I’m always amazed by the relatively realistic effects you
can achieve using a software program such as PowerPoint (Microsoft). The fact that the
program is cross-platform and widely used makes it an appealing option for
authoring educational materials.
With PowerPoint subtle changes
in the animation sequence and timing can
result in substantial changes in how realistic an animation sequence appears. For example, when the egg is
cracked into the bowl, it doesn't just appear ..... it plops in, then slides a
short distance and ends with a slight jiggle! At this point you might be saying, “ She obviously has too much time on her hands if she is worrying about the slide and jiggle of a cracked egg” but there is something very rewarding about making it all look as real as possible within the limitations of a program such as PowerPoint. It is hard to resist the urge to go
back and ‘retrofit’ files completed before ‘the discovery’. So far, I’ve been on my best behavior. I
guess there is something to be said for having ongoing tangible proof that your creative talents are evolving over time.
You may not be aware of the fact that ‘under the hood’ a
whole host of linked animations are required to make the animation sequence for a particular step appear
realistic. In Pink Cupcakes, for
example, Step 10, ‘Crack the eggs (there's 4 of them) and
add them to the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Ready set crack the eggs!’ requires a grand total of 38 sequenced and timed animations for this one page/step!
So how long does it
take to complete an Animated Step-by-Step file?
Because there is so much going on 'under the hood' ... it typically takes 20-30 hours to complete. Whew!
... 'til the next post ...
© 2015 Carol Goossens’, Ph.D.
canadiangoosse@gmail.com
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