Text Masking
 

Step 1: Open Flash and size the work area    from Modify | Movie choosing 300 x 250 for this example and select background color of black. Import a background image 'File | Import' and choose a larger image than the background. Select and resize the image to cover the stage, 'Modify | Transform | Scale'. Select and name the layer 'leaves'. Change the frame rate to 20 fps by clicking on it.

 

Step 3: Choose the 'leaves' layer and select 'Modify | Layer' and dot 'masked'. Click OK. Choose 'Control | Test Movie' to see the masked layer (leaves) showing through the text.

 

Step 4: We could stop there or add some animation, so let's take it a step further and make the mask move across the stage. Click on frame 40 of the 'leaves' layer and hit 'F5' to extend the timeline, then lock the layer so you don't accidentally edit it. Select the mask layer and add a keyframe 'F6' on frame 40. Open the frame panel by choosing 'Windows | Panel | Frame'. With the layer selected, put a motion tween on the layer from the frame panel. Click on frame 1 and move the text to the left side off the stage. Click on frame 40 and move it off to the right. Lock the layer and you will see the mask.

 

 

Step 5: Rewind and play your movie to see the text roll across the static image. It should look something like our example.