I was asked to participate in the first "masters of flash" but turned them down because I thought it was a scam.

  Please give us a brief bio of yourself.

My name is Billy Bussey, I'm 24 years old, I live and work in San Jose California, I enjoy pork ribs, Flash MX, the Simpsons, and Long Island Ice Teas.

  What do you do for inspiration?

When I'm uninspired I try to get away from the computer and do something fun. I watch a movie, visit a friend, go on a day trip, etc... I find that enjoying myself and forgetting about work is the best way to get motivated. I come back to the computer refreshed, and really wanting to create pretty things again.

  Please list 3 of your favourite sites.

I honestly don't surf that much but I occasionally go to:

www.flashkit.com - www.harmony-central.com and www.quicktime.com (for the trailers)

  What do you regard as being your biggest achievement?

I'm very happy that I've been able to create and maintain a successful business since 1998.

  What software couldn't you live without?

Although I love flash and 3d studio max... I think I would literally die if I didn't have photoshop.

  What projects do you have in the pipeline?

I'm about to release several sites (That I'm not allowed to talk about) as well as the next version of my portfolio site www.billybussey.com

  Who do you rate as being the top 3 design companies?

My hero is www.gmunk.com I of course like www.2advanced.com and I like www.derbauer.de

  What effect on traffic do your new designs have?

My site's traffic increased 10 fold after I released it in June of last year.

  What area of web design lacks the most?

Since most of the world is still dial-up, it seems that "videoish" sites are rare and few. I love to watch "film-like" stuff, and there just aren't enough developers out there that can handle both web design and videography.

  What did your very first site look like? Is it still online?

My first site was terrible. It was created entirely in flash 4, and was full of cheesy drawings and played out animations. The site is still online, but they've since stopped using the version I created.

  Have you written any books, if not do you plan to?

I would love to write something, but I'm much too lazy. I was asked to participate in the first "masters of flash" but turned them down because I thought it was a scam. I regret that of course, and would love to be involved in some sort of tutorial book.

  What was the toughest thing you ever did with Flash? How long did you spend on it? Is it still online?

My first portfolio site wecandesign had several 3d animations in, that I had to hand draw in flash (this was before swift 3d existed) I probably spent 8 hours on each animation just tracing a bmp sequence exported from 3ds max.

  Who is your target audience?

I suppose my target audience is young designers, but I try to appeal to most people.

  How have you learned so many Flash/design skills and techniques and can you offer any advice for newbies?

I learn through experimentation. Just playing with flash and other programs is the best way for me to learn. I try not to take designing too serious, and try not to worry about trend or what the "popular look" is.

I suggest just doing what's fun for you, and playing with as many programs as you can.

  Do you think Flash is here to stay?

Although I love flash, I know its popularity will fade. Programs like after effects, or Maya will take on a larger role as sites become more advanced, and internet connections get faster. Flash will eventually be replaced when "vector" web sites are no longer needed.

  What are your views on design/graphic school. Do you think someone can get into the field without educational experience in a school environment?

I think school is great for some people, and probably a good idea for most. I think it's possible to do well in design with no formal training whatsoever. In fact, most of the developers I know never went to school for it.

  When your company was just getting started, what did you find was most effective for getting new clients?

Nothing beats a strong portfolio!

  What is the most expensive thing you've bought in the last week?

A sandwich at the San Jose airport, it cost me $197.50.

  What type of overcoat do you wear when Flashing, basically are you a labels man?

I'm not totally sure what that question means.... but I guess I wear an overcoat I got at a thrift store for about $2 that has a big ink stain in one pocket, and everyone makes fun of me for wearing it because it sorta smells like garlic.

  Any parting shots or pearls of wisdom?

REMEMBER TO REBEL AGAINST AUTHORITY KIDS!

  It's been a privilege, Billy, thank you very much.

No, thank you ... for letting me ramble on and on about myself ;)