PowerPoint 2010: Use Video Bookmarks to Trigger Animations

During a previous article on Perfecting Motion Paths, I made a short PowerPoint video illustrating the final motion path animation. Let's say I'm going to teach a class on how to use Motion Paths. In the class, I'm going to give a presentation that shows this video. In the video there are two uses of motion paths, and I want a little blurb to pop up when the second one starts, alerting my learners that this is a separate motion path.  Did you know that this can be accomplished in PowerPoint by using video bookmarks to trigger animations? Here's how:

Add a Bookmark to a Video

1. In PowerPoint, insert the video on the desired slide (Insert > Video).
2. Set the video to play automatically (Video Tools > Playback > Video Options > Start > Automatically).
3. Play the video. (Pause it when you reach the point where you would like to trigger an animation.)
4. Choose Video Tools > Playback > Bookmarks > Add Bookmark.



A yellow dot will appear on the video control panel, signaling there is a bookmark.

Add a Triggered Animation to a Bookmark

1. Add the text (Insert > Text Box), shape (Insert > Shape), or image (Insert > Picture) you would like to appear at this bookmarked spot of the video. You can put it anywhere on the slide.
2. With the inserted object selected (in this case I inserted a text box), add an entrance animation (Animation > Advanced Animation > Add Animation).
3. Click the Trigger button to the right of the Add Animation button you just clicked (Animation > Advanced Animation).
4. From the drop-down menu select On Bookmark and choose your desired bookmark (you can add more than one bookmark to a video, so there may be several).



5. With the inserted object selected, add an exit animation (Animation > Advanced Animation > Add Animation).
6. View the Animation Pane (Animation > Advanced Animation > Animation Pane­)

You will notice that the exit effect is set to happen prior to the bookmark trigger. We will fix that next.

7. On the Animation Pane, select the exit animation (it will be the one with a red star in front of it).
8. At the bottom of the Animation Pane, click the Re-Order button pointing down until your exit animation appears on the pane below the entrance animation.
9. Click the more arrow for the exit animation and choose Timing from the drop-down menu.



The Disappear dialog box will open. 

10. From the Timing tab, ensure After Previous is selected from the Start area. Adjust the number in the delay field to anything you like. In this case, my video is short, so I have set my delay to just .5seconds.



11. Press [Shift] [F5] on your keyboard to preview the slide and ensure the triggered animation is working properly.

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AJ teaches a live, 3-hour class that offers tips/tricks for improving the look and feel of your PowerPoint presentations: Slide Sprucing: Remodeling Lackluster PowerPoint Slides for eLearning and Presentations.