NEW: Easily integrate real video footage into your explainer video
Written by Tim Moss | 20th August 2025
Table of Contents
With simpleshow’s new video integration, bring any video directly into your explainer projects — from screencasts and interviews to product demos, branded intros/outros, or even other animated videos. Choose from three flexible modes: full video scenes, keyword-triggered clips, or video backgrounds. Everything happens seamlessly within simpleshow video maker — no external tools or editing software needed.
You want your message to resonate – to inspire, to move people, and to spark vivid images in their minds. simpleshow videos have always delivered this through clear structure, strong brand recognition, and compelling, easy-to-follow storytelling. Now, you can take it even further with blended formats that combine animation, AI avatars, and video clips.. It could be a quick behind-the-scenes look at your company, a striking opening sequence, a personal sign-off, or a screencast that makes complex processes instantly understandable.
It’s exactly what so many of our clients have been waiting for – and we’ve listened. Our new video integration combines animation and real footage in a seamless storytelling flow. The result is an explainer video that doesn’t just inform – it creates connection, builds trust, and stays in your audience’s mind for longer.
Whether it’s a bold opening, a subtle insert, or an atmospheric backdrop – you decide how real footage, animation, and screen recordings come together to tell your story.
In this blog, you’ll discover how the video integration works and how to use it to make your communication stand out.
Why adding video clips makes your explainer videos more powerful
simpleshow explainer videos have always stood out for their clarity, structure, and memorable storytelling. The new video integration doesn’t replace this proven approach – it enhances it with a deliberate upgrade: real footage adds an extra layer of authenticity.
Our brains respond especially strongly to faces, voices, and real-life scenes. They’re processed faster, remembered for longer, and instantly trigger emotions. This makes real images a powerful amplifier for trust, connection, and credibility.
Animation provides clarity, branding, and structure, while video clips — whether live action, screencasts, or other footage — bring authenticity, cinematic appeal, and variety. The combination boosts engagement, strengthens trust, and keeps your content memorable. Short inserts, background motion, or full scene video create a richer, more dynamic viewing experience without losing the simplicity that makes simpleshow so effective.
Three flexible options for integrating videos into your simpleshow project
The new video integration builds on the proven simpleshow approach — enhancing it with the ability to combine animation, AI avatars, and video clips of any kind. Decide exactly how and where video appears in your story, choosing the perfect balance between animated clarity and cinematic variety.
1. Video scene – full clips as standalone scenes
Insert complete video sequences as independent scenes within your project. This is perfect for longer content that should have its full impact without breaking the visual flow.
An ideal choice for presenting key messages without distraction, ensuring maximum attention.
2. Video on keyword – pinpoint integration in the narrative flow
Link short clips directly to a specific word or line in your script. When that point in the video is reached, the clip plays automatically – no manual timing required.
This creates a seamless integration within the animation flow, preserving your story’s rhythm while adding authenticity exactly where it’s needed.
3. Video background – adding atmosphere and context
Play a video in the background of your animated scene – subtle yet effective. This adds visual depth and a fitting context while keeping your core message front and center.
It reinforces the tone of your message without drawing focus away from what matters most.
5 Benefits of the simpleshow video integration
With the new video integration, you gain a range of advantages that make your video production smarter, faster, and more impactful.
Storytelling with greater depth
Combine animated scenes, AI avatars, and video clips — from a CEO address to a screencast of your software — to create a dynamic shift between abstraction and authenticity.
Credibility & branding
Showcase your team, your locations, or your products. Even screen recordings of processes or tools feel authentic and build trust.
Creative flexibility
Three modes (Video Scene, Video on Keyword, Video Background) give you full control over how and where you use real footage – whether live-action, animation, or screen recordings.
Stronger audience impact
Studies show that real people, locations, and visual guides like screencasts significantly increase attention span and engagement rates.
Industry- and team-specific use cases for the new video integration
The video integration is a true all-rounder, adding value to almost every area of a business. Here are a few concrete examples:
| Department | Use case | Recommended mode & example | Why this mode works |
| HR & Onboarding | Welcome video from management | Video scene: CEO welcomes new employees in the onboarding video | Embedded within the explainer video, the personal full-screen appearance creates an emotional start. Animations provide context and structure, while the real video builds closeness and authenticity. |
| Marketing & Communications | Product teaser | Video on keyword: A close-up of a product appears exactly at the corresponding script word | The clip is triggered precisely in the flow of the explainer. The animation explains the benefit, while the real video delivers visual proof - perfect for boosting both attention and understanding. |
| Sales & Product Presentations | Live demo | Video scene: Operating a device from start to finish | Within the explainer video, animations frame the live demo. This way, viewers first see the theory, then immediately follow along in real footage to understand how the product actually works. |
| Training & Education | Step-by-step training | Video background: Screencast of a software process in the background while the narrator explains | Animations structure the sequence, while the background screencast visually confirms the process. This combination makes complex steps easy to follow in the explainer video. |
FAQs about the simpleshow video integration
1. What is the simpleshow video integration?
The simpleshow video integration is a feature in the simpleshow video maker that lets you embed real video footage – such as interviews, product shots, or screencasts – directly into an explainer video. This creates a combination of animated scenes and authentic live-action footage, without the need for external editing software.
2. What options does the video integration offer?
There are three modes: Video Scene (full clip as a standalone scene), Video on Keyword (clip starts automatically at a specific script word), and Video Background (video plays behind animated elements). These modes allow you to integrate real footage flexibly and precisely into your story.
3. Who can use this feature?
Video Integration is available to all simpleshow Pro and Enterprise users. It’s ideal for marketing, sales, training, and internal communications – anywhere explainer videos can have a greater impact with authentic material.
4. What are the benefits of combining animation with real video?
Animation provides structure, branding, and clarity, while real video adds authenticity, emotion, and credibility. Together, they create explainer videos that are both informative and emotionally engaging – making the content more memorable.
5. How long can an embedded video be?
Each clip can be up to 5 minutes long and a maximum of 500 MB in size. This applies to all three modes – Video Scene, Video on Keyword, and Video Background.
6. Can screencasts be embedded?
Yes, screencasts can be embedded. They’re especially effective in training and product videos to visually demonstrate features, processes, or software workflows.
7. What if my company doesn’t have its own video resources yet?
You can always work entirely with animated scenes or use existing archive material. Stock videos can also be easily integrated.
Conclusion: More impact, without more effort
With the new video integration, you now have even more ways to make your explainer videos unique and impactful – without stepping outside your familiar simpleshow workflows. Whether as a full scene, perfectly timed to a keyword, or as an atmospheric background – you decide how real footage and animation work together to deliver your message clearly and emotionally.
The best part? You don’t need complex editing software. Everything happens seamlessly within simpleshow video maker – fast, easy, and fully on brand.
Ready to take your videos to the next level?
Try it now in simpleshow video maker and see for yourself how simple professional storytelling with real video footage can be.
