Create Your Own Animated Videos With Machinima Software

Whether you've just started creating your own animated shorts or ready to go pro, creating machinima is very easy to do if you have the right tools at your disposal. From text-to-speech programs with avatars, recording skits with your favorite video game characters, to making everything yourself, there's a way to create your own show no matter which technique you use. As long as you know how to edit videos for YouTube, you can create an animated video with the right tools in your hands.

For those who can write a short script, but don't play video games or know how to draw, Xtranomal.com is a good place to start. Their text-to-speech program lets you create machinima videos using pre-made avatars, settings, and sounds. You can even change the camera angle to get specific shots if needed. As for the speech, the web-based program uses the same speech voices found on your PC. This means that your actors will sound like robots more than actual people. The web-based program is free, but the site also offers a desktop program that you can purchase downloadable content for extra avatars and other items that you'd like to use.

If you wish to film some stunts or skits in a video game, you'll have to do so by recording the action and using a video editor. All you have to do is either hook up a camcorder (or PC) to your TV's video output or by using a video capture card if you're using a computer game as the setting. As long as you know what to do and which camera angles to get, you can make a machinima video within an hour. For cameras, you'll need friends spread throughout the game world to look in certain directions. The video editing software will cost around $40 and you can find help making these types of videos online on various blogs.

If you know how to make animated videos from the ground up, you can create machinima by using Adobe Photoshop and Premiere. Both programs can be used to create and edit videos through Flash and can be formatted to be played online or even on DVD. Some artists have even done videos using avatars just as detailed as their video game counterparts using just these two programs. You can get them both for $100 bundled or buy the pro version separately, depending on how far you want to go with your videos.

You can find all sorts of programs and editors to make your own machinima videos online. You can also find advice on various blogs and podcasts as well. They provide tips and techniques to those who wish to make animated shorts for the first time or to help take their videos one step further. Regardless of how you decide to create it, making these types of videos can be fun for you and your fans to create and watch.

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Is it worth to make an animated video on your own?

Many of us use computers every day. Sometimes we are so advanced in terms of computer skills that we can do amazing things on our devices. We edit photos, mix music or even try to create our own animated clips. Still, some of us do not see the point of an individual making a video, if this person does not know a lot about making animations. So is it worth to make an animated video on your own?

One may say that it depends on your skills. Of course, it is easier to use a computer program  once you practiced it. It is even better if you studied graphic design.  Yet, there are many people who possess certain knowledge about creating videos but do not have ideas . So once you have a clue of how you want your clip to look like, you can try to create it on your own. To do it you need to look for information about computer programs which will help you with the graphics. Once you install them on your PC you need to learn about all their features. The best way to do it is to experiment with the program. Once you are ready you can try to create your own video. Still you have to remember that it will take more time and patience, but if you succeed the effect will be satisfying.

If on the other hand you will not manage to create a video that meets your expectations, you can ask for help of others. If you want a video that is not fully professional, a friend or a person who studies graphics will certainly manage to make a  clip. When you need to have a short movie which will be used for promoting your brand, you definitely need a well-crafted video.  Once you want to explain services with video you need them to look professionally and be created in the way that catches attention. For this reason it is good to ask for help of advertisement agencies which specializes in creating commercials as short clips.

You should not have concerns of creating an animated video on your own once you do it for fun or to practice the use of graphic programs. However if you want to prepare  it for a more serious reason you will probably need a help of professionals. Especially when you need to create a commercial for your company. Still, you can co-operate with the advertisement agency who will turn your ideas into a high-quality and catchy clip.  

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Animator: Required Education For a Career in Animation

Learn about the education and preparation needed to become an animator. Get a quick view of the requirements as well as details about degree programs, job duties and career outlook to find out if this is the career for you.

Essential Information

Most employers require prospective animators to have a bachelor's degree in animation or a related field, as well as a professional portfolio, though some animators hold only a certificate or an associate's degree. Students typically take courses in drawing, 3D programming, computer graphics, video effects and graphic design. Programs may also provide training on sound and video editing, as well as kinematics.

