Making Effective Videos for Teaching & Learning (T&L) Purposes Using Windows Movie Maker [2.1 XP] [2.6 Vista] [Windows 7] Disclaimer: Attending this training does not earn you a nomination for the Oscars! Jointly prepared & compiled by: Adrian Yao & Malcolm Kuan e-learning Academy (ela) Taylor s University Lakeside Campus June 2012 (2 nd Edition) Page 1 of 12 February 2009 (1 st Edition)
Title CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2 2. Layout of Windows Movie Maker (WMM) 2 2.1. Windows XP 4 2.2. Windows Vista 5 2.3. Windows 7 6 3. Importing Videos, Audios and Images 7 4. Editing and Output 8 5. Adding Effects and Transitions 9 6. Finishing and Publishing a Movie 10 7. Tips on Making a Good Video (for teaching & learning purposes) 11 Page At the end of this training, learners are able to understand & operate functions in Windows Movie Maker (WMM) such as: 1. Identifying operational features & interface in WMM; 2. Importing various medias such as videos, images and / or audio into WMM; 3. Editing WMM project, such as adding effects, transitions, titles and credits; 4. Finishing & publishing WMM projects as: a. Windows Movie Maker (MSWMM) format; b. Windows Movie Video (WMV) format. 5. Tips on making a good video for teaching & learning purposes. FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 2 of 12
1. Introduction Windows Movie Maker, or also known as WMM is a basic video creating / editing software included in Microsoft Windows. It contains features such as effects, transitions, titles / credits, audio track, timeline narration and Auto Movie. 2. Layout of WMM The layout consists of the following: 1. A storyboard view and timeline view (refer to Figure 1 and 2). a. Storyboard view: the video project appears as a film strip showing each scene in clips. b. Timeline view: a more detailed view and making finer edits of the video project. 2. Collections of tasks for organizing imported video; and, 3. A preview screen. Figure 1: Storyboard View The timeline view consist one of the following: Video (with accompanying Audio) bar; One Music / Audio bar, and One Titles / Credits bar. Figure 2: Timeline View FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 3 of 12
2.1. Layout of WMM in Windows XP 1 2 4 3 1 Tasks 2 Contents 3 Storyboard / Timeline 4 Preview Screen FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 4 of 12
2.2. Layout of WMM in Windows Vista 1 2 4 3 1 Tasks 2 Contents 3 Storyboard / Timeline 4 Preview Screen FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 5 of 12
2.3. Layout of WMM in Windows 7 1 2 4 3 1 Tasks 2 Contents 3 Storyboard / Timeline 4 Preview Screen FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 6 of 12
3. Importing Videos, Audios and Images When importing footage in WMM, user can either select to Capture Video (from camera, scanner or other device) or Import into Collections to import existing video files into the collections. Accepted formats of imported videos, audios and images are the following: Video files:.asf,.avi,.dvr-ms,.m1v,.mp2,.mp2v,.mpe,.mpeg,.mpg,.mpv2,.wm, and.wmv Audio files:.aif,.aifc,.aiff.asf,.au,.mp2,.mp3,.mpa,.snd,.wav, and.wma Picture files:.bmp,.dib,.emf,.gif,.jfif,.jpe,.jpeg,.jpg,.png,.tif,.tiff, and.wmf You can also import files into Windows Movie Maker that have a different extension from the ones listed above, but not all file types will work when you try to use them to make a movie. HANDS-ON 1. Importing video & audio into Video bar & Music bar a. Import video into Collections drag Video into the Video bar. b. Import audio / music into Collections drag audio / music into Audio / Music bar. c. Import image(s) into Collections drag image(s) into Video bar. 2. Adding titles or credits to videos a. Click Make titles or credits click Add titles at the beginning of the movie. b. Type Sample Video Production. Enter & on the next line By: (your name). c. Scroll down click Done, add title to movie. d. Play the video in the Preview Screen. 3. Adding titles on the selected clip a. Click Make titles or credits click Add title on the selected clip. b. Type This is flower in motion. c. Scroll down & click Change the title animation select Subtitle. d. Scroll down & click Change the text font and colour. e. Select Yellow for text colour click small A to decrease font 1 size smaller. f. Drag & move the subtitle align with the sample flower video. g. Click Done, add title to movie. h. Play the video for preview in Preview Screen. FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 7 of 12
