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Editing in Moviemaker

Movie Maker is a simple editing programme that is available on all PCs (like iMovie on Macs). If you cannot find Movie Maker on your PC, ask your ITC teacher or consultant to locate it for you.

The editing process used to be complicated because the editors were cutting up sections of actual film, but today it couldn't be simpler and the original digital film files remain intact.

Using Movie Maker you will be able to re-edit footage, add music and narration, create your own documentary-style moving image essays and/or be inspired to create your own original films.

1) Open Windows Movie Maker.

2) Click on ‘Import Media’ and choose the films you want to import.

3) When you have imported the films you want to cut up, use the 'Create Clips' function to break the films into smaller parts that will be easier to use. NB. The original file on your computer will not be damaged by this editing process.

4) Drag the sections you want onto the timeline (‘Drag media here’).

5) Trim them using the 'Split at this frame' tool.

6) You can then arrange your clips in the order you want.

7) You can also add still pictures using the ‘Import Media’ function.

8) To remove existing audio, expand the clip into its visual and audio components by clicking on the ‘+’ beside the word ‘Video’. Now right-click on the audio part of the clip and press 'Mute'.

9) To record your own narration or add your own music. Plug in your microphone into the computer jack. From the 'Tools' menu select 'Narrate Timeline', press 'Start' and speak calmly and clearly into the microphone.

10) Alternatively import the song you want from your music library and drag and drop it into the timeline.

11) You can add 'Effects', 'Transitions' and 'Titles' from the 'Tools' menu, as well as fading in or fading out music. You can also export a single 'picture from preview' for your publicity stills.

12) When you are happy, click on Publish Movie to create your new video file or to record straight to DVD.