Required Education	Bachelor's degree
Projected Job Growth	6% between 2012 and 2022 (for all multimedia artists and animators)*
Median Salary (2013)	$64,470 annually (for all multimedia artists and animators)*

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Portfolios

Through their coursework, students may begin to build a professional portfolio of their work. They may also take specialized courses, such as design studios, to help them improve their skills in animation. Some of these courses may also cover portfolio presentation and self-marketing to help students find jobs after they graduate.

Job Opportunities

Upon graduation, students may look for employment with motion picture and video production companies, as well as advertising and public relations firms. Animators may also find work with software publishers and computer system design firms. With additional training, these professionals may also become:

• Sketch artists
• Graphic designers
• Painters
• Cartoonists
• Illustrators
• Computer game developers
• Computer game programmers
• Visual artists
• Web designers
• Multimedia designers 

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5 Ways To Prep Your Video Interviewee

As a video pro, I know that a story can go from good to great with a the right soundbite. However, not all of your interviewees are the most polished, confident, and camera-friendly subjects (I am one of those people). As the interviewer, you have tremendous influence over how the interview/testimonial goes. It is a role with great responsibility, but you have more control over the outcome than you might think.

So, to get your interviewee in the right zone that fosters the right soundbite mojo, here are a few tips to prep them for video glory.

1. “This is not live.”

Assure your interviewee that if they do get tangled up in their words 30 million people are not going to instantly see it. Explain to them that this video will be edited and it is YOUR job to make THEM look good. Tell them they can relax and they take their time to collect their thoughts before giving their response if needed. Make it more of a conversational situation, tell them to ignore the cameras, just be themselves and share their story with you.

2. “Put the question back into your answer.”

Most videos cut out the interviewer asking the questions, and putting the question up in text before the response doesn’t always look professional. So, ask your interviewee to incorporate the question into their answer to give the viewer context to what they are saying. For example, if I ask: “What was your experience like in the _____ academy?” A response like: “It was really great, I learned a lot of valuable skills that have excelled my career,” is aggravatingly lacking specifics that can serve as a narrative to the story. So, coach your interviewee to phrase their response with the question included. Like so: “My academy experience at ___________ was great, I learned a lot of valuable skills that have excelled my career.” That answer can stand on it’s own and can naturally carry the story without more disconnecting voice overs or text.

3. “Don’t hate me when I pause us during a take.”

5 Ways To Prep Your Video Interviewee image IMG 2914.jpg 300x200 Get used to this fact right now: something will go wrong while recording video. Especially during the interview. Distractions like: noises, lighting issues, someone walking through the background, noises, tripod bumps, video cards running out of storage, and more noises. So, set that expectation from the beginning that you will most likely encounter something that requires a retake. If you prepare them for it ahead of time it won’t seem quite as traumatic or jarring when you have to interrupt them mid take because something ruined the shot.

4. “I’m not an expert on this topic, so forgive me if I ask something stupid. I’m here to learn.”

When someone is nervous about going into an interview, an interviewer who seems clueless and incompetent makes the situation exponentially more uncomfortable/irritable. So, defuse a possible bomb in advance and save face by addressing any lack of credentials up front. Usually the interviewee will then be happy to enlighten you; and it puts them in a position of control and can instill confidence. A confident interviewee is more likely to provide fuller, solid answers to your questions.

5. “Keep your answers concise.”

Math time! 2 minute video = 120 seconds. Four interviewees = 30 seconds max of talk time each. Five questions per interview allows 6 second responses… whoa. Obviously that is not the formula for every video, but the point is explain to your interviewees that they’re not the only person (unless it’s a one person interview) in the video and they need to keep their answers “concise” in order to accommodate other perspectives in the story. Now, you don’t want to limit people’s responses and have them leave out key details or characteristics, so it’s a fine line to walk. So try this. If their first take was too long, say: “Awesome content, slightly long, let’s try to tighten it up.” Remind them of any key words you heard the first time, and just ask them to make it shorter. Worst case, you have two different takes you can pull from.

