How to make an Animoto slideshow

[@rebeccaburnworth7443]

Thank you for a great tutorial! How many pictures did you use for that song?

[@JaredPlattPhotography]

Thank you. Glad you like it. The slideshow is about a 35 image slideshow. Most senior portraits end up around 30-40. Weddings 40-50. Smaller portraits 20-30.

[@JaredPlattPhotography]

30-50

[@thebostonartist]

Great video, thanks for uploading. I am not able to do anything but upload from my computer, no Lightroom, Flickr or Smugmug... is that because it's a free trial, or am I doing something wrong?

[@JaredPlattPhotography]

You have to have images in Lightroom's cloud and then you have to connect the two via the animoto connection menu when you first want to add photos in order for it to work. But you have to actually be sharing images through the Lightroom Mobile" or what they now just Call "Share to Lightroom" option.

[@destinyrae1482]

Has Animoto changed since this video?

[@JaredPlattPhotography]

It is an online platform and is always advancing, but it hasn't changed significantly since this was made.

[@JaredPlattPhotography]

A little.

[@mgr5550]

Hi just a sincere question, if most of this can be done in NLE or in AfterEffects which gives more control and accuracy of transitions etc, then what sets Animoto apart ? Just trying to understand. I dont mean to underestimate the work but the slideshow you have done is a very basic fade type, and i heard you mention client, so your dong this slide show commercially ? I appreciate it, but wont the client say i can do this in powerpoint on my home system, or windows slide maker etc which makes similar outputs for free etc. I just trying to handle client objections and am from the same work line. Your inputs will be valuable to me. Thanks in advance.

[@JaredPlattPhotography]

Simplicity. That’s the answer. If you know after effects etc, then go for it. Most people who need videos and slideshows and marketing messages don’t know complicated software and want to spend their time on coming up with a message and only 2 minutes on making the video to communicate that message. That’s what Animoto is for. To make something that gets the job done fast and efficiently. I for one don’t care how much more control I have in After Effects. I wouldn’t want to spend a second in that program. It’s complicated. But, I’m not a video editor. If I need something that is complicated I pay my video guy to open after effects. If I want to do something fast and simple... well, that’s the point of Animoto.

[@mgr5550]

@@JaredPlattPhotography > Hi Jared, ok so your suggesting ANIMOTO is more suited for the clients to directly use ? What you say is true, for direct end users it makes sense. But in your video it looked like you are a media pro making it for a client as you mentioned in the video. So you also use Animoto where your charging the client and making it for them ? Because you said in your video you will be delivering it to the client. Im trying to understand is Animoto only for end users or for professionals also, like as in are you using it to make commercial work ?

[@JaredPlattPhotography]

@@mgr5550 There are plenty of marketing professionals using Animoto to create marketing videos for companies (as clients). The point is that a person or a company can make good marketing videos for Facebook, Instagram Etc in minutes rather than hours with little to no training in complicated software. You could do this for your own business or you could be a professional image-maker (like myself) and provide that as a service for your commercial clients. OR you can learn or train someone on your staff in pro-video editing software. But in the case where Animoto can function as a quick solid video producing tool, it seems like overkill. You are not going to make a TV or Movie production quality video in Animoto! You are making QUICK video messages for social media. It's social media... it's important today and lost in the pile tomorrow. You can't spend hours on messages in social media. So you use tools to make it faster. But if you can't see the point of it, then don't use it. Either way, you will have a video to post. One does a good job in minutes. The other does an amazing job after a year of learning and hours of complicated work. That's the point. There isn't much more to say. I am a professional photographer. I make social media videos and even video content at times for clients and for my own promotional purposes. I use the tools that are needed for the job at the time I do the Job. If I need fast and simple, I use that. If I need something more customizable and higher quality, I have my video production resource create it for me in After Effects and Premiere. That's it.

[@mgr5550]

@@JaredPlattPhotography > Thanks so much for explaining. You are very much correct that for a simple job a simpler tool is better. Animoto seems like an excellent tool for photographers especially for presentations. Im a professional NLE video editor and cinematographer and have my own small one man production company but govt regd etc. Also used to do professional strobist photography but stopped a few years ago. Its a very tough industry in SriLanka etc and now because of COVID has become tougher. So im just trying to see innovative ways i can make simple styled videos by remote work to clients in my area or even thoughout my country as animated videos can be done without contact and easily coordinated from anywhere. Im familiar with Premeire Pro, Vegas Pro & Adobe Animate (formerly flash). Like you i find Vegas Pro even better than Premiere Pro as its simpler though its not known much mainstream. I though i could use photographs which clients already have and make them simple motion graphics videos using Animoto or if they want more control and 4K output etc use VEGAS & ANIMATE etc. In my country you wouldnt believe it but i charge $200 equivalent for a 1 day shoot with full 4K pipeline production for promo films (with 4K drone, 4K ground camera with multiple lenses & ronin gimbal, action/underwater camera, 4k edit of 10 day which includes editing, typography and color grading etc) delivered in DCI 2K resolution. For that these clients (resorts & hotels) cringe and simply say they arent keen. They expect budgets around $70-80, as that's the mindset here. Now with COVID that's become zero business. So i thought to launch animated/slide videos with typography etc to fit that budget where i have a chance to close the job in 4-5 calls. The former takes 6 months to 1 year of following up & convincing for that $200 budget, they ponder & keep deciding with meetings with their directors as much as one would to buy a very expensive investment like a Rolls Royce. So ive grown fed up, the artist in me is dying, lol. So i thought id give motion graphics styled videos a shot and see if they bite easier. Talking to you is giving me a better perspective on its viability here. PS: In SriLanka & India etc everything is devalued so what is $500 work in USA is $250 or lesser in my country, i mean in terms of value.

[@JaredPlattPhotography]

mgr5550 I completely understand your situation. I empathize. I know what it’s like to have a market drop out from under you. When that happens it is important to find ways to automate. Remember that most clients can only see up to a certain amount of quality and hard work. Then every bit of work you do after that (the invisible work) is not making you any money. It is the law of diminishing returns. Find out where that line is and try to only cross it by a little. Now about the 4K thing. Unfortunately Animoto does not provide 4K. I have told them for years to put it on their product. But they have never listened. Not yet. So if you need 4K keep looking. But you are right to look for automation and don’t forget templating things too. The faster you can get a product out the door the better you will be at dealing with market drops. Best wishes to you. I wish you all the success in the world. The world is a challenging place right now. We are all out of our comfort zone and it’s a bit scary. Put your shoulder to the wheel and keep on pushing.