A simulation of movement created by displaying a series of pictures, or frames. Cartoons on television is one example of animation. Animation on computers is one of the chief ingredients of multimedia presentations. There are many software applications that enable you to create animations that you can display on a computer monitor.

When animation is used for films or movies, each frame is produced on an individual basis. Frames can be produced using computers or photographs of images that are either drawn or painted. Frames can also be generated by altering a model unit in small ways and using a special camera to take pictures of the results. No matter what method is used, the film or movie that results fools the eye into seeing continuous movement.

Animation is something that can never be ignored — by the presenter or the audience — and depending upon what type of animation you added to a particular object, you might have added a perfect emphasis to an important component on your slide — or you may have highlighted an unimportant part of your presentation, and distracted your audience!