Capturing video
You can capture video and audio to your computer by using Windows Movie Maker. To begin capturing, a video capture device must be connected properly and detected on your computer by Windows Movie Maker. Some audio and video capture devices and sources that you can use include a digital video (DV) or analog camera or VCR, a Web camera, a TV tuner card, or a microphone. You can capture content live or from video tape.
When capturing video and audio in Windows Movie Maker, the Video Capture Wizard proceeds as follows:
Select the capture devices you want to use. For more information about choosing capture devices, see Choosing a video and audio capture device.
Specify where you want your captured audio and video file to be saved. For more information about choosing a destination for your captured audio and video file, see Choosing a saving destination.
Choose the video setting. For more information about choosing a video setting for capturing video and audio, see Choosing a video setting.
If you are capturing audio and video from a video tape in a DV camera or DV VCR, choose the method you want to use to capture video and audio. For more information, see Choosing how to capture from a DV device.
Capture the video and audio. For more information, see Capturing video and audio.
Note
If you have a DV camera connected to an IEEE 1394 port, the camera must be turned on for it to be detected by Windows Movie Maker.
Taking pictures
You might want to take a picture of a frame of captured or imported video in Windows Movie Maker. This lets you capture an individual frame from the video, and then use the resulting picture in your movie. Taking a picture of a video frame lets you utilize the existing captured or imported video in other ways in your movie.
The display size of the captured picture depends on where you took the picture of the video in Windows Movie Maker. If you take a picture of a frame of video displayed in the monitor from the Contents pane, the display size of the picture matches the display size of the original source video file. For example, if the original video file displays at 640x480 pixels, the resulting picture you take also displays at 640x480 pixels. However, if you take a still picture of a frame of video from a video clip on the storyboard/timeline, the dimensions of the picture are 320x240 pixels. Pictures you capture in Windows Movie Maker are saved as JPEG files, with a .jpg file name extension.
Note
If you take a picture is from video in the Contents pane that displays at a size larger than 800x600 pixels, the picture is reduced to 800x600 pixels in Windows Movie Maker. However, the original source picture file is captured at the original display size of the video.
Importing existing digital media files
You can import existing digital media files that are supported by Windows Movie Maker to use for your project. The files you can import might be stored on and imported from your hard disk on your computer, a shared network location, a CD, or on removable media. When importing files in Windows Movie Maker, you can import one file or multiple files at one time.
A source file you import remains in the same location from which it was imported. Windows Movie Maker does not store an actual copy of the source file; instead, a clip that refers to the original source file is created and appears in the Contents pane. After you import files into your project, don’t move, rename, or delete the original source files. If you add a clip to a project after the corresponding source file has been moved or renamed, Windows Movie Maker attempts to automatically locate the original source file. If the source file is deleted, it must be placed on your computer, or on a location your computer can access, again.
After you upgrade to this release of Windows Movie Maker, your collections file, which stores information about your collections and the clips contained within your collections in Windows Movie Maker, from a previous release of Windows Movie Maker is imported and upgraded automatically when you first start this version of Windows Movie Maker. You can then continue using your collections and content in this version of Windows Movie Maker. Therefore, if you have used previous versions of Windows Movie Maker, you can use the content you have already imported without needing to re-import the digital media files. You can import the collections file automatically at a later time if you cancelled importing and upgrading your collections file automatically when Windows Movie Maker was first started.
Note
Digital media files that have been protected using digital rights management cannot be imported into Windows Movie Maker.
You can capture video and audio to your computer by using Windows Movie Maker. To begin capturing, a video capture device must be connected properly and detected on your computer by Windows Movie Maker. Some audio and video capture devices and sources that you can use include a digital video (DV) or analog camera or VCR, a Web camera, a TV tuner card, or a microphone. You can capture content live or from video tape.
When capturing video and audio in Windows Movie Maker, the Video Capture Wizard proceeds as follows:
Select the capture devices you want to use. For more information about choosing capture devices, see Choosing a video and audio capture device.
Specify where you want your captured audio and video file to be saved. For more information about choosing a destination for your captured audio and video file, see Choosing a saving destination.
Choose the video setting. For more information about choosing a video setting for capturing video and audio, see Choosing a video setting.
If you are capturing audio and video from a video tape in a DV camera or DV VCR, choose the method you want to use to capture video and audio. For more information, see Choosing how to capture from a DV device.
