Here is an affordable option for those of you using Mac. (Thanks to the client who sent in the review below.)
With Keynote, one of the applications within iWorks 08, you can create stunning presentations. The animation tools can be used to move and scale images along a path and can be rotated and placed on the face of other objects such as cubes, cylinders, etc. There are many effects that can be applied to text and slide transitions. There are more than 35 themes, smart builds with drop zones, powerful graphics tools, built-in voiceover recording, export capabilities to your iPhone, iPod and iTunes plus you can import and export to Microsoft PowerPoint and other formats.
The program is just as easy as PowerPoint. I have been using PowerPoint for quite a few years and was hesitant to use anything else, but I have found that I enjoy Keynote with all of it’s effects and transitions. If you are using a Mac, I highly recommend this software. The ImageVine moving backgrounds can have text and graphics added to them using Keynote. For more information see: MAC Worship Software
Keynote is great as noted above and the thing I love the best is that it allows text over video. Along with text transitions over a motion it is amazingly professional.
The only problem I have with it is if you use hardcopy prints for your presenters it does not have a side by side format available and if you insert a video it can interfere with the reading of your text.
Although, with that being said the staging monitor during a presentation on your laptop shows 2 screens ahead showing your upcoming transitions.
If you are comfortable with PowerPoint you will adapt just fine to Keynote and it will well be worth your time.
You say the moving backgrounds can have text added to them in Keynote. Is this just for one slide or for a set of slides, say as in a complete song, like around 7 or 8 slides? Because I tried and the background just goes to the beginning of the loop when I switch slides. It’s not continuous. Or am i just not doing something correctly?
Keynote will do a whole song over a looping background. The key is to add the text in sections, like verse one, chores, etc. and stack the text on top of one other. it can be confusing at first, but gets easier as you do it. Usually a dissolve transition, in & out, works best for the text. Another key point for making the loop smooth with the text is to have the video and text in the same folder. This way Keynote is not looking for video in one folder and text in another. I usually place copies of everything for the presentation in a “Today Presentation” folder. Doing so helps to prevent hick-ups or stutter. Hope this helps.