Tutorial:Movie clips and graphics
From Anipedia
Movie Clips and Graphics are two forms of symbols found in Flash. Symbols are graphic objects saved and stored in the Library that can be used repeatedly without adding additional elements to the file, which reduces the file size.
The difference between movie clips and graphics is that a movie clip hosts its own nested timeline within the main timeline that can, itself, host Actionscript, animations, and more nested movieclips; a graphic symbol can too host a nested timeline, but only with animations and symbols. However, unlike the movieclip, when the timeline is scrubbed or played with the enter key, the animation inside a graphic symbol will also be played along with the movie, a trait which movieclips, due to their nesting of actionscript, cannot share - since there is a possibility that a script affects the way the movieclip acts.
The events inside the movie clip/graphic can be affected in the movie by the use of an unbroken motion tween. For example, a movie clip / graphic contains a man walking, and the progression of the outlying motion tween rotates the object: the final product would have the walking and rotating.
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[edit] Movie Clips
Movie clips are pretty much another flash document in the file, and have their own timeline - which also means you can add Actionscript on them. When the movie clip is put into the flash document (by dragging it on the stage) it will play independently of the timeline. If your movie clip contains 15 frames of animation, it will need to be on the stage for 15 frames to play from start to finish. If it is on for 30 frames, it will simply loop, and play twice. If the Flash movie is paused, any movie clips on stage will continue to play and loop as well.
They can later be changed into components, not to mention that a graphical filter (introduced in Flash 8) can be applied to them.
There is, however, a downturn to movie clips: if you play the main timeline of your file in Flash, they will remain static. That means that you cannot preview how they will move without exporting the Flash file.
[edit] Uses for Movie Clips
Movieclips are useful for small repeating animations such as fire, because it saves the animator from having to manually copy the frames for a short looping animation until the loop ceases. It is also useful because the looping animations can easily be moved about the stage. They are especially useful for game design because they are capable of hosting player and enemy animations within themselves and hosting the code required for the usage of both player and enemy movieclips within themselves.
[edit] Graphics
Graphics are similar to movie clips, but instead of being another animation within flash, graphics are static images. When placed on stage the graphic will appear as the first frame of its timeline. A graphic, unlike a movie clip, can play a specific frame at a specific time. In the properties menu at the bottom of the screen, when a graphic is selected, you can edit whether the graphic plays one frame, loops, or plays once. By playing once it behaves more like a movie clip, a loop will continue as long as it's on the stage. When selecting single frame you have the option of which frame it plays.
If the Flash movie is paused, the graphic will cease playing. A graphic plays in tandem with its root timeline.
The biggest advantage to using a graphic is being able to see its animation on the main timeline, which is not possible with Movie Clips unless you have exported the .fla file.
As you move down the timeline you are able to see the animation within the graphic on the main timeline.
[edit] Uses for Graphics
A graphic symbol would be favorable for creating a layered animated clip that wouldn't repeat itself without outside intervention. They are generally useless except as a medium for simple animation. They are completely useless in game design due to their lack of interactivity and inability to host or be affected by code.
Some authors, such as The Super Flash Bros. use this for lips syncing. Graphics can also be edited and filtered in later versions of Flash.
[edit] Creating a Movie Clip or Graphic
First draw the object on the stage and select it using 
. Either right click and select convert to symbol or press F8. Select either movie clip, graphic or Button. In both movie clips and graphics you will find a timeline. You can draw and animate in each of these but the there are differences in how they will appear when used in the final production.
