Using Windows Movie Maker
About the menu bar and toolbar
You can use the commands in the menu bar to perform tasks in Windows Movie Maker. The procedures for
completing tasks are described throughout Help by using the menu commands.
The toolbar provides an alternative to selecting commands on the menus. You can use the toolbar to perform
common tasks quickly.
To show or hide the toolbar, on the View menu, click Toolbar. A check mark appears next to the Toolbar
command on the menu when the toolbar is displayed.
About the storyboard
The storyboard is the default view in Windows Movie Maker. You can use the storyboard to look at the
sequence or ordering of the clips in your project and easily rearrange them, if necessary. This view also lets
you see any video effects or video transitions that have been added. You can also preview all of the clips in
your current project. Audio clips that you have added to a project are not displayed on the storyboard;
however, they are displayed in the timeline.
About the timeline
You can use the timeline to review or modify the timing of clips in your project. Use the timeline buttons to
perform tasks such as changing the view of your project, zooming in or out on details of your project,
recording narration, or adjusting the audio levels. The time is displayed as hours:minutes:seconds.hundreths
of a second (h:mm:ss.hs). To trim unwanted portions of your clip, use the trim handles, which appear when
you select a clip. You can also preview all of the clips in your current project which are displayed on the
timeline.
The following illustration shows the timeline. All the clips in the timeline define your project. The timeline
displays the following tracks to indicate what types of files you have added to your current project.
Video
The Video track lets you see what video clips, pictures, or titles you have added to the project. You can expand
the Video track to show the corresponding audio accompanying the video, as well as any video transitions you
have added. After a clip is added to the timeline, the name of the source file appears on that clip. If you add
any video effects to the picture, video, or title, a small icon appears on the clips to indicate that a video effect
has been added to that clip.
Transition
The Transition track lets you see any video transitions you have added to the timeline. This track only appears
if you have expanded the Video track. Any video transitions you add from the Video Transitions folder appear
on this track. When a transition is added to the timeline, the name of the transition is shown in the timeline.
You can drag the start trim handle that appears when the transition is selected to increase or decrease its
duration.
Audio
The Audio track lets you see the audio that is included in any video clips you have added to the project. Like
the Transition track, you can only see the Audio track if you have expanded the Video track. If you select the
audio clip on this track and delete it, the video portion is also removed from the Video track.
Audio/Music
The Audio/Music track lets you see any audio clips that you have added to the project. The name of the audio
clip appears on the clip.
You can also add video clips to this track if you want the audio, but not the video, to play in your project and
final movie.
Title Overlay
The Title Overlay track lets you see any titles or credits that you have added to the timeline. You can add
multiple titles to this track at different points in your movie. The titles overlay the video that is displayed. You
can drag the start or end trim handle that appears when the title is selected to increase or decrease its
duration.
Click on the
appropriate link to
insert a picture, video,
or music clip.
To locate clips:
a. Click on My
Computer
b. Double click on
your H: drive
c. Choose picture,
video, or sound
clip and click
“Open”
Creating a storyboard
Click and drag pictures or video clip down to the open storyboard boxes to begin making your
movie. You can drag one picture at a time or select them all and drag them all down at once.
Adding Video Effects
Click on the “View Video Effects” link on the left side of the screen or choose “Video Effects” in
the drop down box on the top of the screen.
Click and drag the desired video effect to the “star” in the bottom corner of the storyboard
element you want to add it to.
Adding Video Transitions
Click on the “View Video Transitions” link on the left side of the screen or choose “Video
Transitions” in the drop down box on the top of the screen.
Click and drag the desired transition to the small box in between each storyboard element.
Click on the “Make Title or Credits” link on the left side of the screen.
Follow the steps to create your titles and credits.
Adding Music File
Make sure timeline is showing, then click and drag audio clip to the timeline.
You can click and drag audio clip to go anywhere in your storyboard or resize it to fit the
desired length.