4. Editing and Output After capturing, any clips can be dragged & dropped anywhere on the timeline. Once on the timeline, clips can also be duplicated or split, and any of the split sections deleted or copied using the standard Windows keyboard shortcuts or clicked and dragged to another position. Right clicking any clip brings up the range of editing options. WMM can also be used to edit and publish audio tracks. If no video or image is present, then you can just export the sound clips you have as a.wma file. HANDS-ON 1. Editing the length of title a. In Title Overlay bar click & select title This is flower in motion. b. The title is checked. Drag the end of the title to extend the length & align with the length of video. c. Play the video for preview in Preview Screen. 2. Editing the length of audio a. In Audio / Music bar click & select audio Sample Music. b. The audio is checked. Drag the end of the audio to extend the length & align with the length of the song. c. Play the video for preview in Preview Screen. FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 8 of 12
5. Adding Effects and Transitions By adding transitions and effects, you can make sure that your movie flows nicely from one scene to the next and give it the look you want. 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 the storyboard / timeline. Choose to use a popular and great-looking transition like a Fade or use more brash transitions; Bars, Shatter, or Zig Zag (to name just a few). HANDS-ON 1. Adding effects to the movie project a. In Video bar right click & select video Sample Fire. b. The video is selected. Click Video Effects. A pop-up will appear. c. From the list: select Sepia Tone & Speed Up Double. Click Ok. d. In Displayed Effects, you may rearrange the list based on a preferred sequence. e. Play the video for preview in Preview Screen. 2. Adding transitions to the movie project a. Under Edit Movie click View Video Transitions. A list of video transitions will appear. b. Scroll down & select Circles drag it to the video Sample Flower in Video bar. c. Play the video for preview in Preview Screen. FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 9 of 12
6. Finishing and Publishing Movie Upon completing the video project, you can publish the project as a movie. A movie is a Windows Media file with a.wmv file name extension or an Audio-Video Interleaved (AVI) file with an.avi file name extension. When you publish a movie in Windows Movie Maker, you can share it with others in a number of ways: (1) computer, on a recordable CD, on a recordable DVD, as an attachment in an e-mail message, or on videotape in a DV camera. HANDS-ON 1. Publishing the movie project as movie a. Under Finish Movie click Save to my computer. b. A pop-up Save Movie Wizard will appear. Name your movie project, My Sample Movie. c. As for location of saving the movie, click Browse select Desktop. d. Click Next. A box containing default information will appear. e. The movie project will be automatically converted to Windows Movie Video (.wmv) format. FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 10 of 12
7. Tips on Making a Good Video (for T&L purposes) 1. Conceptualise a Theme Start by sketching a storyboard. A storyboard consist of a flow based on a 6 picture in one sheet. Cartoonists use storyboards to deliver their flow of cartoons. Advertising agencies use storyboards to deliver their creative ideas to prospective clients. An example of storyboard: 2. KISS: Keep It Short & Simple! You re an amateur, not Steven Spielberg or James Cameroon! Therefore, as a start, simplify the complexity of your videos. Captions (accompanying words or sentences) must be brief & easy to read. Avoid producing a video longer than 15 minutes (unless you are required to produce as long as Titanic or Gone with the Wind). 3. Be a Professional! Try to avoid making a video that looks like a grade-b horror movie. Check for spelling errors, typography (type of fonts, font colour etc.), grammatical mistakes. Don t add too many effects or transitions as it will make your video too jittery. 4. Suitable Background / Accompanying Music Select an appropriate background / accompanying music. Good music selection depends on overall concept & theme of videos. Beware of copyrights & licensing issues. Apply for a license at Creative Commons (www.creativecommons.org) 5. Enjoy Movie Making! Movie making also requires trial & error. If someone comments your video sucks, don t take it personally. Always improve & improve! FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 11 of 12
CONGRATULATIONS! You re now an unofficial movie producer & director in teaching & learning! FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY Page 12 of 12