Month: June 2006

/ Don

Blur Effect

Blurry Cursor

I originally created this effect for the old ERA404 web site when we were using the “Not Found” themes, but the concept was deprecated when we updated our marketing strategy. Since I really loved the result, I was happy to see a need for this script arise again during the creation of the Who is Augustine? site, created for Jonathan Safran Foer and his first novel, Everything is Illuminated. You can see the effect employed if you click on Augustine’s glasses in the link that takes you into her house.

People have asked how this was created and its actually quite simple. Rather than explain it, I’ve provided a zip for you to download to see the simple code involved. If you have questions, feel free to post comments.

Click here to download the source.

/ Don

Cursor Illusion

Cursor Illusion

This is a pretty basic example of custom cursors in Actionscript which, when coupled with a fake drop shadow and a background image that further provokes the illusion, makes a cool effect. Granted you don’t actually have to turn the arrow cursor backwards for the effect to be achieved, but us lefties like the occasional positive reinforcement.

Again, since this effect is so simple, I’ve decided to just attach a zip of the source so you can download it and figure it out on your own. If you have questions, feel free to post comments.

Download the source files here.
This zip contains all project files for the Flash Example “Cursor Illusion”.

/ Don

Flash Meta-Preloader

Flash Multi-Preloader

When we were creating the Broadway Video site, the client asked for the entire site to load in one-fell-swoop, prior to the user clicking on each of the individual sections. Since the entire site’s content is culled from XML, I figured the preloader could be too.

Here’s an example of what I mean. And, as always, I’ve uploaded a zip file of the source, XML and Actionscript for you to look through. If you have questions, feel free to post comments.

Update: January 5, 2007 –
We’ve launched a revised version of the Broadway Video site which no longer uses this script.

Download Flash Meta-Preloader
This ZIP contains all the files necessary to create a Flash Meta-Preloader on your own site.

/ Don

Hero’s Canon

Betsy Bird (nee Ramsey), with whom Mike and I particpated in a plethora of CYT events, has a knack for writing. So our senior year of high school, we all contributed on pieces of a quasi-musical-farce-thingamajig called “Hero’s Canon.” My favorite part was that the townspeople sing the plot. How great is that?

The Premise
Scapin meets Taming of the Shrew

Download Hero’s Canon
Includes: PDF of Hero’s Canon, by Don and Mike Citarella and Betsy Ramsey Bird.
/ Don

Let Him Retrogress

I started writing “Let Him Retrogress” while I was dating a theatre major. Consequently, when we broke up I also lost interest in this play.

The Premise
Two couples, growing weary of the stasis of their relationships, react differently. While one couple moves forward with their lives, the other couple moves backward—from the break-up to the day they met—to show how relationships deal with routine.

Download Let Him Retrogress (PDF)
Includes: PDF of Let Him Retrogress, an unfinished play about relationship stasis.

/ Don

MacBeth Revisited

When we were in high school, Mike and I wrote and directed our version of Shakespeare’s bloodiest work…for the youth program at our local theatre (and stage-managed by the talented Betsy Bird). I know what you’re thinking, but I promise we’re not macabre loons. This was a farce of the original work which raised a record-high $600 for the Civic Youth Theatre.

It was so successful, in fact, we co-wrote a sequel the following year (MacBeth Revisited Revised) with a fellow CYT actor (Bob Warpehoski).

The Premise

The Thane of Fife
He had a Wife
Took a Knife to Duncan’s Life
That’ll End his StrifeOur Poor King
With The Angels Doth Sing
Felt a Sting
When we Unsheathed that Thing

Download MacBeth Revisited (PDF)
Includes: PDF of MacBeth Revisited, a comedic farce of The Scottish Play.