The most surprising part of creating a video Slideshow is, that neither of the methods I’m going to outline require that you have a camera or that you stand in front of one. At first blush, it may seem complicated. However, once you break it down into individuals processes the segments are easy to accomplish. There are indeed 5 steps to completing this process, but a few avenues to get there.

So,  I want to share the two “user-friendly” methods that have proven to be easy and fun to do. The first of these is the simplest. When you make a visit to Animoto.com, you can compose a thirty second short film with a soundtrack. All this made from a combination of photographs and Music that they have on their site. This is a free service that Animoto provides.

When you add to this, the ability to add text to punctuate the pictures, you have an instant video in a form suitable for the silent silver screen. There is also the added flexibility of uploading any of the elements from your own computer. You can even add video clips to the finished product. Should you want to make your feature a “talkie”, however, the application can’t take it that far.

This is where the next application that I would like to suggest comes in. It can do voice-over and is the baby brother of Camtasia. I would like to introduce Jing. Both programs are made by the same company. One simply has more bells and whistles than the other. In a project that you create with Jing you can do voice-over, screen capture, record capability, and quite a few other features that will make your presentation shine.

If you want the video ever to be seen, your task will be to compose an intriguing title. If your title can make the viewer ask themselves at least two questions, then you’ve garnered a captive Audience. In most cases, you’ll be expected to deliver what the title promises the audience. So, be ready to do that. Only in rare instances can the title can be misleading and you still have the audience’s forgiveness. I don’t recommend that you try this very often unless you can pull it off very well.

Next, you must decide if you want to entertain or educate your audience. In the case of the former, your video should tend to a shorter length. Thirty seconds to a minute and  a half length is required in that type of video to maintain attention span. For education, you have a longer threshold to work with,  but that video has to be filled to the brim with content.  I advocate five to seven minutes with music, but stick to nine without. You would think it to be the opposite, but the presence of music signifies entertainment, hence affording you less time  to play with.

Even without voice-over, you should have a script or storyboard for each project. This enables you to have a plan of forward motion and will signify when you’ve gotten there. Which brings us to the fourth and fifth ingredients, having your own pictures and music to round out the program. There are loads of sites where you can get digital pictures royalty-free and cost free. Don’t you love the information age? The same follows for music, it only requires that you take some time and know what you are looking for. Using this video slideshow service

Some of the solutions to your video problems are easier than others. Brush the dust off that left side of the brain and get the creative juices flowing.Let your creativity run free and engage the audience that your focus is trained on.