Creating a movie using your photos, videos, and music is child's play one time you primary Windows Movie Maker's unproblematic editing tools.

Video editing seems daunting, but it's very easy in one case y'all go to grips with a few editing basics. At that place are tons of free video editing programs, and even free online video editing tools. Only Windows Moving-picture show Maker is one of easiest to utilise.

We'll prove you how to stitch your photos, videos, and music together to create a simple montage in under thirty minutes. Yous can so use the techniques nosotros describe and add your own inventiveness to farther enhance your videos.

For convenience, save all the media files that volition be used to create your film to a common binder on your PC. Information technology's too worth reading these useful video editing tips before y'all begin.

Understanding Movie Maker's Interface

Compared to other video editing programs, Motion picture Maker'due south editing interface is pretty basic. Like to Function programs, it has useful tabs at the top. For example, the Animations and Visual Effects tabs (which we'll get to later) let you add those options to your files. Similarly, the Project tab lets y'all modify the video layout, and change your sound levels; while the View tab gives you options to brand your editing timeline easier to use.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Interface

If you lot can't finish your edit in a single sitting, so relieve information technology every bit a "project" so y'all can rapidly pick up from where you left off.  To do this, click the Motion-picture show Maker drop-downward menu at the summit left, click Salve project as, then proper name, and save it on your PC. When you desire to go along editing, simply launch this projection on your PC.

The first step in whatsoever editing process is to import the media files that'll form your moving-picture show. To practice that in Picture Maker, click Add videos and photos in the Abode tab, navigate to the first media file you want to add, and then click Open. To add several files at i get, press the Ctrl central, select all your files, and so clickOpen up.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Importing files

We've previously listed other websites and useful resource from where can download copyright-free music, and even free-to-apply images.

To add music, click the Add music drop-down carte du jour. The first three options in the drop-down bill of fare (AudioMicro, Free Music Archive and Vimeo) accept you to websites that let y'all download royalty-free music or background scores. To add a track from your PC, click Add Music after clicking the drop-down menu, select the runway, then click Open.

Windows Movie Maker besides lets you record a phonation-over or webcam video. If you want to import files from your video photographic camera, USB drive, or memory card, and then click the Movie Maker drop-downward carte du jour at the top left, clickImport from device and follow the steps to add together those files.

The Editing Timeline

Imported files appear every bit minor thumbnails on your timeline (right). Click and drag the black cursor on your timeline to preview that department in the preview pane (left). Use the spacebar to play and pause the video on your timeline while editing.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Basics

Click and drag whatever file to reorder it within your timeline. Similarly, you tin can select any thumbnail you don't desire, then press Delete to remove information technology from the timeline. Also, remember that Window's keyboard shortcuts for Cut, Copy, and Paste all work within in Moving picture Maker, so you can easily create multiple versions of the same file.

To increase the size of the thumbnails on your timeline, click the View tab. Here, you can utilise the zoom options, or employ the Thumbnail size drop-down card. Yous'll discover that your music appears as a thinner section below your video. Once all your files are in society on your timeline, y'all're ready to kickoff editing.

Editing Photos

Select a photo you added on the timeline. The Abode tab has options to rotate it. You'll find that each of your photos play for 7 seconds (Movie Maker's default fourth dimension) before moving to the next file.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Photos

To change this duration, select the photo on your timeline, click the Edit tab, then select another value from the Elapsing driblet-downwards menu. Do this for each of your photos, then check and confirm you're happy with their new durations.

Editing Videos

Editing videos is where the fun really starts. It's basically a example of arranging your videos by dragging them beyond the timeline, then trimming them to ingather out any unwanted parts.

What if you desire multiple smaller clips from the aforementioned (longer) video file? Simply re-create and paste the video thumbnail on the timeline to create multiple versions of that file, then trim each version separately.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Videos

To trim your videos, you need to define their commencement and terminate points. Drag the black cursor on the timeline to the indicate at which you lot want to kickoff trimming, right-click your mouse, then click Set first betoken. Now do the same at the terminate signal, and click Set up end point. It'south equally easy as that. Yous'll notice that the right-click menu also lets yous add other media files to that specific point on your timeline.

Editing Music

By default, your music file is added to the outset of your timeline. If y'all want the music to showtime a footling subsequently your video, select the small musical bar on your timeline, and so drag it to where you want the music to start.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Music

If the music file is too short for your video, then simply make copies to loop it or add another file. You lot can trim your music file in the aforementioned manner you trimmed your videos.

Adding a Title, Caption, and Credits

Flick Maker lets you lot add a title, caption, and credits. You'll observe these options inside the Add section of the Abode tab. "Championship", for instance, appears as a pink department at the offset of your timeline. Type out your video title in the preview pane.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Titles

Click the Format tab to change its text font, style, and size, and reposition your text box within the window. Like photos on your timeline, titles, and other sections also play for seven seconds past default, but you can modify this duration from the Edit tab.

Adding the Finishing Touches With Furnishings

Windows Movie Maker has a few uncomplicated effects that liven up your videos. The AutoMovie themes department in the Domicile tab adds automated transition effects to your video.

To add your own transitions between different slides, press the Ctrl key, click to select the files you want to add together the transition issue to, click the Animations tab, then select the effect you desire. Similarly, the Visual Furnishings tab has options (including Sepia, and Black and white), which can exist useful to for particular slides – for example, to denote a dream sequence.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Effects

You can likewise add together fade in and fade out effects to your video and audio files. Select the file on your timeline, click the Edit tab, the Fade In (orFade out) driblet-down menu, so choose i of the three options - Slow, Medium, and Fast.

There are other means to raise your music. Select information technology inside the timeline, then click the Project tab where you'll see options to boost its book, heave the narration, and even fit the slide to your background score.

Save Your Edited Movie

Play your entire sequence from commencement to finish and ensure y'all're happy with it. Motion picture Maker has many options to export your edited movie. Click the Dwelling house tab, theRelieve movie drib-down carte at the height right, so select ane of the options. Only go withFor computer if you're unsure which one to choose.

Windows-Movie-Maker-Export

Name your edited video and select where you lot want to save it on your PC. Depending on your chosen consign format, the number of files and effects yous added, and your total video file size, your edited movie can take up to a few minutes to save. You'll see an option to play it using your default media player when that's done.

Smiling... You're on Aboveboard Camera

Now wasn't that easier than you expected? And you idea video editing will take up the meliorate part of your mean solar day. If you found whatever of the to a higher place steps hard to follow, and so read Microsoft's abridged guide to making a movie in four steps.

If y'all're looking for inspiration on what videos to record, check out the popular types of YouTube videos yous tin make today. Nosotros've also featured a useful web app to brand YouTube videos, but Movie Maker is a amend option to create videos.

Could you use these features to make a movie in under 30 minutes? With practice, we're confident you'll exist able to go information technology down to less than half that time. Are there any easier editing video editing programs that you've used? Let us know by posting your thoughts in the Comments section beneath.

Prototype Credit: Fabio Pagani past film reel cutting via Shutterstock

26 Awesome Uses for a Raspberry Pi

Read Adjacent

About The Author