Preface

In today's world, both in our personal and business lives, we are surrounded by online imagery and messaging. It's generally accepted that you have about 5-10 seconds to grab people's attention with an online or web-based message; it needs the "wow" factor, it needs to be clear, and it needs to be memorable. PowToon Studio provides you with the tools you need to do this.

A number of months ago, I was approached by Packt Publishing and asked whether I would consider writing a book about PowToon Studio. My initial thought was "A book? There's no way you need a book; it's all so simple!"

Over the next couple of days, I gave more thought to the proposition. I originally used PowToon Studio in a slightly unusual way, mainly inserting projects into larger, corporate e-learning projects, although I also now have a thriving business creating "standalone" PowToon adverts and web content. There is an entire industry built around e-learning, and it occurred to me that in addition to the "what" of PowToon Studio (what it is and the features), there are many tips and techniques about the "how" (how to get the most out of the product).

There are lots of tips out there, for example, "If you have to use text, use it like a graphic". However, there are fewer PowToon-related examples out there that say how to use text, what fonts are best, the positioning of text, and so on.

What this book aims to do is bring together not only a walkthrough of the product, but try and help you extend your thinking when you build a project—how to use color, how to animate, how to storyboard, and so on.

All the sections could probably form a book in their own right! The aim is not to make you an expert in any of the areas but to help you consider your options and consider how to be creative yourself so that you come up with your own ways to do things—ways that make your work different and make it stand out. It's all about "powering up your PowToon Studio project".

It's important to realize that creating any project is not a "process". Yes, there are some specific steps (like planning before starting…); however, there will always be a creative element where you will go back and change things, alter the plan, and change the focus.

This book has 10 chapters, which approximate to a step-by-step process to create a PowToon Studio project, but do not think in any way that you have to follow them in order. Dip in and out, get some ideas, and have a play.

PowToon Studio is, above anything, fun to use. Great fun! Just because something is serious doesn't mean it can't be fun. It can still be fun!

I have been creating online learning, in many forms, for around 15 years, and I get a huge amount of pleasure when I use PowToon Studio in a project. It does not seem fair really—getting paid to have fun!

PowToon Studio can be used to create many types of content; however, I somewhat arbitrarily group them into commercial, social, and personal projects. I have used these terms in the book at certain points to highlight how the same message can be achieved in different ways depending on your audience. Once again, these are just devices to try and help you think outside the box in a creative and different way. Your projects will be all the better if you do.

Whatever you do, have fun, be creative, and be awesome!

PowToon is a web-based product and is constantly being developed. The features and functionality contained in this book are based on v0.9.23.214 of the product, so you may see extra features and functionality as the product is enhanced.