Create a flash Christmas greeting E-cards

This tutorial is copied from http://www.flash-slide-show.com. For reading original tutorial included the Christmas greeting E-card and images, please visit http://www.flash-slide-show.com/create-a-flash-e-card.html

As the Christmas season approaches, it's fun to touch base with your friends and send them a Flash greeting card. And in this age of digital cameras and the Internet, it's easier than ever to make homemade Christmas e-cards for every one you care. Here is a tutorial on how to make flash photo Christmas e-card.

Step 1: Get a greeting card software
I got lots of flash software from Google, and tried them for a long time. Finally I pick one named Flash Slideshow Builder launched by Wondershare. This software is really easy-to-use and has all the functions I need. You can get the trial version from http://download.flash-slide-show.com/fssb_trial.exe

Step 2: Import your photos & add background music
You can import the photos which are pre-processed before by using some professional Image Processing Tool, say Photoshop, or just import the original photos then process them with the built-in editing tool, which include some basic functions like crop, rotate, filter, etc by double clicking the images on the Story Board. Add a bunch of your favorite music to make your greeting card more beautiful. Especially, you can add a hyperlink for each photo here. Below are my original photos.

Step 3: Select “Theme”
Here I choose the “Christmas” templates from “Theme” Tab. The Christmas e-card template is the one I love the best. However there are lots of templates for you to choose, just pick up your favorite template. Remember to check the box “Include Intro Movie and Credit Movie” to edit the intro/end credits. Want to see more stunning templates, you can visit: http://www.photo-to-dvd.com/free-xmas-templates.html

Step 4: Set “Effect”
More than 200 transition and pan/zoom effects are available to use. This is one of the main reasons why I choose this program. The other several programs I used don’t have this much effects like this program. After set all effects for each images, right click on one photo on the Story Board to set the “Duration Setting”. Set “Picture Duration” as 4.5 sec and “Transition Duration” as 2 sec, then check the option “Apply all settings to all pictures”.

Step 5: “Decorate” your photo with texts
Click “New Text” to add texts, select font, size, color, text effect, etc. for your photos. Here I select Font “Eras Light”, Size “22”, Color “Light Orange”, Effect “Fade”.

Step 6: “Publish”.
Modify some “Publish Settings” to make the flash greeting e-cards the best. Click “Publish Settings”, first change the Slideshow Size as the same as your photos’ size then other settings like play control, preloader, you can just leave them if you don’t need to change. Here I select “Square” preloader in “Preloader” Tab. After done these, click “Create SWF Movie” to publish your flash greeting e-cards.

OK. Now the Christmas greeting e-card is finished. Wanna a try? Just make one with Flash Slideshow Builder .

Tips:
1. If the music duration doesn’t match slideshow, you can add or trim the background music to make them fit. Click “Edit Music” on the tool bar above Story Board in “Browse” Tab, or just double click the area underneath Story Board and modify the music.
2. Add your very own greetings in Intro/End credits movie, your family or friends will get a big surprise when view the card at the first sight.
3. Modify text effect duration to make it best fit. After choose “fade” text effect in “Decorate” Tab, set the text delay as 1 sec to make the text display 1 sec later after image.
4. Set a hyperlink for each image. Double Click the image on the Story Board, then click “hyperlink” tab and input the URL.
5. Choose a gorgeous preloader for your own. Move to “Publish” Tab, click “Publish Settings”, then click “Preloader” tab and check the box “Enable Preloader”. After that, just select your favorite preloader and click “OK” to save the settings.
6. Download free Christmas Font from Internet, such as:
http://moorstation.org/typoasis/seasonal/xmas/fsxmas1.htm
http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=804
http://www.xmasfonts.com/