Video:Top Tips for Using Windows Movie Maker

Transcript:Top Tips for Using Windows Movie Maker

Hello, I’m Brian Smith for About.com here with some tips for using Windows Live Movie Maker. 

Windows Movie Maker Interface

Windows Movie Maker is a free program that will allow you to use many different video clips, music, pictures, titles and transitions to generate a single video file.  Here are some tips when getting started:

The first thing to know and understand about Movie Maker is the interface.  This will give you a better feel of the video editing workflow and the capabilities of the software so here’s a whirlwind tour. Across the top you’ll see a Home ribbon where you will import your video, photo or music footage.  If you have a webcam, you can also capture live or still images to use in your composition.  From the Home ribbon, you’ll also add your titles, captions and credits.  

Exporting Videos with Movie Maker

This is also where you can export your composition to sharing and social media platforms like SkyDrive, Facebook and YouTube.  If you’re saving it locally, you can also use the Save Movie area. 

Editing Effects in Movie Maker

The Transition Ribbon is where you will apply the transition effects to the beginning, end or between video clips or pictures or apply pans and zooms. 

The Visual Effects Ribbon is where you can add stylistic filters to your clips like blurs, change to black and white and adjust the brightness of your clips. 

The Project Ribbon is where you can define how audio and video will be handled and outputted in your composition. 

Storing Video Assets in Movie Maker

The View Ribbon is where you can adjust how your assets are handled in your project. These functions are duplicated down at the lower right of the screen. Depending on the type of footage you have in your video, you’ll also see context sensitive menus to edit the specific type of media you have highlighted. 

The next tip is to know the formats that Windows Live Movie Maker can accept.  Different cameras or sources generate video or pictures in various formats.  To avoid unnecessary conversion, it’s important to understand the video, picture and audio formats that Windows Live Movie Maker can accept.  

Also know what you intend on using your project for.  Whether that’s for online streaming or DVD, you can plan the quality of your footage better knowing how the end product will be used. Finally, have fun.  

For more information and tips, be sure to check us out on the web at compute.about.com