How to Add a Video into a Live Power Point Presentation

There are many reasons why you would want to add a video into a PowerPoint presentation.

1. Adds excitement.  Sound, animation, and videography captures the attention of people immediately.  Videos can show emotions of multiple people interacting in a way most speakers cannot describe just from their voice.
2. Explains complex subjects.  Demonstration how to videos found on www.CreativeCommons.com explain new terms and processes better than most can describe live.  An articulate voice describes uncommon terms in a way that makes sense while animating pictures with their hands.  This clear, concise, and jovial voice is exact each and every time.  This also allows the speaker to view audience members to see who is having more trouble understanding complex subject matter.
3. Give speaker a break.  A pause in the action can allow the speaker to get a drink of water, recollect thoughts, and organize materials for the next learning objective.  Also, the tone, speed, and differentiation in volume can refocus the attention of your audience.
4. Live examples.  Sometimes it may be difficult to clearly articulate a case study because some people cannot envision the people involved in the example.  Videos allow your group to see, hear, and watch the entire situation happpen.

Here is how you add a video into a PowerPoint Presentation:

1. Select the video.  Make sure the video is in the appropriate file format and length that video will play back in a good quality.  Acceptable file format for Microsoft PowerPoint is .avi, .mpeg, .wmv.  The higher the quality of the video the larger the file size.  The lower the quality of the video the smaller the file size.  When a video is inserted to a PowerPoint it may also increase the size of the PowerPoint presentation depending how the video is inserted (see step 2).  I recommend saving all videos in folder called My Videos located in My Documents.  This way you can find them when you need them quickly.
2. Microsoft PowerPoint.  You can insert video into Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations two different ways.  First, you can insert a hyperlink (CTRL-K) from either text or a picture that when clicked will open up the video in the default video player establilshed on your computer.  This requires that you move back to the computer to click on the link and close down the video player when the video is finished.  Second, you can insert the video directly into the PowerPoint presentation as an animation effect (see step 4).  This will then play the video when the wireless presenter remote is clicked on the screen in a section or in full screen mode.  Once the video has finished playing the video can disappear and move on to the next animation effect in the PowerPoint Presentation.
3. Animation effect.  If the video is inserted directly into the PowerPoint presentation then it is automatically considered an animation effect.  All animation effects can be edited from the aminations tab and selecting custom animation.  Once custom animation has been selected a window will appear on the right hand side of the screen with the video marked with the standard play button.  All animation effects can be controlled by the wireless presenter remote, playing while other animations are happening, or after animations that have taken place.  Also, enhanced features will determine how the video appears and how long it will last.
4. Enhanced video features.  Most presenters will want to have the video zoomed to full screen and played by the click of the wireless remote.  This saves time finding the video, travelling to the computer to play, and the class patience waiting for you to get the video started.  On the animations window, right click on the video file and choose effect options.  There will be three tabs that control the movie animation.  The third tab you will want to check the box that says “Zoom to Full Screen”.  On the second tab called timing you will want to select the box that says triggers and then animate as part of click sequence. 

Once you have followed these steps then you will be able to add excitement to your presentations, explain complex subjects, give yourself a break and show live examples of the idea you are trying to communicate.

You may make some mistakes as you learn but that is all part of the process.  Teach it to someone else.  That is really the best way we learn.