Text Masking Effect
Software : Flash CS3
Level : Intermediate

Concept: You need to understand this animation carefully. The text is used as a mask and the gradient fill is used below as an animation. The text is stationary. You need to use the same color scheme for text and the gradient fill below to get the proper effect. You have to try few times to get the proper gradient effect using different combinations of black, white and gray. Adobe flash comes up with color docker to create customize gradient fill.

1. Open flash and change the document to 450 X 150 Pixels. Change the document color to black.

2. Draw rectangle and fill it with radial gradient fill. We have changed the radial gradient using
Window > Color

3. Select the rectangle and convert it to symbol using F8.

4. Press F6 at 60th and 30th frame. Apply alpha to 1st and 60th frame. Reduce the rectangle to smaller size using free transform tool.

5. Apply Tween. You will get the following animation.

6. Create a new layer in the timeline and Type the text. Try to use thick and big font to get the proper effect. Add gray color to the text. We won't be making any changes to this text.

7. At this stage you will get the following animation.

8. Right click on the top layer where the text is situated and select Mask.

9. The layer in the timeline will show the changes indicating masking.

10. The text will be displayed only where the gradient gradient rectangle animation is overlapped.

11. Export movie using File > Export > Export Movie