Great tool!
Yes, I hope. :-)
Mark Goren brought attention to an interesting tool:
Animoto (feels like Kainoto
). You upload some images, choose the music (from their database or yours) and let the system do it. Result?
As written in the blog and comments, the intention of Animoto was for people to stop sending those oversized PowerPoint files with theirs or someone elses ideal vacation. Do animoto and let people enjoy. Please, use it!
The tool itself can be categorized as "video for beginners" for it's simplicity (you must know english). At the same time it can be categorized as "video for small companies" due to effects that look much more professional than many adverts we can see on our local televisions.
Despite that you can make a video in minutes there are some challanges remaining and think of them first (before you start enjoying this fantasticly nice tool):
- core message and the strategy
The fact is you must first know whom you're talking to and what you want to say. Afterwards start doing the video. You have to know as well what you will achieve with certain message - positive or negative effects?
- create good materials (spend some money on photography)
This part remains underestimated too many times. Cheap camera and a photo that is done by some salesman or somebodies son/daughter is usually not interesting, bad and it's even better there isn't any. Invest in a good material and it will repay at least double.
In long term we can not expect this tool to replace the professional tools for presentations and making videos. There are just too many limitations and problems to it. Yet if you're very short on the marketing budget (small company) and you really need a quick and effective presentation, this is a good solution. Took me like few minutes to make this video.
Animoto rocks!
Dušan