Movie Tutorial 3: Using the editing software on your PC

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25 April 2008 11:28

Shooting one continous clip on the hill can result in an enjoyable watch, but linking two or more clips together (or cutting out dull bits) can boost the interest of your film dramatically - and easily.

Almost all modern PCs have some editing software built in, and Windows includes its own "Movie Maker" package. It usually lives in Start > Accesories > Entertainment. The software works in a fairly intuitive way, and it only takes a few minutes to get your head round the basic functions. Don't believe us? Take a read of our basic guide to editing your clips and watch the proof of the pudding as we stitch together a couple of clips in three minutes flat, in the video below.

1. Once you have Movie Maker open, you'll need to import your video footage that you've uploaded from your camera or memory card.

2. Once you have selected your first clip, you can drag it onto the timeline, using the handles at either end of the clip. Clicking and dragging lets you "tighten up" the clip and remove any unwanted footage. You can also right click any clip to select "Fade-In" or "Fade-Outs". This fades the footage in or out to black and makes a more subtle change than just a straight jump cut.

3. You can repeat this process for all the clips you want to include. Instead of just jumping between clips, Movie Maker allows you to create 'transitions' between shots, which just means more interesting ways of blending from one clip to the next. These transitions can really add to a movie when used selectively.

4. To add a transition, click on "view transitions" and you will be presented with a list to browse. You simply click and drag the desired transition effect and drop it between two clips.

5. When you are satisfied, you can export the video as a .WMV file ready to upload to the Homemade Mountain Movie Awards upload page!