Creating simple videos using Windows Live MovieMaker

Transcription

1 Creating simple videos using Windows Live MovieMaker by: Charina Ong Centre for Development of Teaching and Learning National University of Singapore

2 Table of Contents About the Workshop... i Workshop Objectives... i Session Prerequisites... i Getting Started with Windows Live Movie Maker... 1 The Workspace... 1 Starting a New Project... 2 Organizing your Digital files... 2 Working with Graphics... 2 Importing files into the Collection... 2 Arranging Content... 4 Working with Videos... 5 Changing the Aspect Ratio... 5 Splitting and Combining Clips... 6 Trimming Parts of a Video Clip... 7 Deleting Clips... 8 Working with Special Effects... 9 Adding Transitions and Video Effects... 9 Applying an Auto Movie Theme... 9 Working with Audio Adding Background Music Editing Audio Adjusting the Volume Applying Fade-in-Fade-out Effect Setting the Starting Time of a Sound Clip Setting Starting and Ending Point of a Sound Clip Working with Text Adding Text to your Movie Editing text Formatting Text and Background Applying Text Animation Saving a Movie Saving a Movie Project Rendering Final Movie Formats... 17

3 About the Workshop Windows Live Movie Maker is a basic video editing tool that enables students to present information using digital pictures, video clips, text, and supporting background music. This workshop is designed to introduce students to Windows Live Movie Maker s features to create memorable slideshows and movies. Workshop Objectives By the end of this workshop, participants should be able to: 1. Add graphic images to the timeline 2. Add video clips to the timeline 3. Add background music 4. Use special effects and transitions 5. Add titles, captions, and credits 6. Perform basic video editing 7. Export the finished movie as a Windows Media Video (.wmv) file Session Prerequisites Only the basic computer skills are needed to experience success with Movie Maker. Participants will find it easy to work with this application. i

4 Getting Started with Windows Live Movie Maker Windows Live Movie Maker (or Movie Maker for short) is an application for creating digital videos that can be saved and played back in various formats including a DVD, from your hard drive or shared online. To launch the Movie Maker program: 1. Click Start > All Programs > Windows Live Movie Maker. The Workspace Identify the following parts of the workspace: File menu Zoom Preview box Playback controls Contents pane 1

5 Starting a New Project Organizing your Digital files The first step to start a new project is to collect and organize your files. To keep all of your media organized, you should copy any existing audio, video, and still images into a single folder on your computer s hard drive. Changing the location of the files after importing to Movie maker will break the connection. Below is a simple structure that you can follow to organize your files. Project name (main folder) o photos o videos o audio Working with Graphics Importing files into the Collection 1. From the Home tab, click Add videos and photos. 2. Browse to the location where you have stored your images. (Desktop\project name\photos) 2

6 3. Select the images to import. You can hold down CTRL key to make multiple selections, and click Open. Hold down CTRL key + click on the images you want to import 4. Follow the same steps to add videos to your collection. 5. The media files will be displayed on the Contents pane. In order to distinguish a photo from a video clip, a still photo is represented by a thumbnail, while a video clip is represented by a film strip. Still photos Video clip 6. Save the movie project by clicking File>Save Project as. 7. Browse to the location where to save the file (Desktop\project name). 8. Type in filename for this project and click Save. 3

7 Arranging Content Photos and videos that are imported to Movie Maker are automatically inserted after the current clip on the Contents pane. It would be useful if you prepare a storyboard to help you follow the sequence of objects to display on your movie. To re-arrange the order of the content: 1. Click and drag to move the clip to the desired location on the Contents pane. Click and drag to move the clip to its new position 2. Press CTRL + S to save the current changes made. 4

8 Working with Videos The main part of your work starts as you begin editing the different parts of the footage taken. Editing can be done in variety of ways. You can split a long clip into shorter clips, combine clips into a single clip, trim the beginning or ending of a clip, add captions, apply transitions/video effects, and more. As you go about editing your videos, please keep in mind the old saying, less is more. Have you ever watched a movie that overwhelmed you with special effects? Always remember that the goal of editing is to keep your audience from getting bored. The flipside of this is that you can engage your audience with an interesting movie, but turn them off with poor editing and improper usage of sound, special effects that jump from one scene to another too quickly. Changing the Aspect Ratio Video recorders capture video in numerous formats:.mpeg,.mov, and.avi respectively. But no matter which format, it is likely that the video will only display in two aspects: 16:9 or 4:3. Aspect refers to the ratio of the width to height of the viewable area of the screen. The 4:3 aspect ratio is found in most non-widescreen televisions, while the 16:9 format (or widescreen) is usually seen in movie theatres. Video that is displayed using an incorrect aspect ratio will appear stretched. To fix this problem: 1. Select the video clip in the Contents pane. 2. On the Project tab, choose an aspect ratio that you wish to apply. 3. Click the Play button to test the movie. 5

