Thanks to our friend Rich Oppenheim for the following:
In the ever changing world of graphics and digital design, there is still a need for presentations. However those presentations can be laced with video, audio, and all sorts of action oriented graphics. Ulead, who has been around forever, has two products that you should assess and determine how you can make use of them.
The first product is Movie Factory 5 ($50), a complete application that offers the capability to create video projects in a variety of ways. It even supports creation of both HD and Blu-ray Discs.
You can capture video, including HD, from cable, satellite, broadcast TV, and combine it with images from your still and video cameras. All of that content can be cobbled together into one continuous presentation or video brochure. The application provides for simple edits, cropping, adding titles and music and with a feature called VideoJoin, combine two or more video clips.
Other features include: Ad-Zapper that finds and destroys TV ads; AccuCut, a cropping tool that trims any portion of the video; authoring tools such as SmartScene and Motion box for adding effects.
And yes, you can even create a slideshow. The ExpressFix feature is a wizard that enables you to edit common anomalies in digital photographs such as red eye, exposure, and color issues.
The second product is VideoStudio 10, priced at $99.
VideoStudio Editor supports a wide range of features, including 16:9 widescreen format, time stretch 
and reverse playback, video distortion, chroma key, and overlay of Flash animations. It also has a large number of video and audio effects that enable creativity at both the amateur and semi-pro levels.
To build a movie, video clips are moved from the Library to the Storyboard where editing and sequencing can be applied with appropriate transitions and effects. You create a timeline for the entire movie. Edits include cropping, scene splitting, sideways rotation, reverse playback, and speed changes. There are other features such as animation overlays, movable text, template libraries and more.
For those practicing public accounting, these products represent terrific value. Making a first or second or third impression does require the proper use of tools and applications that can attract and hold the audience’s attention. While these products won't move you into the Lucas or Spielberg category, they combine simple to use with professional of results that will elevate and enhance your message. After all, it should be the goal of any presentation to deliver a message that is viewed, appreciated and leads to valuable business opportunities rather than just visual criticisms.
Richard Oppenheim, CPA.CITP, can be reached at richopp@oppenheimgroup.com.
