Animations in An Inconvenient Truth

[Drew M. Capuder]

Hi: I'm interesting in finding out whether Powerpoint 2007 can accomplish
some of the same types of animations as were in the Mac KeyNote-based
presentation in An Inconvenient Truth. I've read some of the articles about
the software used in the movie, and I gather Keynote was supplemented by
various programs, including Adobe's After Effects.

This is an example of very simply animation I would like to be able to do in
Powerpoint: Say you have a chart, and you want to animate the drawing of the
data lines in th chart (similar to the animation of the lines representing
CO2 and temperature levels in An Inconvenient Truth.

So far, I haven't been able to figure out how to do that sort of animation
(of the data lines in a chart).

So my questions are:
1. Can PowerPoint do that animated graph line?
2. Is there software such as After Effects that can supplement Powerpoint
2007 in doing simple animation?

Thanks very much for any advice.

Drew Capuder
Capuder Fantasia PLLC
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Guest]

1. You can animate the lines in your chart through Custom Animation.
Select the chart.
Click Animations > Custom Animation.
Click Add Effect > Entrance > Wipe.
Set Direction to From Left.
Double click on the added effect, click Chart Animation tab.
Under Group Chart, select By Series, or an option of your preference.
Click Ok.

2. What animations are you after? PowerPoint alone has the capability of
doing animations. Have a look at:
"Advanced PowerPoint Animations"
http://msmvps.com/blogs/tohlz/archive/2006/07/12/104530.aspx
--
Shawn Toh (tohlz)
Microsoft MVP PowerPoint

Site Updated: Sept 26, 2007
(Amazing PowerPoint animations, artworks, games here)
http://pptheaven.mvps.org
PowerPoint Heaven - The Power to Animate

 

[Drew M. Capuder]

Shawn:

1. Thanks very much for your advice. I'll try out what you suggest, and I'm
delighted that I will be able to do some of what I wanted.

2. I was aware of some of the PowerPoint animation capability, but
mistakenly thought there were more severe limits. I had read some of the
articles about the software behind An Inconvenient Truth, and I guess I
bought into the descriptions by the Mac fans of the PowerPoint limitations
on animation.

3. Beyond trying to animate portions of graphs, I have some ideas centering
on maps with the maps themselves being animated (certain stated raising from
or lowering to the remainder of the map, and animated callouts and tables
jumping out of the map--I know that's vague). I'm a lawyer looking toward
trial in a particular lawsuit, where geographical territories of medical
industry sales people is a key issue in the lawsuit. I also have some ideas
of diagrams designed to educate the interrelationships in the health care
business, designed to illustrative that a particular sales employee is a
liaison between managed care companies and health care providers such as
doctors, hospitals, clinics, and medical testing labs.

Again, thanks very much for your advice, and the web page you referenced
already looks very interesting.

Drew Capuder
(e-mail address removed)