Skeptical about Animoto’s claim to offer a fast and easy way for users to create video slide shows that they can share with anyone? I was too! But the services really works. What it offers is simplicity and professional looks with less work for the creator.
The website breaks down creating your video into 3 steps. First, choose a background theme for your show, then upload the pictures you want to include, and finally add music to play in the background of your video. The setup was easy to navigate and the only steps that took a long time to complete were uploading pictures and “producing” your video in the end, neither of which ended up being severely inconvenient.
The pictures and movies to be used in your show can come from two different places. You can upload them straight off your computer or you can connect to your Facebook account or one of several other photo sharing sites. I found uploading straight from the computer to be easiest. This way a user could set the order that they wanted the pictures and video to appear in the slideshow on their computer and then upload all the pictures to the website in that order. Using the website to arrange pictures and videos is bearable if you have a short show, but if you have a longer show, you’ll have bigger thumbnails and be able to see pictures better if you work directly off your computer rather than the site.
After you’re done designing your show, it takes a few minutes for Animoto to “produce” your project. The website automatically sends you an email when it is done so you don’t have to keep the website open during this step. Your music and background theme for the show are automatically added as well as different types of transitions between pictures that occur in sync with your music. In the end you’ll be able to download the video to your computer as well as some other ways to share your video including a link that you can email or post on your Facebook. The only bad part is that if you find something you don’t like in your show after its been produced, you’ll have to go back into the slideshow, make the fix, and then wait for your video to be produced all over again which is frustrating and may cost you extra money.
Animoto lets you make your videos in 260p, 480p, or 720p depending on the account you purchase (Lite, Plus, or Pro). Lite lets you make free 30 second 260p clips. Plus lets you make full length videos in 260p, but charges extra for 480p or 720p. Pro lets you make unlimited HD shows that you can use for publicity, advertising, and business purposes. The 260p videos that you can make with the lite and plus account come out good when viewed on a small screen, but once you blow them up to full screen they seem blurry. A minimum of 480p is necessary if you plan on viewing on a larger screen which means a few extra dollars may need to be spent on your video.
Animoto was fun to use and I was impressed by how easy it was to operate. Its great for getting pictures that are scattered about online and on your computer in one place and making them something that your friends will want to look at.
Recent Comments