9 Splitting and Combining Clips You can manually split video clips into smaller clips to make your clips easier to work with. For example, if you have a video clip that has two different scenes, you might want to split the video clip at the point where the first scene ends and the second begins, and then insert a transition effect between the two clips. Conversely, you might have a file that was divided into smaller clips that you want to combine. To split a video: 1. Select the video clip that you want to split in the Contents pane. 2. Click the Play button on the preview monitor. 3. When the clip reaches a point near the place you want to split the clip, click the Play button again to pause. 4. Use the playback controls to find the point where you want to split the clip. 5. On the Edit tab, click the Split button. Tip: You can also drag the playback indicator on the seek bar to the exact spot where you want to split the clip. To combine clips: 1. Move the clips next to each other on the Contents pane. Movie Maker will automatically combine the clips once you preview it on screen. 2. Click the Play button to test the movie. 3. Press CTRL + S to save the current changes made. 6

10 Trimming Parts of a Video Clip Trimming a video will remove unwanted bits and pieces of footage from a video and will cut its length down. When you trim a clip, you make a new start and/or end trim point. The start trim point determines when the clip will begin to play, and the end trim point determines when the clip will stop playing in your project and final movie. When you trim a clip, the trimmed part of the clip is not actually removed from the source file; it is just hidden so the trimmed part does not appear on your project or published movie. To trim or hide parts of a video clip: 1. Select the clip that you want to trim on the Contents pane. 2. Click Edit> Trimming Tools. 3. Use the playback controls on the preview monitor to find the point where you want to trim the clip. 4. When the playback indicator is at the point where you want the selected video to start playing back, click Set Start Point. 5. When the playback indicator is at the point where you want the selected video or audio clip to stop playing back, click Set End Point. 7

11 Selected part to trim 6. Click the Play button to preview the movie. Only the clip inside the vertical bars will be shown when you render the final file. 7. Click the Save Trim button if you are satisfied with the current selection or click the Cancel button to make a new selection. 8. Press CTRL + S to save the current changes made. Deleting Clips 1. Select the video clip that you want to delete on the Contents pane. You can hold down CTRL key as you click the clips to make multiple selections. 2. On the Home tab, click the X button or press DELETE key to remove the clip. 8

12 Working with Special Effects You can enhance the movie by adding simple visual effects to make it look distinctive and professional. Adding transitions and video effects can help the flow between two clips in your movie smoother and gives your movie an artistic feel. However, viewers may find it annoying if you overuse these special effects. Adding Transitions and Video Effects A transition controls how your movie plays from one video clip or picture to the next. You can add a transition between two pictures, video clips, or titles in any combination on movie. To add a transition effect: 1. On the Animations tab, select a transition from the available options to apply the effect. 2. Set the time duration for the transition and click Apply to all. 3. Click the Play button to test the movie. 4. Press CTRL + S to save the current changes made. Applying an Auto Movie Theme The auto movie themes allow you to create great-looking movies in less than a minute. To apply an instant movie theme: 1. On the Home tab, select a theme under the AutoMovie themes. 2. Click the Play button to test the movie. 3. Press CTRL + S to save the current changes made. 9

13 Working with Audio Adding Background Music Music can be an excellent way to establish the mood of your movie. The key is to match the music with the emotion you wish the viewers to experience. Background music is often playing lightly in order not to overwhelm other sounds that are being generated, such as dialogue. It can be frustrating to try and listen to one or more people talking in a movie if the background music is too loud. To add background music: 1. Click Home> Add Music> Add music. 2. Browse to the location on your hard drive where you have stored the audio file. (Desktop\project name\audio) 3. Select the file and click Open. Please take note that Movie Maker can only import sound clip with the following file extensions:.aif,.aifc,.aiff.asf,.au,.mp2,.mp3,.mpa,.snd,.wav, and.wma. 4. The imported music will be applied to the entire movie. 5. Use the preview monitor to show the accompanying video and still images, and then adjust the audio to better synchronize the audio and video, if needed. 6. Click the Play button to test the movie. 7. Press CTRL + S to save the current changes made. 10

14 Editing Audio There are various tools available in Movie Maker to help you edit a sound clip. You can adjust the volume level of the background music, mute the sound, or apply simple fade-in, fade-out effect. Adjusting the Volume 1. Select the music file on the Contents pane. 2. In the Music tools option, click the Music Volume button. 3. Use the slider bar to increase or decrease the volume level of a sound clip. 4. To completely mute the sound, click the mute icon. 5. Click the Play button to test the movie. Applying Fade-in-Fade-out Effect 1. With the music file on the Contents panel still selected, choose the speed to apply for both Fade in and Fade out options. 2. Click the Play button to test if the sound synchs with the movie. 11

