I need to find a *real* expert in Flash to do some work. Not someone who dabbles in it, but someone who really knows the nuts and bolts of it including Actionscript.

So where is my best bet to place an ad or a request for such an expert? I could try posting in forums, but I have to believe there's some site already set up to accommodate me better (something like elance.com, but specializing in Flash).

Vito

You can start with some of the well known names, I suppose. Billy Bussey (http://www.billybussey.com/) comes to mind as one of them. 2 Advanced (http://www.2advanced.com/) will do Flash work outside of full site development. Both are expensive options though (2 Advanced in particular). Lurk in Billy's forum. Maybe some of his members will stand out to you.

Vitesse Learning (http://www.vitesselearning.com/) is an organization that has done some e-learning development for us, which involved some very advanced Flash work (they used to be called Content Alive, a MUCH better name, if you ask me). I'm not sure if they will do Flash development outside of the e-learning environment, but if not maybe you can strike up a relationship with one of their people on the side. It never hurts to ask, and they are headquartered in Toronto. Trevor Morris was my contact there a few years back.

Thanks, Paul. Sorry, I guess I should have been more specific. I'm not interested in any design work. All the work has to do with back end coding.

Vito

Vito,
I know I am not answering your question, but I am kind of curious what type of qualities you are looking for in this developer, and what are the requirements for this job. You can PM them to me if you don’t want to advertise the details in this thread.

I can't really PM you with any specific details. Anyone I hire would have to sign an NDA before getting any details. All I can say is that I need someone who is heavily experienced in Actionscript and possibly C+.

Vito

Thanks, Paul. Sorry, I guess I should have been more specific. I'm not interested in any design work. All the work has to do with back end coding.

VitoYes, I'm talking about backend work as well, particularly when I discuss Vitesse. Their Flash designers are sensational with backend development.

Bussey is not a big action scripter, but perhaps his forums will reveal experts who are! http://www.billybussey.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=6

Thanks, Paul. I just spoke with Trevor on the phone (he actually works out of their New Brunswick office). He has promised to send of few of his team members my way to discuss freelance work. I hope to hear from them early next week.

Vito

Thanks, Paul. I just spoke with Trevor on the phone (he actually works out of their New Brunswick office). He has promised to send of few of his team members my way to discuss freelance work. I hope to hear from them early next week.

VitoExcellent! I hope one of them can get the job done for you :)

(something like elance.com, but specializing in Flash).

Well, eLance already has something specializing in Flash. These are the Flash MX and Flash Animation sections of eLance. And none of the other Flash freelance related job boards can be compared with the mentioned sections.

2 Advanced will do Flash work outside of full site development

Yes, the level of 2A is far higher than that of eLance of course. The prices, too…:deer:

Please let me know if you need any info about how to get good labor in eLance. I have serious presence in eLance.

yep....elance has a minimum of $50 i think
i just went thru a nightmare with 3 people who claimed to know flash...couldn't even make a clock for me

i just went thru a nightmare with 3 people who claimed to know flash...couldn't even make a clock for me

Ummm… I guess you selected one of the lowest bids that told something like “Dear sir, we are a company consisting of 500 top class professionals, and are ready to complete the clock, to paint your house and to heal your dog (for the case if it s sick) for $60”. Sorry for joke…

Here are a few tips:

- Ignore everything written in the profile except the client feedback and the portfolio. For, everybody can register in eLance and introduce himself as a “professional working in that industry for 25 years”. Elance does not check this.

- Also, ignore the fact if that provider is a Basic Provider or Select Provider. The Select Providers are not “selected” by an examination body or whatever. They are just the users who pay more to eLance to get that “Select” mark in yellow color.

- Also, you may find it useful to work with those providers only, who have many top (5.0 rating) feedbacks from previous clients. Compare the number of accepted projects of that vendor with the number of his 5.0 feedback reviews. If, for example, the given flasher has accepted in eLance, say, 60 projects and has 51 very good reviews (something around 4.9), then you may suppose that your project, too, will be completed successfully. If, on the other hand, the vendor has only 15 reviews with average rating 4.1, then you have a reason to think what happened to the majority of the projects accepted by that guy.

- Another reason do deal with vendors with high feedback is that you have a tool to control him. Example, if your vendor has 50 positive feedback, and almost all of them are 5.0, then you can be sure that the vendor is not going to ruin your project because you then can ruin his client feedback by posting your criticism.

- Don’t leave your feedback before your project is completed in full (some eLancers ask for feedback in advance, and this simply is a violation). Once the vendor has completed your work, post good 5.0 feedback so that you become a desirable buyer for that vendor in the future.

- It is not a tragedy, if the vendor asks for a downpayment to start the poject. It is a commpn rule in web development. However, clearly establish a payment schedule in which your payemnts are logically connected with the portions of work the vendor does. Pay the last part of the payment only after you have no further remarks to the project.

- In eLance try to establish long-term business relationship with a good vendor. You will need this in the future if you accidentally need change a minor thing in a site, and you don’t have enough time to look for a new vendor. Also, eLance offers reduced transaction fees for the so-called repeated projects, so for the good vendors, too, it is profitable to have long-term relationship with you.

- On the other hand, the eLance vendors with cool profiles will not work for too cheap… Well, this is life… Good service is more expensive…

ha ha...i didn't bid but asked the kids at flashkit...unfortunately, that's just what i got

i agree..those feedbacks are important...however, i read on ebay that shoppers rarely even look at it...then wonder why they got ripped

Thanks for all the tips, Flasher. Much appreciated. :)

Vito

ha ha...i didn't bid but asked the kids at flashkit...unfortunately, that's just what i got

This really is strange because in Flashkit there are a few FREE clocks for public downloads... :-)

Try to search in the Movies section of Flashkit.

A friend of mine, is really good and very affordable. He currently works as the webmaster for MT Stuart Brokerage. His AIM: is NewRelic and his email is: admin@newrelic.net