So, before you hit record on the camera next time, run through these tips with your interviewee. When you prepare them for the bumps, set the right expectations, and give them a little bit of coaching you can create a dynamic team that produces some beautiful soundbites.

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Using animated videos for online marketing

There are all sorts of names for it – explainer videos, corporate video, marketing videos, animated web videos…. cartoons for your company – I prefer to call them animated videos! But, whatever you call them, their popularity in digital marketing strategy is growing.

Once animation was limited to those with massive six figure production budgets, but current technology means you no longer need a big studio or access to television broadcast channels to create and distribute animation.

In theory, anyone can have one written, designed, storyboarded and produced tailored to your marketing needs.

Four major reasons to use animation in your marketing

1) Increased conversion rates – 64%- 85% of people are more likely to purchase after watching a product video. And, on average, people will stay 2 minutes longer on your website when engaged with a video (Internet Retailer 4/2010 / Comscore 8/2010).A video on the landing page of your site will save visitors time clicking and reading through your website. You have a chance to grab their attention and communicate using a powerful mix of pictures, motion, text, voice, sound effects and music in a short amount of time. It’s an efficient use of time and condenses information in several forms of media. Read more about the power of video and why you should be using it in this article.

2) Google owns You Tube, so a presence on You Tube, and embedding video on your site, gives you a 53x higher likelihood of a Google front-page search result (Forrester, 1/2010).You can also add keyword tags to your You Tube videos. For example, adding the keywords “hire freelance animator” into my You Tube videos resulted in commissions for projects from clients who discovered my business through these videos.

3) Free Range Studios has created several animated videos that have gone viral and had this to say; “…there’s no guaranteed recipe for big numbers on a video campaign. What you can do is make sure you’ve got a solid idea/story/message; a clear understanding of your target audience; an action step or ‘ask;’ a great outreach plan to pound the ether-pavement and get folks ready for your launch.”So, although you shouldn’t simply upload your video, sit back and expect people to start sharing without any other form of promotion – it can be a powerful and unexpected part of your marketing campaign.

4) Video saves time in creating and delivering Powerpoint presentations – Once you’ve created an animation, make the most of it and use it offline too. Animation can enhance presentations, pitches and meetings by helping to explain and promote your business. It’s a great conversation point and useful for networking. I have all my animation available offline on my phone, iPod and tablet. So, if I ever get into a conversation with someone about what I do, I can whip out a device and show them. My animated videos have generated as many leads as my business cards.

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How Animation Videos Increase Profit To Your Online Business

If you have an online business & you want it to go popularin the business industry, have animated video clips on your website. It will help you increase profit & eventually result to a business expansion. Take the opportunity that online marketing offers for your business because you will get profits from it. One of which is to have video hosting on your website that will talk about your business & the products you are marketing online. You can have this by taking the service of video marketing specialists. They will come up with a promotional campaign video that can be the key for the success of your business.

Video marketing services are the most sought business strategy to draw people & encourage them to become your customer. They make animated video clips that are relevant to your business in order to get instant customer. Most online businesses became popular because they use flash animation videos to introduce & advertise their products & services. This became an efficient tool to target prospects & customers. Video marketing experts offers the assurance for an engaging & interesting videos that you can use on your website to market your products & services. Bring your business on top of the ladder with video marketing strategy.

Those who are experts in the field of 3D animated video create a gallery of promotional & marketing video for your business. They make funny animated video about your product and services to promote visitors to see your website so that you can generate more traffic. After watching your funny animated video, your target audience will likely become curious about your products. This will lead them to become your potential clients. You can also have collaboration with a video marketing service provider to the theme that you want so that you can both produce a good and interesting 3D animated video that will gain hits & views in the internet.

There are a lot of online users who are spending hours in the internet watching funny animated video clips. There will be no doubt that you can earn customers if you will use video marketing for your business. Video marketing service providers offer various types of videos depending on the nature of your business and your target audience. One thing is for sure that internet users prefer a short & interesting funny animated video than those that are long & boring. Videos bring life to your website especially when you are going to put animated video clips. It is more effective than any other marketing methods.

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