Multimedia animated slideshow creators are web-based services which allow you to remix pictures, photos, video clips and music to create visually impactful showcases, slideshows or just memories of a great holiday. In this guide I have selected and reviewed the best multimedia remixing tools available out there.

Photo credit: Ophelia Cherry

These multimedia remixing tools allow anyone with little or no technical knowledge to create compelling audio-video slideshows. While experienced users may access advanced features to fine-tune their creations, anyone can get started and produce decent results in a matter of minutes. With these tools, remixing photos and videos into a multimedia animated slideshow is absolutely a no-brainer for both the technically-savvy and the novice alike.

In this guide I am presenting two comparative tables and a set of mini-reviews to put all of these multimedia remixers through their paces.

First, here are the key features that characterize these multimedia animated slideshow creators:

• Web-based: You do not have to burn CDs to show your slideshows to family and friends anymore. Since these multimedia slideshow creators are all web-based, you just need a computer connected to the Internet and you are done. No more carrying around heavy slide projectors and screens to set up.
• Media import: You can easily access digital content stored inside your media libraries. Either from your computer or across the web, it becomes easier to upload photos and videos to edit and combine into a multimedia slideshow.
• Special effects: You have access to a wide range of transitions and special effects to pimp up the visual impact of your slideshows. You can use customized backgrounds, titles, interactive texts, frames, borders and clickable hotspots inside your slideshows.
• Music: You can either upload your own songs or choose some readily-available tunes inside the music library of the service. Then you can sync (automatically or manually) your music and visuals to create a perfect mix.
• Distribution: You can publish your visual creations on any website or social media page by simply pasting a standard snippet of embed code.

Second, the criteria I have used to select and review these multimedia animated slideshow creators:

• Remixing: Remix your media in an automatic or manual fashion
• Templates: Utilize ready-made templates to create slideshows.
• Social media import: Grab photos and videos from own social media.
• Music library: Access to royalty-free / paid music library.
• Download: Save created slideshows to your computer.
• Social media distribution: Share slideshows on social media sites.
• Private / public: Enable and restrict access to slideshows.
• Pro features: Access an advanced set of features with premium paid accounts.

Please note: When I write “multimedia animated slideshows” I am clearly not referring to those kind of slideshows you can generate on Flickr or Picasa. What I am presenting here are instead slideshows enriched with transitions, animated texts and special effects, that look like professionally-produced movie trailers.

Still, you have no idea of what a multimedia slideshow looks like? Check out some of the examples I have prepared for you right beneath this guide comparison tables.

Here all the details:

Co-Browsing Tools Comparative Tables

Examples of Multimedia Slideshows and Remixes

Created with Scrapblog

Created with Animoto

Created with Vuvox

Multimedia Animated Slideshow Creators And Remixing Tools

1. One True Media

   

   One True Media is a free multimedia slideshow creator. After the registration process, you can upload your media and start mashing up your photos and videos. Plus, you can add transitions, special effects, frames, texts and rotate images and videos to customize your project. You can also add music tracks from your computer or from the music catalog of One True Media. If you do not want to start from scratch with your slideshow, the service provides you with a set of ready-made templates, priced at $2.99 each. Your project can either be public or private. If your project is public, other registered members can edit and republish your slideshow. Once your project is completed, you can download it to your hard-disk, distribute it using social media or e-mail and even embed your slideshow on the web. You cannot import media from third-party online services. The premium account costs $3.99/month and allows you to have advanced editing options, unlimited monthly uploads and creations, player skins for embedded sharing, premium music, and more.
   
   http://www.onetruemedia.com/

2. Scrapblog

   

   Scrapblog is a free online slideshow generator. After registering, you can combine photos, videos and music in a multimedia presentation using a drag-and-drop interface. A slideshow can either be public or private and you can start with a blank page or choose a free template from Scrapblog gallery. Then upload selected photos and videos from your computer or import any media collection from Flickr, Picasa, Facebook and other services. Later you may add a music track from the Scrapblog library and customize orientation, opacity, size, shape of the elements on your slideshow. When your project is finished, you can order it in a print format, share it via social media, download the project to your computer and also send your creation via e-mail. By purchasing credits from Scrapblog, you can also use ready-made templates, stickers, customized backgrounds, frames and more to enhance your slideshow. With $10 you get about 100 credits. A premium account is not available.
   
   http://www.scrapblog.com/

3. Animoto

   

   With Animoto you can produce automatic multimedia remixes of your videos, images and music for free. Just register, choose a music track and some images and videos to start. Animoto analyzes the music and automatically harmonizes your track to the images and videos while adding special effects and transitions. You can either import your photos and videos from your computer or have Animoto grab your media on popular sharing sites to start. The service claims than two videos are never the same, even re-using identical media content. Anyway, if you are not satisfied with the result, you can always manually re-arrange the order of your media and try again. You can embed your slideshow on any social media site, web page or send it via e-mail. You cannot set private / public projects nor have free templates to start with. The premium account is priced at $249/year and allows you to produce slideshows for commercial use, create full length slideshows, access the extended music library, remove the logo of the service and download your slideshows.
   
   http://animoto.com/

4. Vuvox

   

   Vuvox allows you to mix, create and blend your media – video, photos and music – into visual creations without spending a dime. After registering to the service, you have three service at your disposal: Express, to create visual presentations from the RSS feed of a photo album you have on social media; Collage, to build an interactive storyboard with videos, links, images, music and clickable hotspots; Studio, to create any kind of professional media presentation with several fine-tuning options. Whatever project you want to start, Vuvox lets you upload your own media from your computer or grab your photos, videos and music from your social media on the web. You can either create a private or a public slideshow. No free templates or music library are available. Once your slideshow is created, you can share it via e-mail or social media, but you cannot download it to your computer. A premium account is not available.
   
   http://www.vuvox.com/

5. Joggle

   

   Joggle is a free media library that allows you to create animated slideshows and music playlists. Based on Adobe Air, Joogle lets you remix your digital content regardless of its location: social media sites, online communities, external storage devices and computers. You just select the photos and videos you want to mix and choose a music track to start. Then add transitions, special effects and tweak other options to customize your project. Joogle does not work by actually importing your media, but just providing you with referrals and copies of your files to work on. What this means is your project dynamically changes as you modify the original files where you have stored them. Once your project is created, you can download it to your computer, publish it on the web using web widgets or share your creation privately via e-mail. No private / public projects nor free templates are supported. Premium account is also not available.
   
   http://beta.joggle.com/

6. Roxio PhotoShow

   

   With PhotoShow from Roxio you can blend your digital photos with your favorite tunes in a multimedia animated project. Just submit your media to Roxio and the service automatically remixes your content by adding special effects and transitions. If you are not satisfied with the final result, you can modify your project and also add text, bubbles, borders, frames and much more until you get a rendering you like. You can either upload photos and videos from your computer or import content from your social media accounts. When your slideshow is finished, you can distribute your creation to any web site or social media. No private / public projects are available. The premium account of Roxio PhotoShow costs $39.99/year and allows you to use ready-made templates, access the Roxio music library, upload your own MP3s and also burn or download your slideshows.
   
   http://www.photoshow.com

Originally prepared by Robin Good and Daniele Bazzano for MasterNewMedia, and first published on August 31st, 2009 as “Multimedia Animated Slideshow Creators And Remixing Tools – Guide To Best Online Services“.