<P> For more experienced users, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) can be used to program animations with more flexibility . </P> <P> PowerPoint can also function as a movie maker program . The animator using PowerPoint works similarly to an animator using cels, using a succession of slides to create the illusion of movement . Many tools within the PowerPoint program can be easily used for maximum effect . Drawing tools such as AutoShapes, contains lines, connectors, basic shapes, block arrows, flowchart components,' freeforms' (AutoShapes drawn by the mouse on pen tool) and banners, callouts and action buttons, help draw out a slide . Custom Animations and sound tools can also be used to help add excitement to the project and create interest in what might have been an otherwise dull presentation . The process of drawing out multiple slides takes time, but, again, it is considered to be less expensive and easier to use than buying and using professional graphics animation software . </P> <P> Another way to produce these animations is by animating a cartoon as a single slide acting as a frame of film . This allows the slide show to run like an animated film . This is time consuming, but the artist has much more control and can do much more detailed and precise animation . It also allows control over the timing of the animation . This also make editing of the animation easier afterward . On average, month's work of such animation usually ends up at about a minute in length . A three - minute animation can take around three to four months to complete depending on the amount of detail, these lengthy cartoons usually run around 1,800 slides . </P> <P> Using Custom Animation, cartoons or movies similar to those created in Adobe Flash can be done with PowerPoint . With minimum time, an animator can produce a simple show similar to a stick figure movie, where the body movements are animated using Motion Paths and Emphasis effects . An example released under PowerPoint Heaven, has a section called the Shadow Fighter series which demonstrates PowerPoint movies . </P>

Adds a special visual effect to an object on a slide