Web 2.0 - First Look at Animoto

Animoto is one of the neatest Web 2.0 innovations I’ve seen in a while. It allows users to quickly create music videos with a professional look and edgy feel. Signing up for a free account takes about a minute. The video creation process begins by uploading your photos to their site. For my test video I uploaded over 20 photos, which went quickly. The web-based user interface is very elegant and provides the user with constant feedback indicating the progress made.



The next step is to upload your music, or alternatively you can select a track from Animoto’s library of indie rock, electronica, or hip hop. After you settle on a track, the magic begins. Animoto analyizes your photo’s and music, and renders a unique video, with all kinds of racy effects in perfect synch to the music. Animoto currently supports sharing videos by allowing users to send email links to friends, or automatically posting videos directly to most major blogging platforms. It can also provide the raw html code that can be embedded into any website. Animoto is currently in beta, and they say that feature enhancements are coming soon, such as the ability to download video’s directly to your harddrive. Free accounts allow users to create 30 second videos, and for only $30 year, users can enjoy unlimited full-length video production.