Chapter 2. Hands-on with Prezi Mechanics

Now that you have got a feel for the Prezi frame of mind and what it's like to design on this new canvas, you're probably ready to start trying out some of your ideas. In order to achieve this, we'll take a look at some of the main tools Prezi offers to build a presentation using their software. These tools really make up the core of what Prezi is, and they help it stand out from the other presentation software options. You'll learn how to bring your Prezi to life with paths that connect your content and create motion in your presentation. We will discuss:

• Templates
• Paths
• Shapes
• Grouping
• The Text editor
• Animations
• 3D backgrounds
• The present button

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Templates

We always face constraints when creating a business presentation, most often in the form of an impending deadline. If you do find yourself against the clock when building a Prezi, then why not give yourself a slight advantage and use one of Prezi's templates to get your design started? There are lots of templates you can choose from and we'll consider how to make the most out of them when the clock is ticking.

Additionally, using these templates is also a great way to start familiarizing yourself with Prezi and its mechanics. Filling in some elements in a template is much less daunting than creating something new from a blank canvas. The basic design and structure of the presentation is already created, and you can fill in the details and make changes to the structure where needed. Although the very best Prezis are typically the ones created from scratch, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with the capabilities of Prezi by creating at least a few that are based on templates.

Using templates

When you create any new Prezi online or in the desktop editor, you'll be presented with a choice of templates, as shown in the following screenshot:

By default, the newest templates are displayed on the left, and the most popular templates on the right. However, you can also click on the More button to get the full list of available templates, or search for a template based on a key word.

When you see a template you'd like to use, you can either double-click on it to open it or click on it once, followed by clicking on the Use template button. From here, you can also opt out of any template by clicking on Start blank prezi.

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to preview a template beyond its thumbnail image before you select one. However, if you open up a new Prezi theme and decide it's not for you, it's easy to delete your selection and create a new one. When you're at the Your Prezis tab, you can delete any Pezi by hovering over it and clicking on the Trash Can icon in the upper-right corner of the Pezi you'd like to delete:

Getting the most from templates

Once you go into edit mode, don't think that you're stuck with how everything is laid out. You can (and should) move things around to fit with the message you're trying to deliver to your audience.