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PowerPoint templates and animated backgrounds



Printed From: 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio Forum
Category: PowerPoint Templates
Forum Name: Using PowerPoint Templates In PowerPoint
Forum Discription: How to apply PowerPoint templates to PowerPoint presentations
URL: http://www.123ppt.com/video-backgrounds-studio/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=162
Printed Date: 29 Mar 2024 at 04:29
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.53 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: PowerPoint templates and animated backgrounds
Posted By: Jim
Subject: PowerPoint templates and animated backgrounds
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 03:26

Thanks for the newsletter and bringing the forum to my attention.

I wanna wish you guys luck and hope it grows and continues to grow and help us PowerPoint guys out here in cyperspace.

Something I've always wanted to ask, or at least just begin to discuss, is what do people think of animated backgrounds in PowerPoint?

I've seen Flash animated backgrounds, and video based animated backgrounds. But I wondered if you find them disturbing, or if you think they add something to a presentation?

Hope to hear from some of you guys out there!

-Jim




Replies:
Posted By: admin
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 03:52

Hi Jim,

welcome to the 123PPT Community and the PowerPoint Forum. Glad to have you here

I thought I'd kick back some thoughts I have about animated backgrounds.

The first animated background I saw in PowerPoint was a couple of years ago. A company called crystal graphics had made these terrible plugins that slowed everything down. I guess it was all part of a "gimmick" to try to add more "multimedia" to PowerPoint, but it sure as hell wasn't working.

I think most of the audience were basically just impressed that something was moving behind hte text and bullets on the screen that no one was actually questioning the practical use of the backgrounds, or how badly they were designed or how poor the quality of text and content was rendered using their plug-in.

It's strange how people keep trying to push more and more into their PowerPoint presentations. The old "less is more" addage seems to be overlooked when it comes to presenting. It seems that more often than not people use a presentation as an excuse to pack absolutely every effect and slide transition into PowerPoint in the hope that people will be impressed.

Today, we have the http://www.123ppt.com/video-backgrounds-studio/ - 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio which is probably the greatest thing that has ever happened to PowerPoint. It allows presenters to insert, control and play video backgrounds in PowerPoint. Not at low resolutions and in poor anti-aliased qaulity like the crystal graphics solution, but in full broadcast quality even up to resolutions beyond Full HD. Unlike the crystal graphics solution, the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio also plays back presentation in High-Definition at a stunning 25 frames per second, so it's not even a case of being superior. The 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio is infact the only solution for using http://www.123ppt.com/animated-powerpoint-backgrounds/ - video backgrounds in PowerPoint .

When I go to see a presentation sure I want it to look good, and I want the visuals to reflect the theme and be professionally designed (I hate clip art), but I'm basically there to listen and learn. I want to be informed. Not dazzled. Now that's my own personal opinion Jim, but I know a presentation is relative. In many cases a presenter simply has to make an impression in order to get the audience to notice his or her presentation.

There's no doubt that the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio and using video backgrounds certainly achieves this. It really does make audiences sit up and pay attention to presentations and creates more excitement and enthusiasm than static PowerPoint slides can ever do alone. But even so, call me old fashioned, but I'm still a believer that content is king. The presenter still needs focus on the actual content.

Combining stunning visuals and high quality content is the utopian dream for any presenter and it is certainly achievable and thanks to tools like the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio. For me and around 500,000 other presenters and users the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio, it really does make the creation of stunning visuals for PowerPoint extremely simple. But stunning visuals without content to me is a bit like a sports car without an engine. Sure it looks amazing but where can it go and in what direction it driving?



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Admin, 123PPT
http://www.123ppt.com - http://www.123ppt.com


Posted By: Rolf
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 03:56

Hi old fashioned!

Absolutely, lets help build a forum for PowerPoint users and for presenters and creators of presentations and help each other improve our presentations instead of getting those guys that keep showing up on newsgroups trying to sell their products and brand their web domain trying to get more hits in Google.

Whatever happened to the help? To the advice? Since when was promoting a brand more important than trying to help someone on a forum?

Good luck to you guys Admin, I love 123PPT's products, I think they are absolutely the most professional I have seen anywhere online, and I am happy to say that 123PPT really does help make my  presentations better Smile



Posted By: admin
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:23

Thanks for the encouraging words guys.

