How to Add Transition and Effects into Microsoft Movie Maker

As digital video has become the new standard, an emphasis on video editing has come to the forefront of home video production. In Microsoft Movie Maker, video editing can be a simple and rewarding experience. Creating transitions and adding effects can add a professional touch to your beginning productions.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Open Microsoft Movie Maker and capture or import still images or video into your current collection.

2. Use your collection of imported pictures or movies clips and then drag two or more imported pictures or movie clips to the timeline or storyboard tracks.

3. Click on "View video transitions" under the Edit Movie heading.

4. Select a transition from the list.

5. Drag and drop the transition between the two clips where you want the transition to be located.

6. View your timeline by clicking "Show Timeline."

7. Go to the beginning of the transition—on the transition track of the timeline—and drag it out to expand or in to reduce the speed of the transition.

8. Select "View video effects" under the Edit Movie heading and choose an effect from the list.

9. Click, drag and drop the effect on top of the clip you wish the effect to be located.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, your production is about the content of the film and not the fancy effects or transitions. Therefore, simple effects and unobtrusive transitions yield the best results.
• Transitions overlap the end of one clip with the beginning of the next clip, which will affect the overall time of your production. This can cause problems if you need precise timing, especially if you are trying to match up the video segments to an audio track.