Animoto for Educators: A FAQ for Teachers and Administrators
If you’ve got questions about how to use Animoto, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve put together a comprehensive guide for teachers and administrators looking to add Animoto to their schools. Find out how to add video to your school marketing or lesson plans, and get some tips on video best practices in our frequently asked questions below.
Setting up Animoto accounts
How do I get a free account?
Signing up for a free Animoto account is quick and easy. Head to Animoto, add in an email address and password, and you’ll be all set! Once you’re signed up, you never have to reapply or fill out any forms to maintain your account—it’s free forever.
If you’d like access to more features, you can always upgrade to another plan from our pricing page. A paid subscription gives you access more music choices, HD video downloads, a stock library of commercially licensed photos and videos from Getty Images, more fonts, unlimited color choices, and more. It also removes Animoto branding from your videos and allows you to add your own logo, such as your school's logo for example.
Do I need a special code for my account or students accounts?
Not at all! In the past, educators were given special codes for student accounts. However, since Animoto is now free to use, we’ve removed this extra step.
How many student accounts can I have?
You may set up as many student accounts as you like.
How do I set up student accounts?
Follow these step-by-step instructions to create student accounts. Please note that we have different recommendations based on the age of your students.
Other types of Animoto accounts
What’s the difference between Animoto's subscription plans?
There is an array of features that vary between the type of subscription plans offered. This includes choosing your desired high definition (HD) video quality, access to commerically licensed music tracks and visual stock assets from Getty Images, font and color customization options, feedback features, and more.
There are also subscription options for video creators who wish to use their Animoto videos for commercial-use, or those who wish to resell videos made with Animoto to businesses. You can also remove all Animoto branding from your videos when you upgrade to any paid subscription plan. For more information, please visit our pricing page.
Questions about using video
Where can I find images or video clips to use in my video?
Many government sites, like NASA and the Library of Congress have images that are free to use for educational purposes. You can also try education-themed stock image sites, like Pics4Learning, which feature images licensed for educational use. You can also upload your own photos into Animoto or drag and drop licensed images into your videos within your workspace.
Can I change my video's music?
Every Animoto video starts with a default song, but you can easily change your music or upload your own licensed music track. Learn more about how to add and edit your video's audio in this blog.
How can I use video in my classroom?
There are almost as many ways to use video in the classroom as there are possible lessons. To get started, take a look at a few lesson plans and lesson ideas featuring video. Then check out ways to use video in your classroom, along with videos to help you start the school year and introduce yourself to students.
Browse our educational video templates for even more video inspiration!
How do you grade a video project?
We find a rubric works well for helping students focus on the elements they need to create a successful, informative video. You can find a sample rubric in this blog post that you can adjust for your own classes.
How can I help students make better videos?
Before you start an Animoto video project in your classroom, it helps to discuss what’s appropriate and what will look best. Start by showing students guidelines on what should and should not be included in their video along with recommended lengths. You can also offer students tips on making their videos look better by checking out this blog.
How can I market my school with video?
Video is a great resource for sharing fundraisingor admissions drives, or just letting parents know what their children are up to during the day. Customize our Educational Promo template with information about your school that prospective students will love.
Have a question we didn't answer here? Try our help page for more information.