Windows Movie Maker Tutorial

Part 1

• Adding Video & Digital Stills

• Editing Video Clips
• Adding Transitions
• Adding Effects
• Adding Titles

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 1.1. Getting Started
1. Open Windows Movie Maker
a. Click on Start
b. Click on All Programs
c. Click on Windows Movie Maker
i. (note: It could also be under Accessories)

1.2 Importing Video & Digital Stills

Notice that there are four Movie Tasks listed on the left hand
side:
• Capture Video
• Edit Movie
• Finish Movie
• Movie Making Tips

Each has an arrow that lets you expand or collapse the subtopics under
each task.

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 1. Click on Import Video and import the file fish[1] from the Practice
Folder on your CD.

2. Now click on Import Pictures and import all of the pictures from the
Practice Folder on your CD into Windows Movie Maker.

d. If you hold down the Shift Key while you click them, you can
import all of the pictures at once.

e. Notice that the imported video and pictures become

a Collection. Windows Media will always remember this
collection.

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 On the bottom are two ways you can edit your movie.

The Storyboard View gives you a quick overview of the contents of a

movie.

The Timeline View gives you more precision for editing.

You click on Show Timeline or Show Storyboard to toggle between the

two views.

3. Click on Show Storyboard

4. Drag a picture of one fish into the first box on the storyboard.

5. Drag a picture of two fish into the second box on the storyboard.

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 6. Drag a picture of a red fish into the third box on the storyboard.

7. Drag a picture of a blue fish into the fourth box on the storyboard.

8. Drag the video fish[1] to the fifth box.

9. To preview your video, click on the first clip and click on the play

button on the right hand side of the screen.

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1.3 Editing Video Clips
You probably noticed that the last video clip is quite long. We are going to
edit this clip and make it shorter.

1. Switch to the Timeline View

2. Move the playhead to the beginning of the last clip.

Playhead

3. Click and drag the edge of the clip to the left. This will trim the clip.
You can lengthen or shorten any of the video clips or still images by
clicking and dragging the ends.

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 4.4 Adding Transitions

Now we are going to add transitions between our clips.

1. Under the Movie Task Edit Movie click on View Video Transitions

2. A number of transition effects appear. You can click on different ones

and preview them by clicking on the play button.

3. Once you have chosen a transition, click on it and drag it in between two
clips.

4. Little boxes will appear under the Transition part of the timeline to show
that you have added a transition.

Transitions

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 5. Add transitions between all of your clips.

6. Drag the playhead back to the beginning of the first clip and press
play to preview your video.

1.5 Adding Effects

1. To add effects under the Movie Task Edit Movie click on View Video
Effects

A number of special effects appear. You can click on different ones and
preview them by clicking on the play button.

6. Once you have chosen an effect, click on it and drag it on top of the last
video clip.
7. A star will appear in the timeline to indicate an effect has been added.

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8. Drag the playhead back to the beginning of the first clip and press play
to preview your video.

1.6 Adding Titles

1. Click on the first clip

2. Under the Movie Task Edit Movie click on Make Titles or Credits

3. Click on Add Title before the selected clip in the timeline

4. Type Fish in the first text box

5. In the second text box type by and your name

6. Click on Change the Title Animation and choose a different animation. A

preview will appear on the right.

7. Click on Change the Text and Font Color. Make your choices.

8. Click Done Add to the Movie

9. Your title slide should appear in the Timeline view.

Title Slide

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10. Move your playhead to the beginning of the first slide and preview your
movie.

To add titles on the slides follow the steps above, except click on Add Title
on a Selected Clip in a Movie.

11. Add the titles One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish to each of the
clips.

12. Move your playhead back to the beginning of the first clip and preview
your movie.

13. Save your work.

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 Windows Movie Maker Tutorial
Part 2

• Adding Narration
• Adding Music

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2.1 Adding Narration

You can either add your narration in Audacity or in Windows Movie Maker.
The directions below are if you choose to make your voiceovers in Windows
Movie Maker. The key is to record your voiceovers in “chunks” as outlined in
your storyboard. When saving chunks name them in sequential order (i.e.
narration_1, narration_2, narration_3 etc.).

Practice the narration a few times before you start recording.

This will give you greater confidence when the microphone is on. Record
each chunk and listen to it. If it is not what you want, redo it.

To make a recording in Windows Movie Maker:

1. Open your fish movie from part one. Toggle to the Timeliner View.

2. Drag the playhead to the point where you want the narration to begin
and click on the microphone.

3. Click Start Narration to start recording the narration. Click Stop

Narration once you have finished.

4. The narration is saved into a folder entitled Narration in the My

Videos folder and placed on the Timeline.

5. Add Narration for the Title Slide and the One Fish, Two Fish, Red
Fish, Blue Fish Slides.

6. You may have to go back and adjust the timing of the images and the
transitions to match the timing of the narration.

7. Preview your video and make sure it is exactly like you want it.

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 One of the limitations of Windows Movie Maker is that it only
allows you to have one track for sound. We can get around this by saving
your movie and then starting a new movie and bringing in your work as video
footage with sound. You will need to save the work you have done so far as a
finished movie. This means that you won’t be able to make any more changes
to the clips, narration, titles or transitions. Make sure you have your movie
the way you want it before moving on.

To save your movie:

1. In the task bar under Finish Movie Click on Save to My Computer

2. Follow the wizard directions for saving the video.

3. Make sure you know where you saved your movie.

To import the movie into a new project:

1. Go to File and click on New Movie
2. Toggle to the Timeline View
3. Under Movie Tasks under Capture Video click on Import Video
4. Find the fish video that you saved. It should show up as a clip in
the timeline view.

To add music to your video:

1. Under Movie Tasks under Capture Video click on Import Audio or
Music
2. Choose something from the Sample Music folder
3. Put the playhead where you want the music to begin
4. It will show up in the timeline view under Audio/Music
5. Preview your movie

To adjust sound settings:

1. Click on the audio or music clip you want to adjust
2. Click on the Clip menu at the top of the screen.
3. You can choose Fade In, Fade Out or Volume to adjust

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To save your movie:

Note you won’t be able to make changes after this point.

4. In the task bar under Finish Movie Click on Save to My Computer

5. Follow the wizard directions for saving the video.

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