Windows Movie Maker User Guide by Nicholas Oppman

If you are making a video for a project in one of your courses, Windows Movie Maker is one option you have available to you. Windows Movie Maker is a video editing software can create and videos. Windows Movie Maker can take videos, pictures, and sound files and compile them into one video. Windows Movie Maker is available on most Windows computers at Penn State and is also available for free for Windows 7 and 8 on Microsoft’s website. Since making a video may seem daunting if you do not have experience with it, this guide will show you the process of making a video. While using Windows Media Maker, make sure your computer has speakers or use headphones to watch the progress of your video. This guide is organized into three steps: adding files, editing, and compiling. The editing step is organized into smaller guides that will help you edit your video.

Warning

Using copyrighted music or videos in your video may cause your video to be taken down or other you may face other legal actions. For more information about fair use policies, visit https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/lls/students/copyright_fairuse.html#fair-use.

Notices

In this guide, a step that has a letter preceded by a number means that it is a sub-step and you can pick which sub-step you want to do.

Save your work frequently and have a backup files in case of an event that causes you to lose the work that you have done.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….1 2. Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………1 3. Adding Files to Windows Movie Maker……………………………………………...2 4. Editing the Video………………………………………………………………………3 a. Editing the time of the video…………………..……………………………....4 i. Procedures for editing the time of videos…………………………….4 ii. Procedure for editing the time of pictures……………………………6 iii. Procedure for editing the time of sound……………………………...6 b. Adding slides…….……………………………………………………………...7 c. Adding animations……………………………………………………………..9 d. Adding visual effects…………………………………………………………...9 e. Using Themes………………………………………………………………….10 5. Compiling the finished video and publishing it online………………………………….

Adding Files to Windows Movie Maker

Figure 1: Windows Movie Maker Interface

The first step to making a video is to add files to Windows Movie Maker. These files can be video, pictures, or sound files. Windows Movie Maker can support multiple extensions for video, pictures, and sound files. This guide will be using a sample of each to help explain the process of making a video. There are multiple ways to add files and this guide will detail each one.

Step 1: Gather files that you will be using in your video.

Step 2: Add video or picture files to Windows Movie Maker.

Step 2a: Left-click on “Add videos and Pictures” and double-click the left mouse button on a video file or picture.

Step 2b: Left-click on “Click here to browse for videos and photos” (shown in Figure 1) and double-click the left mouse button on a video file or picture.

Step 2c: Find the location of the files you are using and drag the files into the Storyboard by left-clicking on the file once and then clicking the left button again but not releasing and dragging it into the box with the words “Click here to browse for videos and photos.”

Step 3: Add sound files to Windows Movie Maker.

Notice

You can only add sound files after adding a video or a picture file. You can only use sound in areas where there is already a video or picture.

Step 3a: Left-click on “Add videos and Pictures” and double-click the left mouse

button on a video file or picture

Step 3b: Find the location of the files you are using and drag the files into the Storyboard by left-clicking on the file once and then clicking the left button again but not releasing and dragging it into the box with the words “Click here to browse for videos and photos.”

Step 4: Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you add all the files that you need for your video.

Figure 2: Storyboard

Step 5: Organize the picture and videos in the order you want by dragging the blocks in the story board (Figure 2) . Drag the music blocks to the time you want them to start.

Step 6: Save your work by left-clicking the floppy disk in the top left corner of the Windows Movie Maker interface.

Editing the Video

Now that you added files to your video, it is time to edit it. This is the lengthiest part of making a video as it is the most tedious. This guide will show you different procedures to edit the time, to add transitions, to add animations, and to add effects. These procedures can be done in any order but it is recommended that you edit the time first so it does not interfere with the other procedures. While doing these procedures, watch the video to the left of the storyboard so you can see add these procedures at a specific time. As a reminder, save your video once you finish your procedure.

Editing the time of videos, pictures and sound

This procedure is for removing unwanted parts of the video by cutting video out, changing how long a picture appears, or cutting parts of sound out. There are several ways to remove video depending on what you want to remove from the video. These actions and actions related to pictures and sound are in this procedure.

Notices

Repeat each of the following actions until you are satisfied

While doing this procedure, watch and listen to the video to see when you want to make a change.

Figure 3: Controls for the video

Figure 4: The wiper

Figure 5: Tools to edit the video (under the Edit tab)

Removing video before a specific time

Step 1: Determine the part of the video you want to remove by playing the video and stopping at the time you want to remove (using the controls in Figure 3) or move the wiper to the specific time you want to remove (shown in Figure 4).

Step 2: Left-click on “Set start point” (shown in Figure 5) or right-click on the storyboard and left-click on “Set Start point.”

Step 3: Save your work.

Removing video after a specific time

Step 2: Left-click on “Set end point” (shown in Figure 5) or right-click on the storyboard and click on “Set end point.”

Step 3: Save your work.

Removing video between two specific times

Step 1: Determine the starting part of the video you want to remove by playing the video and stopping at the time you want to remove (using the controls in Figure 3) or move the wiper to the specific time you want to remove (shown in Figure 4).

Step 2: Left-click on “Split” (shown in Figure 5) or right-click on the storyboard and left-click on “Split.”

Step 3: Determine the end part of the video you want to remove by playing the video and stopping at the time you want to remove move the wiper to the specific time you want to remove.

Figure 6: Removing a section from the video

Step 4: Delete the section between the sections you want to keep (shown in Figure 6) buy right- clicking the section and left-clicking “Remove.”

Step 5: Save your work

Removing video before and after two specific times (Trimming)

Step 1: Play the video and stop (using the controls in Figure 3) or move the wiper (shown in Figure 4) to the portion of the video that you want to trim.

Step 2: Left-click “Trim” (shown in Figure 5).

