Microsoft Windows Movie Maker Handbook (Book and CD-ROM)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 364 pages
• Published by: Microsoft Press November 25, 2000
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0735611807
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0735611801
• Book Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches
• Weighs: 1.8 pounds

Product Review
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (a.k.a. Windows Me) endows Microsoft's everyday operating system with considerable multimedia capability, including video editing. The Microsoft Windows MovieMaker Handbook explains how to use the video-editing tools that ship with Windows Me to assemble video presentations. Perhaps more importantly, the authors relate knowledge about moviemaking--enabling you to plan and create videos that are more emotionally moving, persuasive, and technically attractive. They do a good job of communicating the importance of high production values in every video creation, whether professional or amateur, and appropriately place the editing tools themselves second in importance, behind good conceptual thinking.

In a typical section, the authors explain differences in editing styles. Documentary editing in the cinéma vérité style, for example, involves stringing together clips, often out of chronological sequence, in order to convey a greater truth about the subject. They explain camera moves ("dolly in," "pedestal up"), too. Coverage would be better if authors had included examples from famous movies and television shows (the jerky camera in "Homicide," the window in the series of dissolves at the beginning of "Citizen Kane"). Sections on Windows MovieMaker and the other Windows Me tools are adequate--it's the background information on moviemaking that gives this book its value. --David Wall

Topics covered: basics of cinematography, video editing, and the other technical aspects of moviemaking, as facilitated by the tools that come with Microsoft Windows Me. Sections deal with planning shots, writing scripts, arranging lights, and capturing video to digital format. Coverage of the Windows MovieMaker software documents the editing suite fully, from the everyday user's point of view.

Book Description
Whether it's graduation day, baby's first bite of birthday cake, or your own made-for-PC mini-series, the Microsoft MOVIE MAKER HANDBOOK makes it easy to create and share movies over the Web. MovieMaker software is part of the new Microsoft Windows(r) Millennium Edition (Windows Me) operating system, and this book delivers inside insights direct from members of the MovieMaker team. With it, users learn how to record audio and video source material, create storyboards, edit and arrange footage, add titles, music, sound effects, and voice-overs-then store, play, or send! The companion CD-ROM comes loaded with ready-to-use audio, still images, and video content-providing everything the next desktop director requirements to make movies on a home PC.

Reader Reviews
Microsoft brings the ability to make movies right to the desktop with Windows ME. This book takes that adventure and shows you the techniques that will have you making, editing and showing movies to your friends in no time flat. Of course you do need to have a camcorder, a computer and Windows ME installed, but other than that this book is all you will need. Divided into three parts, The Basics, Movie Maker and Advanced uses the book makes sure you understand the concepts and best of all you learn as you go. In Part 1 you learn about making movies, planning, production tools, shooting and editing and finally distributing movies. In part 2 you the chance to take your movies and put them in the Movie Maker application, you'll also start organizing, editing and sharing the movies with family and friends. Finally part 3 has you doing more advanced techniques like working with stills, adding sound effects and how to use the media player to play the movies you have created. The Cd-rom include has media player version 7, some ready to use videos and stills to practice with, images and sounds and a few other production tools. If you are into the creation of movies or want to have some fun with home movies this book should allow you the let out the creative genius inside. Overall a very good book.