Book Videos, Part Two – Making A Video

(for part one, check out yesterday's post!)

Book Videos, Part Two –Making A Video

by Michelle M. Pillow

How to Make a very Basic Movie:

1.Gather the stock photography/graphic images you want to use to illustrate your story. Since you're advertising a book, these need to be copyright free, stock photos/graphics or photos/graphics that you have permission to use. It might help to read over your blurb and get a basic idea of what you want your movie to say, including the overall feel and tone the images should portray. Make sure the graphics are cropped, edited and ready to use in your movie. You don't need to worry about putting text directly on these pictures unless you want the wording integrated into the picture itself.

Here are just a few of the places you can buy royalty free stock photos:

Big Stock Photo

Free Stock Photo

Shutter Stock

2. As you work in Movie Maker, make sure you choose 'File', 'Save Project' (or save after the first time) to back up your movie after or during each step.

3. Assuming you have Movie Maker already installed on your computer, you'll need to open the program up. Along the left column, under '1. Capture Video', you'll need to click on 'Import Pictures'. Select all the photos you've gathered for your video. When you've finished, you'll see the pictures in your Collection on the main screen.

4. Along the bottom, you have two view choices. Either 'Timeline' view or 'Storyboard' view. You'll want to be in 'Storyboard' view (the option along the bottom will say 'Show Timeline'). Drag and drop your images onto the big squares in the storyboard along the bottom in the order you'd like them to show up in the movie (ignore the smaller squares in-between for now). If you click the play button in the movie window on the right side of the screen, you'll see the plain still images play out without any fancy effects. At any time you wish to come back to your images, go to Option '2. Edit Video' along the left column and click 'Show Collections'.

5. To add movement to your pictures, go to option '2. Edit Video' in the left column. Click on 'View Video Effects'. The center screen will now have the different effects installed in your program listed. To make an image along the bottom have a movie effect, drag and drop the effect you want onto the picture in the storyboard. Effects can be combined to create even a wider variety or doubled up to make the effect more prominent—such as using the 'Ease In' option three times instead of once. When you're done, if you click play you'll now see the look of the effects you've added to your movie. If you dislike what you've done, simply right click on the storyboard picture you want to change and choose 'Video Effects'. A popup box will allow you to see what effects you have listed. Note: Movie Maker comes with basic effects installed. Other effects must be purchased and installed separately, so you might not be able to do all the fancy tricks and zoom/pan techniques you see in other videos.

6. To add movement to your pictures, go back to option '2. Edit Video' in the left column. Click on 'View Video Transitions'. The center screen will now have the different transitions listed. Transitions are the way one picture fades or moves into another. Drag and drop different transitions into the small squares between your photo stills. To replace a transition, simply drag and drop another on top of it. The old transaction will be replaced with your new one. Click play to watch how your video is coming together. Once you're satisfied with the layout, go to the next two steps.

7. Adding Title and Credit Text– Under option '2. Edit Video' select 'Make Titles or Credits'. You can easily add a title page by selecting 'Add title at the beginning of the movie', or add scrolling end credits by selection 'Add credits at the end of the movie'. Write your text in the box(es) provided. Then under 'More Options' you can choose different title animation, font and colors. A preview will show up in the movie screen on the right so you can see the changes you're making. When you're satisfied, click 'Done, add title to movie'.

8. Adding Text onto or in-between the images—You will need to select/highlight the image you wish to add text to and go back to option '2. Edit Video', 'Make Titles or Credits'. To add titles before or after that images so they show up on their own screen, click the appropriate options. (Note: You might have to redo some of your video transitions if you do this, as you'll be adding scenes to your storyboard) To put text directly onto an image, choose 'Add Title on the selected clip on the storyboard'. Fill in the information, choose your title animation, font and color then click 'Done, add title to movie'. Your video now has movie. (Note: When you do this, you'll be automatically taken to the timeline view. The text you added will show up in the timeline beneath the photo.)

9. When you're done adding text, stay in 'Timeline' view. Along the top you'll see a series of numbers. This marks the length of each clip in your movie. By widening or shortening the boxes of your images and text, you'll be able to control the length that each clip plays for. You can also cause the text to run over two images by sliding it back or forth, shorten it so the text shows after the clip is playing. I recommend clicking play and watching your video frame by frame from the beginning, pausing and making small adjustments as you go. Once the movie is lined up to your satisfaction, you're ready to continue.

10. One of the last steps is adding audio/music to your video. Again, you will need to make sure you have the right to use the music you select. Either it is copyright free, or you have permission to use it. (It is illegal to use copyrighted images or music without permission to do so. Stock Music is available for purchase online.) You will want to put in the music file last, as creating movies can use up a lot of your computer's resources, depending on your system.

11. Once you have your music selected. Under '1. Capture Video', select 'Import Audio or Music'. Select you music file and it will now be part of your collection. Drag and drop the music file into the 'Timeline' where it is labeled 'Audio/Music'. If your music is too short, either find new music, shorten your image clips, or have it repeat by dragging and dropping the same music again and again until you have the length you need. If music clip is too long, click the end of the music clip and shorten it so it ends with the credits. (Note: You'll have to listen to make sure it ends the way you want it to and transitions prettily from one clip into the next.) To get your music to fade in or out, right click the music clip in the timeline and select 'Fade In' or 'Fade Out'.

12. This time when you click play, you'll be able to watch you movie from beginning to end. Make any necessary changes and tweaks now.

13. Now you're ready to save your movie so that it may be viewed by others. Under option '3. Finish Movie' you'll select 'Save to my Computer'. Enter the name of the movie file you are going to create and choose which folder you want to store the finished movie in. Click 'Next'. I recommend leaving the 'Best Quality for playback on my computer' option checked. Click 'Next'. Your movie is now saving. Depending on file size, this can take several minutes. Just leave it be. When the movie is done saving, you'll have the option to watch your finished product as it will be seen by others. This final file is the one you will use for marketing, such on Youtube and Facebook

This was just a basic overview on how to make movies. For more detailed instructions, please visit Microsoft website

Happy Movie Making!

Michelle

About the Author: Michelle M Pillow, Author of All Things Romance, is a multi-published, award winning author known mostly for her paranormal, futuristic and dark fantasy romance. You can contact her through her website www.michellepillow.com