Windows Live Movie Maker
Windows Live Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing application that helps users turn photos, videos, music and special effects into slideshows thus create an eye-catching presentation in a few simple steps.
It is required to install Windows Live Movie Maker through the Essentials package installer. The application features nicely-designed AutoMovie themes, various visual effects such as Cinematic, Mirror, Motion and Fades, and multiple captions and credits.
Working with Windows Live Movie Maker is really a piece of cake. All you need to do is import the photos and videos you are going to use, choose the background music and add some titles and end credits if you want. There are plenty of video editing feature, for example you can fade songs, adjust the speed, split and trim videos. Your movies will look even more professional if you add to it transitions and animations.
Once you complete the task, you can save it in numerous formats and sizes, they can even be saved in HD format for TV screen or can convert to specific formats for mobile devices. It allows users to burn it to DVD discs. There is also an option to upload it directly to YouTube, Facebook, SkyDrive and Flickr. Unfortunately, Windows Live Movie Maker can save videos only to WMM format.
Overall, Windows Live Movie Maker is a great free application that combines an impressive collection of tools, allowing you to create professional compositions with your pictures and videos and share it with your friends.
Windows Movie Maker
Windows Movie Maker is a multimedia application developed for Windows computers. It is a video editing program designed to help users create or enhance videos. It comes with a simple interface, making the process easier even for non-professional users.
Over the years, the Movie Maker has undergone various updates that added improvements to the software. It even integrates with other tools to provide a more advanced level of editing. However, it is still a basic video editing app. If you are looking to create a more professional-looking movie, apps such as Adobe Premiere Pro are your best option.
Getting started with Windows Movie Maker
What makes Windows Movie Maker stand out among free video editors is its easy-to-use interface. The app has three regions that you can use. The top is the Ribbon, where you can access various tools, such as transitions, effects, captions, audio levels, and more. Here is where you also add your clips, photos, and audio files to the timeline. Of course, you can also access the option to save your work in this part as well.
Below the Ribbon, to the left side of the window is the Preview tool. As the name suggests, this is where you can view the playback of your project. With this, you can see what the sequence would look like as an output. Here, you can use the rewind, fast-forward, and play buttons to move to the part you like to view. You can also toggle the preview screen to full screen.
Finally, located on the right side is your storyboard or timeline window. This is where your video sequences. It is where you can navigate through the clips, split them when necessary, and arrange them to your liking. The timeline is also where you choose which parts of the video you would like to apply effects, filters, and other video enhancements.
To start a project, click the New Project button under the File menu and save it under a new name. You can then start adding clips to your timeline. Windows Movie Maker offers several ways to upload your materials. You can import videos from your digital video camera and even upload photo and audio files. Moreover, you can choose to upload an entire clip or parts of it. Once added, the timeline will automatically break your video into 10-second segments for easier navigation.
Various editing options
As with other beginner-friendly editors, Windows Movie Maker comes with all the basic functions you might need to enhance your videos. As mentioned, all the available editing features are available under the Edit button in the Ribbon. You can split your videos into various segments and even trim them to remove parts you don’t want. Note that the app does not delete the trimmed parts. It only hides them and will not show them up during playback.
Another nifty feature is the option to adjust the audio levels of your clip. With this, you can make the audio louder or softer. Even better, you can adjust the volume on specific parts of the clip. The 2012 version even allows easier integration of music. Now, you can look up music from services, such as Vimeo, Free Music Archive, and AudioMicro. The video timeline also features a WAV form, so you can easily see where audio is placed within the video.
Of course, video editing will not be complete without effects and transitions. The app has a wide variety of transitions that you can apply. Not only that, but it has an incredibly user-friendly way of creating seamless transitions. It employs a drag-and-drop mechanism, so you only have to drop your chosen transition to a part in your timeline to apply it. Moreover, you can adjust the duration from a quarter of a second to two seconds.
Windows Movie Maker also comes stocked with a deep set of visual flair to add to your clips via effects. Like the transition, applying video effects is as easy as clicking your choice. The app even allows you to preview your options to make sure you can make the best choice. In addition, you can also add text to your videos, such as a movie title, credits, and captions.
Once you’ve put up all the finishing touches, you can then publish your output. Windows Movie Maker takes advantage of hardware acceleration, which speeds up video exporting and encoding. Not only that, but it also gives you the ability to share your finished product to various platforms, such as Facebook, Vimeo, and Youtube. If sharing on social media isn’t your thing, you can also save it to your computer or burn the movie to DVD.
Wrapping up
Windows Movie Maker is a video editing tool for beginners and wanna-be editors. The app has all the tools you may need to edit your clips. More than that, it comes with an easy-to-use interface that makes the process easier. It still cannot hold a candle to professional editors. Nevertheless, for basic editing, it is more than enough.
- Simple interface
- Video stabilization
- Hardware acceleration
- Easy sharing to social network