HELP - How Do I... discussion

Find out how to use MS WMM

Although I have proper software for making "movies", I ended up using Microsoft Windows Movie Maker. Only because it was quick to get to grips with and found it a lot easier and a lot better end product than Powerpoint, which I found very limiting. Please remember that your'e not going to get pro quality video. For that you need to spend pro money, and choose that company wisely.
Here are rough instructions on creating your own book video on MS WMM:
Get royalty free pics, movie clips and music(1 minute(prefered)-2 minutes max) that is appropriate to your work. It's important to use the best quality you can afford. The quality you put into your video is multiplied in the output. Rubbish in equals even more rubbish out.
The music is what your pics/video will have to blend with as seemlessly as possible.
Obviously, if like my book http://www.goodreads.com/videos/show/...
, you have many stories to convey, then your video has just become a little harder to create.
Keep all your files in the area where you will have your video. The programme gets a bit annoyed if you don't.
Load in all files (pics, movie clip, music) using the correct link.
At this point you may wish to create some kind of storyboard on paper showing what pics you want in which order and whether it fades in/out...
this might make it easier when you go to create your vid using WMM.
I would start by dragging the music down into the Storyboard
Next drag down the pics you want, in order start to end (left to right in the storyboard)
You may find it difficult to see the pics in the storyboard, so zoom in using the little spyglass at the left hand side of the storyboard.
If you play you movie, the pictures etc probably won't run in sequence to the music.
Mouse the mouse pointer down to the storyboard, select your first pic and move to the right of it. Your mouse pointer will change to a double ended arrow. click the left mouse button (keep your finger on it) then drag mouse to left (to shorten the pics time on screen) or right(to lengthen the pics time on screen)Do this for each pic/movie clip.
Play around with the effects. Have fun.
There is an option to narrate Live, but I wouldn't advise that, unless you use a pro voice.
Keep playing the movie back in small and large screen to get the timing right.
If it's looking great, go to the left, Finish Movie. I normally use Save to My Computer, because you can transport the movie anywhere from there.
The movie is creaetd as a standalone and ready for fame on You Tube or elsewhere, like Goodreads for everyone to watch.
I'm realy sorry if this is rough. I'm needing to get some kind of website, then put on detailed step by step instructions for this group. Unless I find a way to put Word docs on GR (I don't think its possible)
I hope this has helped.

umm...a bit? I'm not good at this stuff and usually have to find someone to actually show me how to do it. I'm still trying to figure out how to get my home movies off the camcorder and on my computer so that I can burn them to DVD for the kids. I've been puttering at that for five years. Is that bad?

That's a little slow, Renee. But I'll let you off; you are after all churning out thousands of words per day.

Yeah, I mean come on. I did try my new camera, which takes video too and got it to upload or whatever you call it. Now I have to figure out how to get the damn clips into one video.

My camcorder is not 'compatible' with my laptop it says. Hmm. Yes, I tried to install the driver and whatnot and it still says no. Grrr. The camcorder is more than five years old, that could be why.

Renee, it may be that your Camcorder may be USB1 and the laptop USB2, this is a common problem.
Example: My main pc got more guts than laptop, so I prefer to do video on that, save onto USB stick, but when try on laptop, all info of video is lost. I have the same prob with USB1 1.5 tb HD - on the old PC, the darn thing goes into a comma(sp) and won't waken up. Annoying.
You say you have managed to get stuff from cam to laptop. What's the file extension on laptop?

I got stuff from my new camera, a couple of short clips, but nothing from my old one. I should try the old one on the desktop, which is older than Courtney. Hmm. File extension?

Go into Windows Explorer (not My Computer). You can find Explorer in Start==>Programs==>Accessories.

Open it up, go Tools==>Folder Options==>View.

Uncheck the box that says Hide extensions for known file types. Click on Apply to All Folders. Click OK, and again.

Open up the folder where you put the clips. Click on View and select Details.

You will now see file names like DSK00033.avi

The .avi bit is the file extension. MovieMaker is picky about what file types it can handle, but we'll deal with that when it arises.

Okay, the videos I have on here have the extension MOV. What is that?

Unfortunately, .MOV is a format that Windows Movie Maker doesn't support. So use www.media-convert.com to change it into an .AVI file by watching this You tube video.

How to convert media types.

That should do the trick, I hope.

Thanks. I'll do that.

Your the best, Paul. Here, have a beer.
Renee, does your old cam have USB on it, or is it analogue?

It has a USB. I can download or upload whatever you call it, pictures from it, but no video. But the video doesn't save to the card, it saves to a cassette. One of those tiny ones. Is that why I can't make it work? Grrr.

You should stil be able to transfer the movie part to pc. It's more likley the wrong software or the software isn't set up right. Can be a wee bit tricky sometimes. Are you using Windows XP? I'll dig around and see what I can find to help.

OK, Renee. This free prog should enable you to take vid to pc. Video DVD Maker FREE
http://www.videodvdmaker.com/download...
Ensure your cam is on and USB is connected to pc. Press play then pause it. Start up prog then hit the capture. If the cam pic appears on the screen, hit the start button on scren then hit play/unpause your cam.
Let me know how you get on :)

Thanks Andy. I'll try that.