March Apps Mania 2009 – Videos without Video Cameras
March 18, 2009
Every tournament needs a few teams that were counted out, only to rise up again. We liked these apps but they didn’t really fit with the video editing sites. This extra post will give them their moment in the sun.
YouTube and Motionbox are great – if you have some videos to share. But what if don’t have a video camera?
If you want to make a video but you don’t have a video camera, you can make a pretty snazzy video out of your still photos. Just use one of these handy video-making apps!
I was kind of skeptical of Animoto at first. You start by uploading photos and music to Animoto (or choose from the stock photos and music). Next you add text and select elements you want to “spotlight”. Click create and Animoto will analyze the photos and music and create a video for you. You don’t have to worry about timing or transitions or learning new software. It bothered me crazy that I couldn’t control the final look of the video. But after seeing the finished product, I was impressed.
Animoto is free – just register and you can create an unlimited number of 30 second videos. Share your creations on MySpace, on your blog, or embed on a webpage. Check out the one I made for Summer Reading 2009. Pretty cool for two minutes of effort!
Slideroll allows you to make a slideshow/movie out of still photos. You can add music, transitions, and captions.
Unlike Animoto, you have control over what you’re doing, but it isn’t as cool. It gets the job done if you want to quickly create a video-like presentation out of photos.
One True Media is just like Slideroll, but with cooler effects. There’s a lot of pay-only content, but there’s plenty of free stuff to play with. You can share what you make on MySpace, Facebook, blogs, and even your own webpage. The biggest downsize to One True Media is that you can get lost in all the special effects and easily spend an entire Saturday afternoon making one slideshow.
| Your mission, should you choose to accept it:
1. Choose one: Sign up and create a slideshow in Animoto (use stock photos and music if you like). OR You can test Slideroll without signing up! Just use the Flickr pictures they provide. OR Sign up for One True Media and make a slideshow using the stock photos they provide. 2. In the comments, share any ideas for how libraries might use these tools. And share the link to your slideshow! |
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