Windows Movie Maker Video Production
Windows Movie Maker Video Production
1.0 Introduction
Microsoft Movie Maker is a standard component of Windows XP which allows users to create movie projects using digital still, audio and video files.
2.0 Video Footage
Copy the folder containing the video footage from the shared “S” drive /+Shared Data Files to the C:/drive. The folder is called Grade10Video. The folder contains raw video footage that will need to be imported into Movie Maker.
3.0 Launch the Movie Maker program
3.1 Go to Start/Programs/Movie Maker
3.2 Movie Maker Interface consist of four main areas:
3.2.1 Collection Pane
3.2.2 Collection Area
3.2.3 Preview Area
3.2.4 Storyboard/timeline area
4.0 Collection Pane
This area is where the video effects, video transitions and collections are listed.
4.1 Create a new collection
In the collection pane area by right click on the word collection. Name the collection video. Right-click again on the word collection and create a second collection named audio.
The collection area will hold the video clips and audio files that will be used in your movie. The video effects, video transitions and collections are listed in the collection pane. Try clicking on the video effect and transitions and watch them appear in the collection area.
Video Effects / Transitions4.2 Storyboard/Timeline
The timeline area is where video clips are dragged and dropped. Video clips can be put in a preferred order, effects and transitions can be added, audio clips can be inserted, modified, cut, or changed in length.
4.3 Preview Area: This is where projects are previewed. At any point during production, you can select the play button to view the movie.
5.0 Placing Video Clips
5.1 Click show storyboard in the timeline. Shift + Click the first and last video clip in the collection area and drag them and drop them on the timeline.
5.2 Review each video clip and edit the clips to your choice by using the edit tool. To edit a video clips you have several options to use. You have a choice to split a clip, combine clip or a trim a clip.
5.3 Splitting a clip. You can split a video clip into two clips. This is useful if you want to insert either a picture or a video transition in the middle of a clip. You can split a clip that appears on the storyboard/timeline of a current project, or you can split the clip in the contents pane.
1. Select the clip you wan to split by single clicking on it.
2. Press Play in the Preview Pane
3. Press Pause where you would like to split the clip
4. Go to Clip on the Menu, and down to Split (or use the shortcut key CTRL-L)
If you split the clip in the Contents Pane, another clip will appear beside the clip you had selected with a number indicating that it is a split clip.
If you split the clip in the Storyboard/Timeline, the split clip appears to the right; beside your selected clip already in the video track.
5.4 Combining clips. You can combine two or more contiguous video clips. Contiguous means the clips were captured together, so that the end time of one clip is the same as the start time of the next clip. Combining clips is useful if you have several short clips and you want to view them as one clip on the storyboard/timeline. Similar to splitting a clip, you can combine contiguous clips in the Contents pane or on the storyboard/timeline.
To do this, Hold down the CTRL key and select the clips you want to combine. Go to Clip on the menu, and to combine. Your clips will be combined.
5.5 Trimming a clip. You can hide parts of a clip you do not want in your project. For example, you can trim the beginning or end of a clip. Trimming does not remove the information from the source material; you can clear the trim points to return the clip to its original length at any time. Clips can only be trimmed when they are viewed in the timeline. You cannot trim clips in the Contents pane.
Drag the trim handles, which are shown in the following illustration, to trim the unwanted portions of the clip. Handles appear on both sides of the clip in order to trim from the beginning or end.
6.0 Placing Video Transitions
5.2 Click the video transitions in the collection pane and watch the various transitions appear in the collection area. Choose transitions by dragging and place it between the two video clips. Continue to choose transitions and place them between the video clips. (Be sure you are in the storyboard mode) Once you have these up, you can scroll down to see more. Find one you would like to try.
Click on one transition and press the play button in the preview pane to see a preview of what it will look like.
7.0 Import Songs/Music into Movie Maker
Go to http://www.freeplaymusic.com and download music clips.
Save music from freeplaymusic.com to your Grade10Video folder.
Click on a CD Volume,
Style.
You will see approximately 10 selections to choose from.
A closer look at a selection:
Click on Save Target As
Save in the Grade10Video folder on the “U” drive.
Click Save.
7.1 Import audio file
Import audio file into the audio collection in the collection pane. Click on file from the menu and go to import into collection. Highlight file and import.
7.2 Modify audio file
You may also modify the audio file by right clicking
it and selecting an appropriate function:
¨ Fade In or Fade Out
¨ Mute
¨ Change the volume
When there is more than one music file on your timeline, you can combine and fade one file into the other by clicking the file and dragging it into the next. This allows one song to play into the next without any chopping. (This can sometimes take some practice so don’t give up!)
As you see from above, the blue rectangle will slide itself into the previous song. The more the rectangle slides, the more it will cut into that song. You will have to experiment with this feature and adjust the file to your liking. Don’t forget, the play button in the preview pane will also preview the music files in your timeline.
