Where are you from?
Canada

Where did you grow up?
North Bay, Ontario, Canada

What are your pastimes and interests?
Computers (duh), movies, TV, Travel, Verti-bird.

What's your favorite saying or cliché?
"No nurse, I said prick his boil!"

What's your favorite movie?
" The Last Voyage of the Titan Scout ".

What's your favorite cocktail?
Its not a cocktail but …Canadian Club and Coke.

When did you first get involved with flash?
June 2000.

What is your view of the current use of flash?
Its great the way flash is used in more ways than you can count - from interactive cartoons and software creation to ripping MP3. I personally feel that flash is used too much to just spin and zoom type around the screen. If you can't draw then find someone who can. Flash has come a long way in a short time. A lot further than Director in the same time.

Who do you feel is advancing the use of flash the most?
I don't mean to give a plug to Microsoft but Internet Explorer has been great in implementing flash into its browser over the years and listening to flash developers and Netscape hasn't. What would advance flash and web developers, as a whole, would be more standardization and cooperation instead of corporate greed.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?
Old Warner Bros. Cartoons and Dr.Suess.

Where do you see the future of flash?
I feel flash could occupy our screens for a while, especially with regard to cartoons. High-speed internet connections supplying video on demand could be ages away and flash cartoons fill the void beautifully. Even after broadband arrives, flash will remain in the fore front on the web as it will have that sharp vector look that compressed video will never have. The sound is already digital

What advice would you give to budding flashers?
How do you get to the Sydney Opera House? Practice! The learning curve in flash is like the Buli Pass - Steep! Try to use it in as many ways as possible. Don't squish the audio down to the quality of a Hallmark singing birthday card. The Action Script can come in handy but you don't have to get it to everything as it is too complex and buggy (at least for my wee brain). Have a vision of what you want to happen and try to get there yourself. Then go to Flashkit and steal it.

What can FK01 attendees expect from you?
I hope to show how flash cartooning can be fairly immediate in terms of production. One of the best attractions of flash for me was its ability to combine animation, audio and pictures (jpgs etc.) in the same program. We have a live show at The Sydney Town Hall where we make jokes about events that happen as recent as the day of the show. It does not have to take months to make a product that is funny or saleable. Also, expect a visit from Sid our site host.

Any closing words?
Thanks very much to the people of Flashkit for inviting me along to this event. It should be a great gathering of minds. I hope to speak to a lot of people about what is possible with this cool new medium and learn where it is all heading. See you there.

If you would like further information on speaking opportunities please contact: Mark Fennell(webmaster@flashkit.com). We have conferences planned in LA, Sydney, and Europe and Asia as well, so let us know your interest!