Animoto, online video editor

What’s this, I don’t need to use a video editor program anymore? Yep that’s right. Animoto is an online video editor that uses photos, video and text to create an amazingly orchestrated video with music in minutes. It’s ridiculously cool. To try it yourself go to http://animoto.com/.

While reviewing the 2009 Webby winners from earlier in the year Animoto caught my attention. I’d been looking for something like this for some time because it just seemed like it should already exist. It’s a simple way for anyone to create a slide video using their own assets, fun music and well crafted templated transitions. Because of the reliance on stock music and canned transitions, professional users may find it limiting, but pros and amateurs alike will find it useful and, above all, lots of fun.

Check out the feedback they’ve been getting:

“In a word, they look nothing short of terrific.” 
- Jefferson Graham, USA Today

“As a video producer in a former life, I was honestly blown away at the quality of the video produced.” 
- Michelle Maltais, Los Angeles Times

So my first question was, how does it work? I broke it down into five easy steps.

1. First sign in
2. Then “CreateVideo” either choose the free 30 second video options or the full length ones which give you more time, better transitions and no Animoto branding. I obviously chose the free one.
3. Next upload your pics, they give you the options of grabbing them from Flikr, Facebook, etc or grab them from your computer
4. Last step is pick your music, they have a large library of good tunes to choose from.
5. Then customize the cover screen and “Create Video”, takes aprox 5minutes.

How do you get it?

1. Via an email with an image that links to the Animoto site.
2. Detects the iPhone and works just like YouTube.
3. Download to your computer and add it whatever you want, powerpoint for example.
4. Get the HTML code.
5. Plus get a DVD from them if you want to mail it as a gift.

Animoto seems to be onto something very cool. Just another example of the internet taking on big ideas and giving us the opportunity to reach an audience in a new and fun way.

Click here or below on the image to see something we cooked earlier today.