8.0 Inserting titles and credits
To add a title or credits to your movie you will have to first go to the TOOLS dropdown menu and select TITLES AND CREDITS.
Here you need to decide where you would like to place your text.
You will be given space to type in the text you would like the audience to see when they watch your movie.
Type the following text :
2006 Provincial Ringette Tournament
Fredericton Stars Petit Team
vs
Miramichi Baie St. Anne Petit Team
Fredericton, New Brunswick
To view what the title screen will look like, you can press the play button in the preview area and watch what happens.
If you are happy with the way your title looks, you click on “Done, add title to movie” and the title will be put in the timeline automatically.
**Although you might be happy with how the title looks, you will also explore how to change the title animation, text font and the colours associated with your title.
Changing the Title Animation: This is where the title gets animated on the title or credit screen.
When you click “Change the title animation”, the following screen will show you what options you have in changing the animation.
You can scroll up and down to explore the various styles. By pressing the play button in the preview area, you will see a demonstration of what your animated title will look like. Select a few and see what happens.
Text Font/Colour and Background: From here you can change the style of the writing as well as the colour of the text and the background.
In the same area, select “Change the text font and colour” to bring you to the following screen:
Note: All changes you make will appear in the preview window to the right of the screen after you click ok.
Once your editing is complete, you can click in the play button in the preview pane to view what your title will look like. If you are satisfied, click on Done.
You will repeat this process if you want to add credits to your movie.
Save your project and you are ready to save it as a movie.
9.0 Save Project
To save your project, go to FILE and to Save Project As
Make certain that you are saving the file in your folder you created (Grade10Video) in the Save File (U://YourNameMovieMaker).
If you wish to save your work after you have initially saved the project, click on the Blue Disk on the toolbar. This will automatically save your work in the saved location.
Saving your project as a movie file
Click on File, Save Movie File
Create a name and find the proper folder (C:\Grade10Video) to save your file.
Select your setting for the file being saved. It will affect the size of your displayed movie and how much disk space will be required.
Wait as it saves your file.
You can view your movie when finished or open it yourself from within the folder you saved it.
Most times you will see this icon representing your movie.
BUT, if you look in your folder, the icon might be replaced by the first clip of your movie. Regardless, make sure your file names are ones you will be able to remember.
Keyboard shortcuts
Shortcut keys are available for many of the commands in Windows Movie Maker. By using shortcut keys, you can quickly accomplish common tasks.
The following table provides an overview of the tasks you can complete by using shortcut keys.
Task / Shortcut keyCreate a new project / CTRL+N
Open an existing project / CTRL+O
Save a project / CTRL+S
Save a project with a new name / F12
Save a movie / CTRL+P
Capture video / CTRL+R
Import an existing digital media file / CTRL+I
Undo the last action / CTRL+Z
Redo the last undone action / CTRL+Y
Cut / CTRL+X
Copy / CTRL+C
Paste / CTRL+V
Delete / DELETE
Select all clips / CTRL+A
Rename a collection or clip / F2
Clear the storyboard/timeline / CTRL+DELETE
Show or hide the storyboard/timeline / CTRL+T
Zoom in on the timeline / PAGE DOWN
Zoom out on the timeline / PAGE UP
Add selected clips to the storyboard/timeline / CTRL+D
Play video in full screen / ALT+ENTER
Set start trim point / CTRL+SHIFT+I
Set end trim point / CTRL+SHIFT+O
Clear trim points / CTRL+SHIFT+DELETE
Split a clip / CTRL+L
Combine contiguous clips / CTRL+M
Nudges clip to the left / CTRL+SHIFT+B
Nudges clip to the right / CTRL+SHIFT+N
Play or pause clip / SPACEBAR
Stop playback on the storyboard/timeline / CTRL+K
Play content on the storyboard/timeline / CTRL+W
Rewind content on the storyboard/timeline / CTRL+Q
Back / CTRL+ALT+LEFT ARROW
Forward / CTRL+ALT+RIGHT ARROW
Previous frame / ALT+LEFT ARROW
Next frame / ALT+RIGHT ARROW
Display Help topics / F1
Select previous item (on a timeline track, on the storyboard, or in the Contents pane) / LEFT ARROW
Select next item (on a timeline track, on the storyboard, or in the Contents pane) / RIGHT ARROW
Select item above (on a timeline track or in the Contents pane) / UP ARROW
Select item below (on a timeline track or in the Contents pane) / DOWN ARROW
Go to the first item (on a timeline track, on the storyboard, or in the Contents pane) / HOME
Go to the last item (on a timeline track, on the storyboard, or in the Contents pane) / END
Note: Remember to use the help feature to learn more about Windows Movie Maker!
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