again. However, YouTube doesn't do anything about copyrights, unless asked. In other words, "we only take down copyrighted work when someone complains."

And complaints do happen, and content is taken down; but by and large, if you check out the site there is TONS of copyrighted material (examples, Daily Show clips, Family Guy clips, people re-cutting "Lost" and "Brokeback Mountain" footage to create spoofs, etc.). A lot of these mash-ups are made from traditional video sources (see the YouTube mash-up, "Must Love Jaws" -- a video Mash-up of Spielberg's "Jaws" footage. Clearly good quality video, not taken from Flash.)

Anyhow, I don't know about that copyright stuff just yet. Mash-ups are the bread and butter of a site like YouTube (check very good article about Mash-ups in Washington Post. I don't have the link, but search Washingtonpost.com for "mash-ups" and you'll find it)

In the meantime, does anyone know how to make mash-ups out of Flash videos? I'm sure it's very simple. No disrespect to YouTube, but it seems that most of the people contributing to that site are using pretty crude tools to make their videos.

Thanks again,
Christian

PS, if I do find out, I'll post back here to let you know.

Max,

Thanks very much!!

even if it is little laborious, at least it's a start!

Please keep me in mind if you come across any other methods. My email is christiancnewton@yahoo.com.

Thanks again,
Christian

PS, I'd still love to hear any other solutions floating around out there

Max,

I've been looking at Snapz Pro a bit since your post and it seems like it's an app for capturing whatever is on your screen (which is pretty cool in its own right), but I was wondering if you have used it to capture Flash only?

What I'm getting at is, how do you capture a Flash movie using SnapzPro without getting say, your screen's menu bar or the window frame in your downloaded movie?


Thanks again
Christian

Max,

thanks very much. I'm at the website now, and am going to download the demo. I'll post back to say how it works out.

Thanks again,
Christian

Jonathan,

thanks for the articles. Hmmmm..... maybe YouTube as it is now will change if the lawsuits keep piling up (actually, there's no "maybe" about it).

I'm going to go with Max's solution and try SnapzPro— it's too bad about the sound problem, but other than that it looks like a nice little program.

I'll post back and let you know the results.

Chrisitan

Max,

Just wanted to post back to thank you and say that SnapzPro is exactly what I was looking for. IT EVEN HAS SOUND!!

I was looking around and found this thread:
http://www.ambrosiasw.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=105696

The person who started the thread had the same problem as yours and same set up: G5 Quad, no sound. (He was using same solution as well—Audio Hijack Pro.)

The discussion is mostly about kernal extensions, and the poster eventually solves his problem (though not through this thread); BUT Ambrosia Software Administrator and Developers participated in the the thread which leads me to believe they're helpful.

Anyhow, thought you'd be happy to know that sound IS possible with SZP and your Quad.

About SnapzPro: It seems like a really handy program. I only had to try it for 10min before I was sold.

BUT, about using Snapz to record Flash movies: It seems a bit clumsy to start the Flash video playing, open the SNAPZ program, quickly select the portion of screen (video) you wish to record, then hit return to record. All the while missing whatever has been playing.

Am I missing some little trick or is that just that way it is?

Thanks very much
Christian