Edit Home Video
 

Windows Movie Maker - Easy Edit Tutorial

Here is your first assignment:  

 

Black (or filler) will be at the beginning for about 2 seconds
Fade up title and leave up for as long as it takes you to read it
dissolve into first video clip with sound
cut to next video clip with sound
wipe to next video clip with sound
dissolve to "The End" title and leave it on screen for 5 seconds

fade The End title to black leaving that black clip up for 10 seconds

ta - dah ... you made a video!

 

This is what Windows Movie Maker looks like when it's first launched

 

Windows Movie Maker Storyboard

If this is your first time looking at it, remember (this goes for all editing systems) --- don't let all the new words, terms etc overwhelm you. Almost all video systems and equipment say what they want you to do right on the buttons. Don't try to absorb the entire window, break it down into small sections. 

The upper left open area with Video Effects and Transitions is the tools and clip area. Your clips start there along with the tools that you can use with the clips. 

The next white window is where the clips for a particular project will live.

To the right of that is the viewing monitor. More complicated editing systems have 2 monitors, one for your footage and one for the project itself. 2 monitors make it easier.

The bottom half is the Timeline or Sequence.  Right now it's showing in the storyboard. That is very confusing even for me, a longtime editor so please switch it to "Show Timeline", by clicking that icon,Show Timeline/Storyboard Icon

so that your screen changes to the image below.

 

Windows Movie Maker Timeline



Click FILE  then  Capture Video

Windows Movie Maker File & Capture Video menu

If you haven't plugged in your camera yet, it will give you an error so make sure your camcorder is plugged in properly.  When it is, you will see your video image from the camera in the WMM monitor.

 

 

 

 
 
       

.Mac (Apple Computer, Inc.)