But back to basics....what do you think about animated backgrounds Rolf?



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Admin, 123PPT
http://www.123ppt.com - http://www.123ppt.com


Posted By: Rolf
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:31

I'm a bit in doubt about the whole animated backgrounds thing to be honest.

I've also seen a lot of really badly done stuff. The worst was most definetly an animated American flag, flapping away behind some text. It got so bad that I could barely read the text and then when the slides changed, this terrible loop started again.

Man it was annoying as hell.

Guess it also comes as no surprise to hear it was actually this Crystal Graphics video thing which to my mind should be banned for being so useless.

Do you know they stopped offering a trial version of their software for PowerPoint?

My guess is because after trying their plug-ins, who in their right mind would want to buy them? It's probably easier to get a customers money and harder to get a refund when you can't try their products first than it is to offer a free trial version to users and then convert it to a sale.



Posted By: Jim
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:36

That's what I think.

I think basically animated backgrounds are just annoying and distract the audience from the presentation itself.

I think if they were done discreetly then they might work?

I agree with you on crystal graphics thing there Rolf. I had it before. It was just crap and no matter what you did, you couldn't get it off your machine again or uninstall it. I bought some of their video backgrounds and they were just terrible so I never bought another one, and I never will. I prefer some of the stuff that can be done with Flash.

-Jim


Posted By: MKN
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:40
Since you ladies have got your handbags out Wink
 
Have you seen what Crystal Graphics are doing now? You can't purchase individual video backgrounds for PowerPoint anymore. You have to purchase an entire "subscription". In other words, just like their products you have to pay up front to get access to the worst quality products online.
 
Have you seen their newsletters? Who would buy any design enhancements from those guys when their corporate stuff looks that bad!!!
 
MKN


Posted By: admin
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:44
Ok guys...I think we're drifting off the point of the thread here. I know there is alot of frustration our there about Crystal Graphics and their products but if possible lets try to keep reference to them at a minimum. Everyone who has tried their products knows about the problems with using them so let's leave that one here.
 
What about the use of Flash in PowerPoint? Anyone want to jump in and let us know their thoguhts about embedding Flash animations on PowerPoint slides?


-------------
Admin, 123PPT
http://www.123ppt.com - http://www.123ppt.com


Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:47

Morning all,

I thought I'd throw my 2cents in Smile

If anyone is considering using animated backgrounds in PowerPoint the answer is simple. DON'T!

I've done alot of presentations and believe me the worst feedback I had was from the ones using animated backgrounds in PowerPoint.

It seems that people like them in the first few slides, then the novelty wears off. People get bored with them. Then people begin to dislike them.

Animated backgrounds in PowerPoint are the path to the dark side. People seem to think they  will give them ultimate power in their presentations, but it will only lead to destruction.

Paul H


Posted By: MKN
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:50
Seems to me like you've been using Crystal Graphics video backgrounds Paul?  (Sorry admin)
 
Seriously dude, download and try the free 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio for PowerPoint. It'll blow you away and change your mind about using animated backgrounds in PowerPoint.
 
MKN


Posted By: letmeindamit
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:53
That's what I loved about the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio and the 123PPT Music & SoundFX Studio. I could try them both first before making up my own mind if I wanted to purchase a license MKN.
 
As it turned out. I licensed them both. Been making the best kickass presentations since then and audience reactions are always the same. Overwhelming.


Posted By: Jim
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 04:56
So is it just a question really of saying no to animated backgrounds in PowerPoint?
 
-Jim


Posted By: JJ B
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 11:46

things are hotting up then Thumbs Up

i've been following this thread, and i was wondering if anyone will reply to admin when he asked what people think about flash animated backgrounds in powerpoint?

i agree totally with the comments about the crystal graphics, and maybe thats the problem. when a company or someone does something, and does it really bad, it kind of puts a bad name on the whole idea.

i don't think animated backgrounds would be that bad if they were done well and while i don't have the 123ppt video backgrounds studio, i have tried the trial edition and was really surprised at how professional the results were but for me i just don't have the kind of budget necessary to get the deluxe edition and that's the edition that really interests me.

JJ


Posted By: Charles Henry
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 11:57

Wow this is great, i love the discussion.

I guess I should take this opportunity to talk on behalf of 123PPT in relation to animated backgrounds.

