Video is awesome. Video is powerful. Video can deliver amazing results.
But it ain’t easy.
Yes, smartphones and Flip video cameras have made it easy to capture video. The gobs of videos uploaded to YouTube every minute attest to that.
But many nonprofits and businesses shy away from video because they know a good video is not just about capturing video. A good video is about telling a story and having a purpose, i.e. capturing leads, raising awareness or soliciting donations. It’s also about knowing the medium and editing your footage to create a coherent and compelling message.
Making a good video entails both storytelling and technical skills. No one wants make a bad video, so a lot of us just don’t try.
Animoto Helps You Make Stunning Videos
If you’ve got photos, you can have a good video. Very few technical skills required. Really.
Animoto is a web-based service that sets your photos to music and turns them into videos. Check it out.
Animoto thinks like a director and an editor, combining your images and music with the same sophisticated post-production skills and techniques used in television and film. The technology takes into account every nuance of a song – the genre, song structure, energy, rhythm, instrumentation and vocals.
Animoto is a tool, not a magic bullet. You still need a compelling story structure, decent photos and solid copy.
Make and share an Animoto video and I guarantee someone will ask you how you did it.
Thirty-second Animoto videos are absolutely free. Pick an animation style, choose your music, add some text, upload your photos and Animoto makes it stunning.
Pull in images from Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket or SmugMug. When you are done, share your video easily via email or on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or Tumblr.
Animoto comes with about a dozen animation styles and music in a variety of genres. Paid accounts give you more options – download videos, produce videos without the Animoto branding baked in and add a link to the end of your video, a feature that’s a must if you are going to use the video to make an ask (sign up, donate, etc.).
Pro accounts with all the bells and whistles are just $249 per year, or $39/month. Click here for Animoto pricing.
Free Animoto Pro Accounts for Nonprofits & Educators
Here’s the best part – nonprofits and educators are eligible for free Animoto Pro accounts!
To qualify, nonprofits need to submit a charity registration number and to register with a nonprofit email address, not a personal email address. The Animoto website states that it will take about 14 days to process a nonprofit application. Click here for Animoto for a Cause.
Educators must provide school, grades and subjects taught and class website/blog. Likewise, educators must submit the application using an official school email address. Click here for Animoto for Education.
I highly recommend the Animoto blog for tips and tricks, webinars and tutorials. Definitely read 5 Ways Animoto Can Help Your Cause and Animoto For A Cause 101.
If you end up using Animoto, share your video here and I’ll share it on the Company K Media Facebook page and Twitter feed.
Tool Tuesday blog posts feature products and services I’ve actually used, like and recommend to nonprofits and small businesses.
Related articles
- Animoto & Instagram: Perfect Together? (gigaom.com)
- 5 Facebook Apps for Getting More From Your Photos (mashable.com)
- YouTube Good Work Helps Non-Profits Find The Video Help They Need (googlefornonprofits.blogspot.com)
