[bc130]

Twice a year I create a video using photos, music, animations, and sound clips in Powerpoint (it's for Convocation dinner at a small nursing school and we don't have any "movie" software). I take photos and add callouts, titles, music, etc. The files are huge (100+ slides) and so it often takes forever to 1) create, 2) play without glitches, and 3) copy to CD then hope it will run.

I'd like to change this process and create the video using iMovie on my new iMac in hopes of copying the finished project to DVD so it can be played in someone's livingroom on their TV.

Does it sound like iMovie would be a good alternative? Does it have the capability to add the callouts and titles (anywhere on the slide, not just at the top)? Should I stick with Powerpoint? I purchased Microsoft Office for Mac.

Thanks for any suggestions/comments.
b

[peeb]

I use keynote for this (Apples's equivalent to Powerpoint, and MUCH better). At 79usd, iWork is well worth it, and it's probably a lot cheaper now that 07 is around the corner. Personally, I have not found iMovie to be great at slideshow type stuff - it's good for editing video, but Powerpoint or Keynote are more sophisticated at putting text and effects in exactly the right place and time for slideshow type things.
You can always make it in Powerpoint or Keynote and then export the result as a quicktime movie to iDVD.

[bc130]

So if I export it as a quicktime movie to iDVD can it be played on a regular DVD player?

[mindwaves]

Yes.