Capture the video and audio. For more information, see Capturing video and audio.
Note
If you have a DV camera connected to an IEEE 1394 port, the camera must be turned on for it to be detected by Windows Movie Maker.
Taking pictures
You might want to take a picture of a frame of captured or imported video in Windows Movie Maker. This lets you capture an individual frame from the video, and then use the resulting picture in your movie. Taking a picture of a video frame lets you utilize the existing captured or imported video in other ways in your movie.
The display size of the captured picture depends on where you took the picture of the video in Windows Movie Maker. If you take a picture of a frame of video displayed in the monitor from the Contents pane, the display size of the picture matches the display size of the original source video file. For example, if the original video file displays at 640x480 pixels, the resulting picture you take also displays at 640x480 pixels. However, if you take a still picture of a frame of video from a video clip on the storyboard/timeline, the dimensions of the picture are 320x240 pixels. Pictures you capture in Windows Movie Maker are saved as JPEG files, with a .jpg file name extension.
Note
If you take a picture is from video in the Contents pane that displays at a size larger than 800x600 pixels, the picture is reduced to 800x600 pixels in Windows Movie Maker. However, the original source picture file is captured at the original display size of the video.
Importing existing digital media files
You can import existing digital media files that are supported by Windows Movie Maker to use for your project. The files you can import might be stored on and imported from your hard disk on your computer, a shared network location, a CD, or on removable media. When importing files in Windows Movie Maker, you can import one file or multiple files at one time.
A source file you import remains in the same location from which it was imported. Windows Movie Maker does not store an actual copy of the source file; instead, a clip that refers to the original source file is created and appears in the Contents pane. After you import files into your project, don’t move, rename, or delete the original source files. If you add a clip to a project after the corresponding source file has been moved or renamed, Windows Movie Maker attempts to automatically locate the original source file. If the source file is deleted, it must be placed on your computer, or on a location your computer can access, again.
After you upgrade to this release of Windows Movie Maker, your collections file, which stores information about your collections and the clips contained within your collections in Windows Movie Maker, from a previous release of Windows Movie Maker is imported and upgraded automatically when you first start this version of Windows Movie Maker. You can then continue using your collections and content in this version of Windows Movie Maker. Therefore, if you have used previous versions of Windows Movie Maker, you can use the content you have already imported without needing to re-import the digital media files. You can import the collections file automatically at a later time if you cancelled importing and upgrading your collections file automatically when Windows Movie Maker was first started.
Note
Digital media files that have been protected using digital rights management cannot be imported into Windows Movie Maker.
Saving a project
Saving your project lets you keep your current work, and then later open the file in Windows Movie Maker to make further changes. You can continue editing your project from where you left off when you last saved the project. When you save a project, the arrangement of clips added to the storyboard/timeline, as well as any video transitions, video effects, titles, credits, and any other edits you made are retained.
A Windows Movie Maker project file is saved with a .mswmm file name extension.
You can also save an existing Windows Movie Maker project file with a new name. This enables you to use the saved project as the basis for other new projects. For example, if your current project contains a short introduction to a movie, you can save the existing project with a new name and then continue editing. When you wanted to create a new movie that includes the same short introduction, you can then open the original project file that contains only the introduction, and then make additional edits without needing to re-create the introduction of your movie.
Previewing projects and clips
As you work on a project, you can preview the project periodically in the monitor to check your editing. Or, if you want to preview individual clips, you can use the Contents pane to ensure you captured the content you want to use in your movies. Use the playback buttons to move from frame to frame or from clip to clip.
Note
When you preview your project in Windows Movie Maker with the monitor set to display at 640x480 pixels, the video will not appear optimally. However, the video in the final saved movie plays back and is displayed at a higher quality level.
Saving your project lets you keep your current work, and then later open the file in Windows Movie Maker to make further changes. You can continue editing your project from where you left off when you last saved the project. When you save a project, the arrangement of clips added to the storyboard/timeline, as well as any video transitions, video effects, titles, credits, and any other edits you made are retained.
A Windows Movie Maker project file is saved with a .mswmm file name extension.
You can also save an existing Windows Movie Maker project file with a new name. This enables you to use the saved project as the basis for other new projects. For example, if your current project contains a short introduction to a movie, you can save the existing project with a new name and then continue editing. When you wanted to create a new movie that includes the same short introduction, you can then open the original project file that contains only the introduction, and then make additional edits without needing to re-create the introduction of your movie.
