It's easy, honest! I'm just passing on my hard-won experience. The sugar has to be at soft-ball stage, so is hot - and when it mixes with the gelatine, it can bubble, so the bigger the jug you mix it in the better. Then you can pour it straight into the mixer, while the beater's going round. I spent a lot of time faffing about pouring the sugar into the gelatine, then pouring it all into a jug, blah, blah, blah...
Is really worth it. You will be the Willy Wonka of your whole street.