Problem importing video onto layer

[mel2000]

I'm new to Flash8 and am just not getting how to import a video file
onto the stage.

I have a 300x400 swf file consisting of a text animation (the animation
does not take up the entire space on the swf and is mostly a small
rectangle at the bottom). It works fine. The trouble starts when I try
to simply add a 240x180 wmf video file on top of the 300x400 swf
background (positioned above the text animation) in order to have the
video and integrated text animation play at the same time. I selected
the Flash "presentation" document style and set it to the same size as
my 300x400 swf to make it visually look like the animation and video
are all of one piece.

Nothing is turning out as planned. If I "import to stage" and embed the
wmf as a swf on the timeline (symbol type = embedded video), the video
conversion works fine but the video is placed in front of the animation on
the timeline such that the text animation doesn't display until after the
video has finished. I want them to start simultaneously. I tried inserting
a new timeline layer and cutting and pasting the video frames onto the
new layer but, depending on their z-order, I can only see either the video
or the animation, not both. What's really confusing is that the background
containing the text animation always shows in spite of the z-order, but its
integrated animation at the bottom does not.I also tried the "import video"
feature but its results were exactly the same. Any help resolving this import
and layering issue (so that the background swf and the video animate at
the same time) will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Sgaspar11]

Alright,

So you are putting the video on a layer in the timeline and animating another peice(the text) on another layer on the same timeline...

I've never done this before, where the text goes overtop the video...I'd probably use Aftereffects/Premire/Final Cut to do that all within the video to save on file size...

But usually when I stream video it is only on 1 frame and it doesn't advance past that frame. Try inserting the text animation as a movie clip on a different layer above the movie layer, but on the same frame. Then, use the timeline within the movie clip to do your text animation.

Not sure if this'll work, but you can give it a shot.

Scott

[mel2000]

Thank you for your prompt response. Perhaps I did not explain my problem clearly so I'll try again. My project consists of 2 objects:

1. A 300x400 swf containing a background image integrated with a small text animation at the bottom (not on top of the video)

2. A 240x180 video which sits atop the background but not on the part containing the text animation

I want the visitor to see both objects playing simultaneously.

The good news is that I went back to the instructions given with the component and more closely analyzed one of the demos. I added a topmost "actions" layer consisting only of actionscript to stop() the video, etc. I don't know why things started working but after I added the video and text layers under the actions layer I was able to see both layers animate simultaneously. Thanks again.

[Sgaspar11]

Great to hear! Sorry I didn't understand originally.

I am glad you figured it out, a best practice of mine(and most) is to always put the actionscript on a seperate layer, very clean and works a lot better.

Let me know if you run into any issues. :-)

Cheers,

Scott