Considering the specific task that lies ahead of you, you're not going to
get far if you don't have the proper tools. The first thing you need is
access to a videotape machine. If you're looking for super-professional
quality, you may want to opt for Beta tape or possibly 3/4-inch, 1-inch, or
even D1. But since quality isn't terribly important in the initial stages,
a VHS tape will work just fine.
You'll also need some sort of capture card in your Mac or PC to digitize the animation. I'm lucky because I have access to Wired Digital's Media 100, but that's probably overkill. A Mac with built-in video inputs, or a PC with the cheapest capture card on the market, would probably do the job just fine. Of course, if your animation is already digitized, then you can disregard both the capture card and the videotape machine.
On the software side of things, you'll need Macromedia's Flash (of course). You'll also need video software such as Adobe Premiere 5.0, which is what I used, and an image manipulation program like Adobe Photoshop or Equilibrium's DeBabelizer.
One item that I didn't have during the conversion process, but will absolutely, positively make sure I have the next time, is a good graphics tablet. I actually have a terrific 12-by-12 Wacom tablet in my closet at home. Unfortunately, it was a Mac tablet and I used a PC for most of the actual Flash work, so it just sat there, gathering dust, as I struggled with my mouse. I don't want to talk about it. Suffice to say my wrist was a mass of swollen, creaky tendons when I was done. Learn from my mistakes, people!
You also need to know your way around Flash.
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