Adobe Express Beta - Animations

I recently upgraded to the new beta version of Adobe Express.  The app has a wealth of exciting new features, but the one I wanted to discuss here is that labeled Make Animations for YouTube.

Using this feature, I was actually able on the very first try to make a short animated video in which I announced my upcoming visit to Japan.  To accomplish this I first asked ChatGPT to create an article, told in the first person, in which I listed all the sights I hoped to see when in Tokyo and Kyoto.  ChatGPT did such a good job that it ended up mentioning several places of interest that hadn't been on my own radar, and I'm grateful to it for adding to my list.  I next cut & pasted the article into a free online app called Readloud.  (Unfortunately, Readloud, though legit itself, hosts large advertisements for Wave browsers, which are really nothing more than malware.  DO NOT click on the big banners that read "Start" or "Download.")  After selecting an appropriate voice from among a large number available, I clicked on "Voice It" to create an audio file which I then downloaded to my hard drive and then uploaded in turn to Adobe Express.  Important: note that Adobe Express will not upload audio files longer than two minutes.

With the audio uploaded, all that remained to be done in Adobe Express was to select the output size (e.g., YouTube, Instagram, etc.), an appropriate background, and finally the character, or avatar, who would narrate the animation.  After that it was a simple matter to download the animated video.

If one desires to create a traditional video rather than an animation, the beta version of Adobe Express contains a huge library of templates from which to choose.  I found an extremely helpful YouTube video by one Claudio Zavala Jr. that guides first time users through the process.