Previewing projects and clips
As you work on a project, you can preview the project periodically in the monitor to check your editing. Or, if you want to preview individual clips, you can use the Contents pane to ensure you captured the content you want to use in your movies. Use the playback buttons to move from frame to frame or from clip to clip.
Note
When you preview your project in Windows Movie Maker with the monitor set to display at 640x480 pixels, the video will not appear optimally. However, the video in the final saved movie plays back and is displayed at a higher quality level.
To start a project and begin creating your movie, you need to add any imported or captured video, audio, or pictures to the storyboard/timeline. The clips on storyboard/timeline become the contents of your project and future movie.
You can use the storyboard/timeline to create and edit projects. The storyboard and timeline both display your work in progress, but each provides a different view of your work:
The storyboard displays the sequence of clips.
The timeline displays the timing of clips.
You can switch between the storyboard and timeline as you work on a project.
After you add clips to the storyboard/timeline to create a project, you can do the following:
Rearrange the clips in the sequence you want.
Create transitions between clips.
Add video effects to video clips and pictures.
Trim the clips to hide unwanted segments (on the timeline view only).
Split and combine clips.
Add narration that synchronizes with the clips (on the timeline view only).
As you work on a project, you can preview it in the monitor at any time to get an idea of the end result. You can save your work-in-progress as a project and return to work on it again.
Before you can send a project as an attachment in an e-mail message, to a Web server, or record it back to tape in a DV camera, you must first save it as a movie.
Editing clips
You have several options for editing clips:
Splitting a clip. You can split a video clip into two clips. This is useful if you want to insert either a picture or a video transition in the middle of a clip. You can split a clip that appears on the storyboard/timeline of a current project, or you can split the clip in the Contents pane.
Combining clips. You can combine two or more contiguous video clips. Contiguous means the clips were captured together so that the end time of one clip is the same as the start time of the next clip. Combining clips is useful if you have several short clips and you want to view them as one clip on the storyboard/timeline. Similar to splitting a clip, you can combine contiguous clips in the Contents pane or on the storyboard/timeline.
Trimming a clip. You can hide parts of a clip you do not want in your project. For example, you can trim the beginning or end of a clip. Trimming does not remove the information from the source material; you can clear the trim points to return the clip to its original length at any time. Clips can only be trimmed after they have been added to the storyboard/timeline. You cannot trim clips in the Contents pane.
Drag the trim handles, which are shown in the following illustration, to trim the unwanted portions of the clip.
You can use the storyboard/timeline to create and edit projects. The storyboard and timeline both display your work in progress, but each provides a different view of your work:
The storyboard displays the sequence of clips.
The timeline displays the timing of clips.
You can switch between the storyboard and timeline as you work on a project.
After you add clips to the storyboard/timeline to create a project, you can do the following:
Rearrange the clips in the sequence you want.
Create transitions between clips.
Add video effects to video clips and pictures.
Trim the clips to hide unwanted segments (on the timeline view only).
Split and combine clips.
Add narration that synchronizes with the clips (on the timeline view only).
As you work on a project, you can preview it in the monitor at any time to get an idea of the end result. You can save your work-in-progress as a project and return to work on it again.
Before you can send a project as an attachment in an e-mail message, to a Web server, or record it back to tape in a DV camera, you must first save it as a movie.
Editing clips
You have several options for editing clips:
Splitting a clip. You can split a video clip into two clips. This is useful if you want to insert either a picture or a video transition in the middle of a clip. You can split a clip that appears on the storyboard/timeline of a current project, or you can split the clip in the Contents pane.
Combining clips. You can combine two or more contiguous video clips. Contiguous means the clips were captured together so that the end time of one clip is the same as the start time of the next clip. Combining clips is useful if you have several short clips and you want to view them as one clip on the storyboard/timeline. Similar to splitting a clip, you can combine contiguous clips in the Contents pane or on the storyboard/timeline.
Trimming a clip. You can hide parts of a clip you do not want in your project. For example, you can trim the beginning or end of a clip. Trimming does not remove the information from the source material; you can clear the trim points to return the clip to its original length at any time. Clips can only be trimmed after they have been added to the storyboard/timeline. You cannot trim clips in the Contents pane.
Drag the trim handles, which are shown in the following illustration, to trim the unwanted portions of the clip.
