There is a good stuff in the book "the Essential Blender", that's I have used.

Also check this link from Blender wiki, it's an introduction to driven shape keys:
wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:Manual/Animation/Advanced/Driven_Shape_Keys/Example

Luck!

It has past one and half year... starting from Blender 2.45... to 2.49

And here is the end of the WIP.

This is the high resolution version, at 1280x720 pixels. H.264 video, AC3 audio and 93.1MB

And the medium resolution version, at 720x405 pixels. mpeg4 video, mp3 audio and 39.6MB

I am not too satisfied with fist half animation, but it was better at the end. But I enjoyed with the WIP really.

This is finished, but already in mind a new fanart. Looking forward to increase the show and fx.

The last thing, if someone is interested in a tutorial, expanation... I am open to it.

Greetings, and thanks for following this work  :)

Thanks oldskoolPunk... I imagine the guard don't loves it so that  :p

Well, here is the last scene, with some of node editing:

It's the usual .mp4 in 16:9 format spending 5,2MB.

Also a screen capture:

All work with node editor is done also, so I must to do credits and last compositing with sequencer including music to finish the WIP.

Using 2.49 since yesterday, good work from the Foundation  :)

Waiting for 2.50 with sure will be awesome.

Thanks for sharing.

I don't know the flash thing, but as DramaKing says rendering in .png with alpha and importing the sequence in flash can be an option.

It sounds good, lots of thanks for sharing your work :)

Looking forward a new open project and waiting for the original DVD  :)

It have past lots of time, but here is the sixth scene.

Notice the violence advisory, this is the bloody scene.

Video in .mp4, 16:9 format and 5,2MB.

Some captures:

First bloody image.

Second bloody image.

Next one is the last scene, the thing is finishing :)

Cool work, congrats :)

Since you have various workspaces in most of linux desktops, you can do a thing similar to Touchwood solution, with only one monitor.

Make blender window sizes two workspaces; this launcher is an option:

/home/vespertilum/blender-2.48a/blender -w -p 0 0 2400 910

Adjust split area between two workspaces.

Switch between workspaces.

And here is scene 5:

Video:

It's the usual .mp4 in 16:9 format. This time size is 5,1MB since duration is 22 seconds.

Last plane is not in storyboard, I introduced it as transition between scenes and new illumination for last scenes.

Scene 6 now, the most difficult  :p

The Reddog9 method is the one I use, but I will add a comment.
Make the transitions "from high to low" and "from low to high" in two frames, so you will render a frame with a medium illumination and final animation will be smoother.

This is scene 4:

2MB in a mp4 with 16:9 format.

Here is the first facial animation plane and the appearance of Gally.
The worst is the transition between walk cycle and next Action, I must fix that for Gally's walk.
Also note video is too dark, it will be fixed in post.
Notice the effect of the material on Gally's body.

About next scene, the first plane is finished and rendered, now I will work in the forge of blades.

As a Linux I can say it's not needed lots of memory to do complex things, 2MB enough. Even it's better spend money in a faster memory than in quantity.
Nvidia cards are good for me, but I am open to ATI since they free specifications.

About human figures take a look to "Makehuman", another good free tool:
www.makehuman.org/blog/index.php

Scene 3 is finished:

It's a .mp4 of 2MB, with the usual 16:9 format.

Also a screenshot of the source:

A comment about render, I am rendering by passes (combined, Z, Vec, Sha) at a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. Render format is MultiLayer (ZIP lossless).
So I'll manage things like Vector Blur in Node Editor. That's a cool thing, but very expensive in hard disk space.

Scene 4 is the starring of Gally, and after some tests I decided to improve her, specially skinning in cloth.

Edit: orthography ( what on hell is losslexx? )  :p