Wheels of Words

Being of the digital generation scrapbooking goes beyond arranging pictures, art work and comments on the pages of an album. Next to high resolution photos, my travel and life experiences are also captured on HD film. Each holiday has its own travel mix stored away on my mp3 player, melodies and catchy tunes tightly tied into my memories. To capture the whole experience for my family and friends, I go one step further and create video scrapbooks. One of the easiest ways to combine music, videos and pictures in one format is the video editing platform animoto.com. While Windows Media Player is also an option, the choice of designs and the music as well as video editing is easier on animoto. The only offline programme I know which lives up to animoto’s quality standard is iMovie by Apple. However, that software is only available for Mac.

Compared to iMovie and Windows Movie Maker, which are software packages, animoto.com is an online video editing platform accessible by subscription. Yet, animoto allows you to create and download free 30 seconds videos, which is a great way to test their product. Furthermore, it is a cheap, but high quality video editing options for short personal or promotion videos.

Video Scrapbooking Made Simple

I will guide you through creating your first 30-seconds-video. For now, we will only use photos and comments. 

My project for today: My trip to Ireland in 2006.

Step 1: Sign up with animoto.com
Simply sign up for an account on animoto.com or sign in with your facebook account.

Step 2: Choose your video style
Click on Create Video and choose one of the design styles – take a look at the sample video to get an impression of the final product.

Step 3: Open the editing window
Click on ‘make a 30-seconds-video for free’ and the editing window will open.

Step 4: Upload your photos
Up to 12 pictures fit in a 30-seconds-video. However, each comment you add replaces one picture. You can easily rearrange the order of the photos by simply clicking and dragging them.

Step 5: Add your comments
By clicking on ‘Add Text’ you can add a slide with a 22-sign header and 30-sign text block which will be added at the beginning, end or after the photo currently marked in the editing window. You can once again easily change the position of the text slide by clicking on it and dragging it into the right position.

Step 6: It’s time for some music
Click on ‘Add music’ and select an appropriate background tune. If you can’t find anything fitting in the online library, just upload your own mp3 from your computer. This time I went for BELIEVE by Windsor Drive in the classical section, it put me in a chipper mood.

Step 7: Name your project
Simply click on the ‘Edit’ button next to ‘Untitled Project’ in the upper left corner and add your own title.

Step 8: Convert your project
Just click on ‘Produce Video’. This could take a minute or two.

Step 9: Check your video

You can re-edit the video, if you need, to by clicking on ‘My videos’ in the top bar.

Step 10: Download your video to your desktop and enjoy.

I hope you will have fun video scrapbooking the photos, films and music mixes from your next travel adventure, a party with friends, the biggest snowball fight of the winter or a family pick nick.

One last tip: 30-seconds-videos from animoto also make great greeting, Christmas or birthday cards for friends and family.

Have fun being creative!

-Vivienne