I've been looking for ages for some easy-to-use animation software, preferably vector, where I can design simple product videos or video tutorials. I tried many of them, but none of them was quite user friendly for a newbie.
I always liked drawing in Microsoft PowerPoint. Sometimes I created simple pictures or schemes in it, recently I drew a QetriX Logo. And then it hit me - why don't I use PowerPoint as an animator? It supports export presentation as WMV (Windows Media Video), even the final quality is not quite good and max output resolution is 960x720.
First step is to change slide size from default 4:3 to 16:9, using "Page Setup" button on a "Design" tab. If you do it later, the graphics will be deformed (following the change of an aspect ratio) and you'll have to change the scale of a size from 133 % back to 100 % (in Format Picture / Format Shape, then Size).
Second step is to define all objects in the slide. You can use various shapes, such as lines, circles, rectangles, polygons, arrows and much, much more. You can also add some text. It doesn't matter, if you choose Text Box or a Word Art - it's the same.
You can use more slides, or just a single one. I definitely recommend more slides, because sometimes on a single slide it gets quite complicated :)
Now add some (tasteful!) animations for shapes/pictures and transitions between slides as well. Less is more, don't get carried away and make something like 1990s website. You can make some gorgeous stuff, but you need to play with it a little.
I'm not going to describe the full process of creation, because there's tons of options and it's not that hard to figure it on your own.
You can add some music and/or narration as well.
When your job is done, choose "Create a video" in "Save & Send" option. Make sure quality is set to Computer & HD displays and click to "Create Video" button.
Now wait, until it's fully rendered and there you go.