And yes, we have seen those from other organizations, and also reviewed how they are produced and implemented, and as such, we were not satisfied at all with the results of other creators and retailers and so we decided to produce and create our own video backgrounds for PowerPoint which are the only video backgrounds available today specifically optimized for PowerPoint. Never mind what other companies are telling you or trying to persuade you with marketing arguments, the fact remains that the http://www.123ppt.com/video-backgrounds-studio/ - 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio is the only application that allows you to insert and http://www.123ppt.com/animated-powerpoint-backgrounds/ - play video backgrounds in PowerPoint and only 123PPT Video Backgrounds are specifically optimized for use in the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio and PowerPoint.

In respect to Flash animations, time will tell if Adobe is able to survive the platform war with Apple and if HTML5 really does deliver all that it has promised because if it does then naturally Flash as a publishing platform will eventually disappear in preference to a native web platform such as HTML5. 

There will always be a question of content versus design and I think you guys have touched on this subject very well. But as we move from a world of static slides to one of fluid interactivty, the most successful presentations I believe will be those that balance information with stimulation and ensure that the audience is engaged by motion graphics not distracted by them.



-------------
Charles Henry,
Creative Director, www.123ppt.com


Posted By: MKN
Date Posted: 18 May 2011 at 07:08
So are you guys going to be making flash animated backgrounds soon? And if you do will the flash animated backgrounds work with the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio?
 
MKN


Posted By: Charles Henry
Date Posted: 18 May 2011 at 07:14
There's no need for 123PPT to engage in developing Adobe Flash animated backgrounds for PowerPoint MKN, because the Deluxe Edition of the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio already lets users import and use Adobe Flash Movies (.FLV) as video backgrounds in their PowerPoint presentations.
 
Adobe Flash Movie is also the file format used by YouTube and any user creating any Adobe Shockwave Flash animation (.SWF) file can also choose to export it to Adobe Flash Movie format so all Adobe Flash animation files can already be imported and used as video backgrounds in PowerPoint presentations using the 123PPT Video Backgrounds Studio.


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Charles Henry,
Creative Director, www.123ppt.com


Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 18 May 2011 at 07:18
I know you guys make pretty cool video backgrounds and I know they are the best video backgrounds for PowerPoint but even so...I think in general video backgrounds, animated backgrounds, call them what you want, suck.
 
Paul H


Posted By: letmeindamit
Date Posted: 18 May 2011 at 07:23
I think you need to wake up and accept cahnge Paul. Static PowerPoint slides might have been acceptable 5 years ago, but audiences need more nowadays. Even web pages have more movement and excitement than some presentations so what does that tell you about PowerPoint? It's an ancient application miles behind the market. At least 123PPT have done something about it and like video backgrounds or not. Using them completely changes the concept of creating a PowerPoint presentation.
 
The only thing that sucks with presentations is using clipart.
 
I mean how many presentations have you seen where the same clipart has been used. It always makes me feel like saying "hey, if you don't even make the effort to make something original why should i make the effort to even be here or listen?"


Posted By: MKN
Date Posted: 18 May 2011 at 07:25
Right on!
 
Clip art sucks like a vacuum cleaner with an empty bag.
 
MKN


Posted By: admin
Date Posted: 18 May 2011 at 07:28
Hmmm.....seems the discussion is taking a twist towards clip art and maybe you guys might want to continue that under http://www.123ppt.com/powerpoint/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=71 - Presentation Music, Sound & Sound Effects ?

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Admin, 123PPT
http://www.123ppt.com - http://www.123ppt.com


Posted By: Eric Kenning
Date Posted: 18 May 2011 at 07:32

Greetings to everyone on this Forum,

In my work I often have clients who send me a Power Point show to fix up before their presentation (usually the day before) the most often the problem is an overuse of animation and a miss-mach of text and object from slide to slide which makes the presentation look amateurish.

The first thing I do is make a master template that incorporates visual information about the client, this is where templates such as the ones produced by 123PPT are invaluable as backgrounds (A great time saver).  Next I line up the text, objects and photographs so that they are in the some place on each slide, then I remove their animation and transitions and replace it with one style throughout the show.

The client usually exclaim “Wow” what did you do! In reality all I do is take stuff out and tidy it up. I agree simplicity is the best way to go.

Eric Kenning PPHT




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