Video clips can be taken quite easily with most digital cameras, and that is an easy way to get started with movies. Alternatively many people choose to use a camcorder, which will give a superior result, particularly with the sound track because camcorders have much better microphones than digital cameras. Moving pictures often capture an event better than still pictures, especially when people are actively moving, for example restless children or people playing sport. Another advantage of video is that a short movie is usually more interesting and entertaining than a slideshow of still pictures. This course covers the uploading of video clips to the computer, editing and arranging clips to make a complete movie, adding titles and other text, including a sound track, and burning the movie on to a DVD in the same format as commercial films so that it can be played on any DVD player or computer.
The course is designed for those who wish to start making short movies, using the program Windows Movie Maker that comes free with Vista or Windows7. There are many good video editing programs on the market, and most camcorders come with programs such as MotionDV Studio (Panasonic) or ImageMixer (JVC). However, Windows Movie Maker is strongly recommended as a good place to start learning to make a movie, and it has the advantage of being included in the Vista or Windows7 packages. Windows Movie Maker uses the same basic principles as the commercial programs, but is reasonably easy to learn. So if you master Windows Movie Maker you should be able to use more elaborate programs if the need arises.
Familiarity with Vista or Window7 is essential, including the basic skills taught at level 1. A good knowledge of file management and experience of handling picture files would be a great help.
Windows Vista Home Premium includes Windows Movie Maker 6 and Windows DVD Maker. For Windows7 users, Windows DVD Maker is included and Movie Maker 14 is a free download from WindowsLive.
This course is restricted to members who have Windows Vista or Windows7