When you add an instance of a video object to the Stage, either by dragging it from the Library or importing it directly to the Stage, Macromedia Flash MX determines how many frames are required to display the entire clip. You are asked if you want that number of frames inserted automatically.

The required number of frames is equal to the duration of the video (in seconds) multiplied by the frame rate of the Flash document. For example, a 10 second video clip imported into a Flash document with a frame rate of 12 frames per second will require 120 frames to display its entire length.

Instances of embedded video can be scaled, skewed, rotated, and masked. You can add multiple instances of the same video object without significantly increasing file size.

You can preview video in the authoring environment by scrubbing (dragging) the playback head over the Timeline or by using the Control > Play command. To hear sound, however, you must preview the movie by choosing Control > Test Movie.

To apply a color effect or motion tween to a video object, first place it inside a movie clip or graphic symbol, then apply the color effect or tween to that symbol.

Note: Movie clips must download completely before they can playback. To take advantage of the streaming capabilities of the Flash Player, embedded video must reside on the main Timeline of the movie that contains it.

Video objects cannot be broken apart and do not interact with drawing tools like primitive shapes do, for instance.

 
Controlling video with ActionScript
You can control the playback of video (embedded or linked) by controlling the playback of the Timeline that contains it. For example, to stop a video that's playing on the main Timeline, use a stop() action that targets that Timeline. Similarly, you can jump to a specific frame in the video stream using the gotoAndPlay or gotoAndStop actions that target the Timeline containing the video.

For an example of using ActionScript to control video playback, see the sample movie Feature Highlight: Import video in the Macromedia Flash MX Developers Center.

 
Working with linked QuickTime
The current version of QuickTime Player (version 5, as of this writing) supports playback of Flash Player 4 movies. For best results, use only features supported by that version of the Flash Player when adding content to a linked QuickTime movie.

Like embedded video, linked video clips can also be transformed (rotated, skewed, and scaled). You can also control the playback of the linked QuickTime movie using ActionScript. Masks applied to linked QuickTime clips will not appear during playback in QuickTime Player.

Although produced for Flash 5, the Macromedia Tip of the Week Macromedia Flash and QuickTime Integration demonstrates well the process of combining QuickTime and Flash content.

Also see TechNote 14571, which contains more detailed information about how Flash content is integrated with a QuickTime movie.