Mr. Dink Show was the first Flash show to appear on Canadian TV. © Mr. D Production Inc.

When Macromedia’s Flash animation software first appeared around 1997, it was considered mostly as a toy for Internet users. By 2000, it was an increasingly sophisticated and “necessary” toy for Internet users who wanted to add glamour to their Websites. Today professional animators have increasingly used it as a serious production tool for broadcast TV.

Here are 11 views of Flash animation from both the designers and animators who use it and the TV companies that broadcast programs using it.

Lili Chin & Eddie Mort started FWAK! Animation in Sydney in November 2000 to produce Flash cartoons for the Internet. In 2001 their ¡Mucha Lucha!, was bought by Warner Bros. to become the first Flash series broadcast on U.S. network TV.

Ron Crown is the cd at Vancouver’s Bardel Ent. Over the past 15 years, he has worked on more than 70 productions as well as creating and directing Bardel’s first Flash series, The Mr. Dink Show, also Canada’s first broadcast/broadband Flash production.

John Hardman is svp of programming at Kids’ WB! in the U.S.

Angela Howard is the exec in charge of production of Kid Notorious at Comedy Central’s original programming and development department.

Robin Lyons is md and one of the founders (in 1981) of Siriol Prods. in Cardiff, Wales, one of the U.K.’s leading animation studios that also produces programming for French and other European broadcasters.

Alex Meza & Dave Markowitz are the lead animators producing Kid Notorious at Comedy Central’s Central Productions department.

Jeff Nodelman is the founder/ceo of New York City-based Noodlesoup Prods., which is producing The Venture Brothers for The Cartoon Network.

Larry Schwarz, the ceo of Animation Collective in New York City, was involved in the production of the first online Flash movie in 2000.

Robert Watts is Bardel’s head of production in its Flash animation department. Robert has worked on more than 60 productions for television, feature films and CD-ROMS including Warner Bros.’ hit Flash series, ¡Mucha Lucha!, which is one of North America’s top rated animated shows.

Andy Wyatt is Elephant Prods’ head of animation in its Elephant Egg animation studio (formerly Fictitious Egg). Elephant Prods., founded in 1990, is based in London and offers a wide range of productions styles and methods for edgy shows such as Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids, Hilltop Hospital and Animal School.

For Jeff Nodleman, ceo of Noodlesoup Prods., Flash’s speed and efficiency are its greatest advantages. Photographer’s credit: Nick DeMayo. Venture Brothers image courtesy of Cartoon Network.