15 Setting the Starting Time of a Sound Clip The Start time control lets you specify where in the timeline you wish the music to start playing. To set the start time of a sound clip: 1. Use the playback controls to listen to the music. By default, the start time is set to When the playback indicator is at the point where you want the selected music to start playing, click Set Start Time. Alternatively, you can click the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the time. (in seconds) Setting Starting and Ending Point of a Sound Clip If you have a background music which is two minutes in length and you do not want the first 15 seconds of the song to play, you can simply set the Start Point to 15 seconds, and when your movie begins, the first 15 seconds of the song will be ignored and the video will immediately play with the music at the 15 seconds mark. This is perfect for matching that exact point in a song with the video you wish to match it to. The End Point works the same way; set the time when you wish the song to end. If the snippet of song that you have chosen is shorter than the length of the video, it will simply end at the configured time, and any remaining time left in the movie will play without background music. To set the starting and ending points of a sound clip: 1. Use the playback controls to listen to the music. 2. When the playback indicator is at the point where you want the selected audio clip to start playing back, click Set Start Point 3. When the playback indicator is at the point where you want the selected audio clip to stop playing back, click Set End Point. 4. Click the Play button to test the movie. 5. Press CTRL + S to save the current changes made. 12

16 In this example, there will be no music for the first 5 seconds of the movie. The music slowly fades in and will ignore the first 15 seconds of the song. The movie continues to play but the music will stop when it reaches 45 seconds. Working with Text Movie Maker allows you to add text to your movie such as titles, credits, and captions. You can add title text at the beginning or end, before or after a clip, or overlaying a clip. The title plays for a specific amount of time, either on the screen by itself or overlaying the video as it plays. The title disappears and starts showing the picture or video clip. Opening title- a title screen that provides viewers with a quick synopsis of the movie s subject. Closing credits- the last screen of the movie where individuals, organizations, and list of references are acknowledged. Captions- these are labels that are used to prep the viewers for something that happens quickly. 13

17 Adding Text to your Movie 1. Click the location on the storyboard where you want the text to appear on your movie. 2. On the Home tab, select the type of text to add. Title Video Caption Credits 3. Type in the text that you want to appear as the title or credit. 4. After you type the text, the monitor displays the default animation and format for the title or credit you want to add. Editing text 1. Click the text on the Contents pane, and click the Edit text button. 2. Set the text duration and drag the title to indicate when you want the text to appear. 14

18 You can drag the text to the left or right to specify when you want the text to appear 3. Click the Play button to test the movie. Formatting Text and Background The default font used for text is Arial Black and the font size is 36. You are not limited to this font and font size, however. The same goes for the background color. Movie Maker starts with these defaults, but gives you the ability to modify it. To change the background and font properties: 1. Select the text to edit on the Contents pane. 2. On the Format tab, choose the font type, font color, background color, transparency, font size, and position to apply. 3. Click the Play button to test the movie. 15

19 Applying Text Animation 1. Select the text to edit. 2. On the Format tab, choose an animation from the available options to apply the effect. 3. Click the Play button to test the movie. 4. Press CTRL + S to save the current changes made. Saving a Movie After having edited videos, added background music, applied special effects, and inserted opening and closing credits, you are now ready to render the actual movie. It is a good practice to save your work as a project file so that you can continue refining the movie you have created. You can then proceed to render the final copy of your movie for viewing. The rendered movie can be saved in your local drive, a recordable CD or DVD, or be sent as an attachment. Saving a Movie Project To save a movie as a project file: 1. Click File> Save Project as. 2. Browse to the location on your hard drive where you want to store the file. (Desktop\project name) 3. Type in a name for your movie project, and click Save. 16

20 Rendering Final Movie Formats Consider the following questions to help you decide the format that will be useful to the viewers: Will the video be played on a big screen or just computer screen? Will the video be played in high-definition format (16:9) or standard (4:3)? Will the video be sent via as an attachment or be uploaded online? To save the movie in WMV format: 1. Click File>Save Movie> For Computer. 2. Browse to the location in your hard drive where you want to store the file. (Desktop\project name\rendered) 3. Type in a name for your movie, and click Save. 4. Movie Maker will render the final file in WMV format. 5. Click the Play button to test the movie. *** This ends the workshop on Windows Live Moviemaker. *** For questions or queries, please feel free to drop me a note at charina.ong@nus.edu.sg. Thank you. 17