BP9_2010043_Web2.0tool3Animoto

For this week, I thought that I would try to check out something that could be used by anyone.  I found a video-producing tool called "Animoto".

What is Animoto? 

It is a Web 2.0 tool where a person can take images and music and produce short videos. (short means 30 seconds).

You can upload your own music or video clips but you are not limited to your own there is a library that allows for borrowing images, music and video clips.  I produced two short videos very in about 5 minutes.  It gives the three steps for creating a video then the site puts it together and produces the video clip.

There are three steps to assembling a video.  Step one is to pick images.  There are several choices here.  You can pick your pictures from your computer, you can load pictures in from Flick, Facebook, SmugMug, Picasa or photobucket.  The other choice is to use images from their library.  It is not hard to put choose the different images.  It is mostly click and waiting until the image loads.

The second step is to choose some music.  Now, it is not the stuff that runs on the hit parade, but some little know artists who apparently agreed to have their stuff on this site.  Several classical pieces are also part of this, but short selections and then the Animoto editor cuts the music to fit the images. Animoto then produces the video and then you can store your videos on your site.  It also lets you move away from the site while the videos are being produced.

Here is what your creating space looks like.

Here is what your saved space looks like.

Ways to use this:  Easy way to produce short videos. (30 seconds)  Pictures are very kid friendly.  Music is not necessarily short clips, but there is no editing necessary.  If there is an idea, then that idea could be produced in a 30 second video.  There is only one problem and that is the site continually asks you to upgrade to full length or other versions that you have to pay for.  If a student accidently clicks on the upgrade, then someone will have to come up with the money to do it.  It is only $3.00 for a full length video.  The videos turn out really well.  I have included one that I did here.

pretty flowers