Flash cartoon
A
Flash cartoon is an
animated film created using
Macromedia Flash animation software, usually as a form of
limited animation. Flash cartoons are typically distributed via the , in which case it is often called a
Internet cartoon,
online cartoon, or
webtoon. Web flash cartoons may be
interactive and are often created in a
series. A Flash cartoon is distinguished from a
Webcomic, which is a
comic strip distributed via the Web, rather than an animated cartoon.
Invented by Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi as a mission to bring cartoons to the world wide web, he had brought his creations "George Liqour" (in which was the banned charactor from Ren & Stimpy)with his dim whitted nephew "Jimmy the Helpless Idiot Boy" on their own internet program. Later John did more experements with flash animation including a deal with Icebox.com, commercials and a music video. After that, web cartoons started poping up everywere.
Flash animation is much easier and less expensive to create than using traditional animation techniques. Distribution via the
Internet is very easy and cheap compared to television broadcasting; websites such as
Newgrounds and
UGOplayer host Flash cartoons for free. Many Flash cartoons are created by individual or amateur artists, though it does require enough technical expertise to use Macromedia Flash. Some web Flash cartoons become popular enough to air on broadcast television, on channels such as
MTV and
G4TV.
Some professional
animated television series are also produced using Macromedia Flash because of the low cost of production, such as
Gotham Girls, produced by
Warner Brothers.
The Critic was the first animated
television series to use Flash; after being canceled from both ABC & Fox,
Atom Films created net-only episodes in 2000-2001. Some existing television cartoons such as
Home Movies and
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (both on
Cartoon Network's
Adult Swim) have switched to Flash from other animation technology, as well as the lesser-known
Aaagh! It's the Mr. Hell Show &
Queer Duck from
Showtime, and
Shorties Watching Shorties on
Comedy Central.
*
Newgrounds - Free-content, fully automated flash portal
*
UGOplayer*
Flashlands*
Flash Portal*
Reelbigcheese*
Animax Entertainment producer of Flash animated cartoons
