Moshe Zusman Talks AnimotoPro
If I had one wish, it would be to have a few extra hours in my day–especially during wedding season. I’m constantly looking for ways to improve my workflow and simplify my tasks so that my clients are getting the highest quality photography but I’m not spending a ton of time chasing my tail. And if I can get home and spend a little extra time with the wife and kid every so often, it’s even better.
A few years ago I started including slideshows in my wedding packages. It was a great way for my couples to make a deep, emotional connection to their photos and an excellent marketing tool for me. But, as I soon realized, it was a serious undertaking to create a really good slideshow. The music, timing and transitions all needed to be perfect—and this was literally adding multiple hours of work to every wedding I shot.
So I set out to find software that could give me the professional results I demanded but wouldn’t suck up a ton of my time. I was like the three bears…I tried almost every product on the market. This one was too complicated…that one didn’t give me enough control…but it wasn’t until I tried Animoto that I found a slideshow tool that was just right.
First, it’s quick and easy to use but you don’t sacrifice too much control over your end product. The program allows you to highlight specific photos—making sure your favorites stay front and center.
They have dozens of themes—different looks—you can choose from, but in the end, no two slideshows are alike due to the endless combination of transitions, based on the music you select. And speaking of music, Animoto has a library of selections you can use or you can upload your own.
But it was really the addition of HD themes that sealed the deal. My clients watch their slideshows for the first time in my studio on my 60-inch HD television and they go absolutely crazy for them—every time. I see tears of joy, gasps of wonder and even get a high-five or two. The results are truly stunning. Then I can easily burn the slideshow to a DVD, upload to my website or share through social media with one click of the mouse.
So judge for yourself. This is a slideshow I recently created for one of my clients in 20 minutes flat. The bride was sniffling, the groom was grinning and I got home in plenty of time to tuck my son into bed. Can’t beat it.