Figure 7: Trimming Wipers

Figure 8: Trimming time controls and save button

Step 3: Determine the section of the video that you want to keep.

Step 3a: Move the wipers (shown in Figure 7) to the start time of the section and the end time of the section

Step 3b: Set the “Start point” and “End point” using the controls in Figure 8.

Step 4: Left-Click on “Save Trim” (shown in Figure 8).

Step 5: Save your work.

Changing the time of a picture

Step 1: Determine how long you want a picture to stay on the screen.

Figure 9: Control for time of picture (under the Edit tab)

Step 2: Using the control in Figure 9, set the time for how long a picture stay on the screen

Step 3: Save your work.

Changing the time of a sound file

Step 1: Determine the part of the sound file you want to get rid of.

Step 2: Left-click on the sound file you want to edit.

Figure 10: Controls for editing a sound file (under Options Tab)

Notice

You can only edit the time of a sound file after left-clicking it.

Step 3: Set the starting point of the sound file by moving the wiper and left-clicking “Set start point” or by entering the specific time in the control “Start point.”

Step 4: Set the ending point of the sound file by moving the wiper and left-clicking “Set end point” or by entering the specific time in the control “End point.”

Step 5: Save your work.

Adding slides

In your video you may want to add an opening title, credits, or additional slides. This procedure will show you how to add these slides, edit how long they will appear, and edit the text on them.

Notice

To add a slide in your video, follow the guide for adding an opening title but move the wiper to the time you want the slides to appear.

Adding an opening title and credits

Step 1: Move the wiper (shown in Figure 4) to the beginning of the video. Figure 11: Opeing title and credits Step 2: Left-click on “Add title” (the top box in Figure 11).

Figure 12: Title screen

Step 3: Left-click in the text in Figure 12 and type the text you want.

Figure 13: Time control for the title screen

Step 4: Set the time that the title screen will appear in the video using the control in Figure 13.

Figure 14: Effects option

Step 5: Windows Movie Maker offers different type of effects for title screens. Using the control

in Figure 14, pick the effect you want for your title screen.

Step 6: Repeat Steps 2-5 for additional title screens.

Step 7: Left-click on “Add credits” (the bottom box in Figure 11).

Notice

Left-clicking the arrow in Step 7 will give additional options for “Director”, “Staring,” and “Location” credits.

Figure 15: Credits screen

Step 8: Left-click in the text in Figure 15 and type the text you want.

Figure 16: Time control for the credits screen

Step 9: Set the time that the title screen will appear in the video using the control in Figure 16.

Figure 17: Effects option

Step 10: Using the control in Figure 17, pick the effect you want for your credits screen.

Step 11: Repeat Steps 7-10 for additional credits screens.

Step 12: Save your work.

Adding animations

While you make your video, you might want to add animations between to portions of video or pictures so the transitions are not as abrupt. You might also want to add animations so video zooms in onto a certain spot in the video. This procedure will show you how to add animations to video and pictures and edit how long these animations will appear.

Step 1: Determine where you want to add a transition and move the wiper (shown in Figure 4) to the portion of the video or picture that you want a transition in.

Step 2: From Figure 1, left-click the “Animations” tab.

Figure 18: Animations options

Step 3: Choose the animation you want from either the “Transitions” or “Pan and zoom” options shown in Figure 18.

Step 4: Set how long the animation will appear using the “Duration” control.

Step 5: Repeat steps 2-4 for additional animations.

Step 6: Save your work.

Adding visual effects

Window Movie Maker also gives you the option of adding video effects to your video. These effects include black and while, fades, motions, and mirror. This procedure will show you how to use visual effects in your video.

Step 1: Determine where you want to add a visual effect and move the wiper (shown in Figure 4) to the portion of the video or picture that you want an effect in.

Step 2: From Figure 1, left-click the “Visual Effects” tab.

Figure 19: Visual Effects options

Step 3: Choose the animation you want from the “Effects” options shown in Figure 19.

Step 4: Repeat steps 2-3 for additional effects.

Step 5: Save your work.

Using themes

Windows Movie Maker gives you the option of using themes for your video. Themes are premade sets of slides, transitions, and visual effects. Themes are located under the “Home” tab and options are listed as “AutoMovie Themes.” Themes will not edit the time of the video. After selecting a theme, follow the instructions for editing time, slides, animations, and visual effects to edit the theme so the theme’s effects fit your video.

Compiling the Finished Video and Publishing it Online

Figure 20: Finished video

After you finished editing the video, you are ready to compile and post it to a website. This guide will now show you how to compile the video and post it to YouTube. For your video, you can post your video to any site depending on what your professor wants or the size of your video.

Step 1: Save your work.

Step 2: Left-click on the “Project” tab and choose ratio of your video (shown in Figure 21). Figure 21: Ratio control Notice

To avoid black bars on the side of your video when you post it online, choose “Widescreen (16:9)” as your aspect ratio.

Step 3: Left-click on the arrow under “Save movie” (under the “Home” tab) and choose “For computer.”

Step 4: Save the file to a location on your computer that you will remember.

Step 5: Wait for the movie to save.

Notice

Once it finishes saving, your movie is complete. The following steps will show your how to save the video to YouTube. If you want to publish it on a different site, go to their website and follow their instructions.

Step 6: Log onto YouTube by left-clicking the blue head in Figure 22. Figure 22: Log in and upload buttons Step 7: Left-click “Upload.”

Figure 23: YouTube upload interface

Step 8: Left-click on the white arrow in Figure 23, locate your movie, and double left-click it or locate your movie and drag it to the arrow.

Step 9: Wait for the video to process and then left-click “Publish.”

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If you followed these instructions, your completed video will now be online for others to view.