Creating clips. You also create clips from video clips after they have been imported or captured in Windows Movie Maker. This lets you create clips at any time when working in Windows Movie Maker. By separating video clips into smaller clips, you can easily find a particular part of your captured or imported video to use in your movie.
Using video transitions, video effects, and titles
You can enhance your movies by adding different elements to your movie, such as the following:
Video transitions. A video 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. The transition plays before the one clip ends and while the other clip starts to play. Windows Movie Maker contains various transitions you can add to your project. Transitions are stored in the Video Transitions folder in the Collections pane.
Video effects. A video effect determines how a video clip, picture, or title displays in your project and final movie. Video effects let you add special effects to your movie. A video effect is applied for the entire duration that the video clip, picture, or title displays in your movie. You can add any of the video effects that appear in the Video Effects folder in the Collections pane.
Titles and credits. Titles and credits let you enhance your movie by adding text-based information to your movie. You can add whatever text you want, but you may want to include information such as the title of your movie, your name, the date, and so forth. You can change the appearance of the title or credit, in addition to changing the title animation, which determines how your title or credit displays in your movie.
Working with audio
Windows Movie Maker lets you work with audio in a variety of ways. Some of the different audio-related tasks you can perform in Windows Movie Maker include the following.
Narrate the timeline. Add an audio narration to narrate the video clips or pictures that appear on the Video track of the timeline. Your audio narration is automatically synchronized with the video, so the narration describes the action or event in your movie as it plays back.
Adjust audio levels. Adjust the audio levels so you can determine the audio balance and playback when you have audio that appears on the Audio and Audio/Music tracks on the timeline.
Add audio effects. Add different audio effects such as a fade in, fade out, or mute.
Adjust the volume of audio clips. Adjust the volume of audio for audio-only clips or the audio portion of a video clip. This lets you adjust the volume of the audio for clips so that it can be clearly heard or not heard, depending the volume level you specify for the audio clip.
Organizing collections and clips
You can organize the source material you capture into collections and clips for use in future projects. A collection serves as a container for clips, which you can organize in many ways. For example, you might organize your collections by an event category.
You can change how your clips are displayed in the Contents pane to see varying amounts of detail about the individual clips within a collection. In the Thumbnails view, you can view the title and a bitmap image of each clip. In the Details view, you can view all the properties of each clip.
In Windows Movie Maker, you can choose to arrange your clip according to different clip properties. This lets you choose how you want to display your clips in the Contents pane so you can quickly find the specific clip you are looking for. For example, if you were looking for a picture that began with an A, you could choose to arrange the clips by name so that file would appear at the top of the Contents pane. The properties you can choose to arrange clips by depend on the selected folder in the tree pane.
The following list identifies how the different file types can be arranged.
Video clips and pictures. Clips can be arranged by name, duration, start time, end time, dimensions, or source.
Audio. Clips can be arranged by name, duration, start time, end time, or source.
Video transitions and video effects. Clips can be arranged by name.
Saving and sending movies
The Save Movie Wizard lets you quickly save your project as a final movie. The timing, layout, and contents of the project are saved as one complete movie. You can save and store the movie on your computer or on a recordable CD, or you can send it as an attachment in an e-mail message or to a video hosting provider on the Web. In addition to these choices, you can choose to record your movie to a tape in a DV camera.
This page of the Save Movie Wizard lets you select which movie saving option you want to use, depending on what you want to do with the final movie. The following options appear on this page.
My computer
Specifies that you want to save your movie to your local computer or to a shared network location.
Recordable CD
Specifies that you want to save your movie to a recordable or rewriteable CD (CD-R or CD-RW). Choose this option if you have a rewriteable or recordable CD drive attached to your computer and you want to save your final movie to a recordable or rewriteable CD.
Specifies that you want to save your movie as an attachment to send in an e-mail message. Choose the option to share smaller movies with others by sending them in e-mail by using your default e-mail program.
The Web
Specifies that you want to save your movie and then send it to a video hosting provider on the Web. A video hosting provider is a third-party provider on the Web that provides a Web server location and hosts the movies you save in Windows Movie Maker. Choose this option if you want to save your movie so family and friends can watch your movie on the Web.
DV camera
Specifies that you want to send your movie to a tape in your DV camera. This option is available when you have a DV camera connected to an IEEE 1394 port. Choose this option if you want to save your movie to a tape so you and others can watch it on the DV camera or on a TV (when you connect the camera to a TV).
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