Xtranormal facts for kids

Xtranormal was a fun website where you could make your own animated videos! It let you create short clips with 3D characters who spoke in computer voices. Imagine writing a script, picking out characters and scenes, and then watching your story come to life with a few clicks.

You could make these videos right on the Xtranormal website. There was also a way to create them through YouTube. Plus, Xtranormal even had a special software called State that you could download for free to make videos offline.

What Was Xtranormal?

Xtranormal was a unique online tool that made it easy for anyone to become a video creator. It was like having your own mini animation studio without needing to be an expert. You just typed what you wanted the characters to say, and the website would turn it into spoken words using text-to-speech technology.

How Did Xtranormal Work?

Making a video on Xtranormal was pretty simple.

• First, you would log into the website.
• Then, you wrote the words for your characters to speak. This was called scripting the dialog.
• Next, you could choose from different camera angles to make your video look interesting.
• Finally, you picked out characters and scenes that were already designed. This meant you didn't have to draw anything yourself!

The characters were 3D and moved in a simple way, and their voices were made by a computer, often sounding a bit flat or "monotone." This unique style became part of Xtranormal's charm.

The Story of Xtranormal

Xtranormal officially started in June 2010. But before that, the software had been worked on for about four years!

From Storyboards to Viral Videos

When Xtranormal was first created, it was meant to help filmmakers quickly make storyboards. Storyboards are like comic strips that plan out a movie scene by scene. However, Xtranormal became popular for something else entirely: funny videos, especially those making fun of everyday situations, like workplace problems.

One video about a cellphone salesman became super popular, or "viral," meaning it was shared by tons of people online. This changed how Xtranormal was used, making it more about creating funny and shareable content for everyone.

Xtranormal in Pop Culture

Even though it was a simple tool, Xtranormal videos appeared in some cool places:

• A short film called Sleeping with Charlie Kaufman was made entirely with Xtranormal. It was shown at film festivals in 2010.
• Xtranormal videos were often featured on a late-night TV show called Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld.
• They were even used in some advertisements for the company GEICO.

Sadly, Xtranormal officially closed down on July 31, 2013. But it left behind a lot of memorable and funny videos created by people all over the world.