If you’re thinking about creating a slideshow for your wedding (or your friend’s wedding), Windows Movie Maker is a free tool that comes with every PC that can help you make slideshows very easily.  The video below is a screenshot of how to do it, but the written instructions are also included if you’d rather read about it.

 

  1. Open Windows Movie Maker
  2. Select ‘Import Media’ in the top left or from the ‘File’ drop down menu
  3. Select the files you want to use in your slideshow.  Hold down the Ctrl button when you click on files to select multiple files at the same time.  You can always add more as you go, so don’t worry if you don’t get them all right now.
  4. Drag the pictures from the imported media section onto the timeline.
  5. You can arrange the order of the pictures on the timeline by dragging them into place.
  6. You can adjust the length of each picture by holding your mouse on the right side of the picture you want to trim (you’ll get a red sideways arrow) and drag your mouse to the left to shorten the clip or to the left to lengthen it.
  7. You can add video clips in the same way you add pictures and can use both pictures and video in the same slideshow.
  8. Add special effects by right clicking on the picture you want the effect to apply to and selecting ‘Effects’.  Choose the effects you want from the ‘Available Effects’ menu, select the ones you want and click ‘Add’.  Click ‘OK’ when you’re finished.
  9. Add transitions between pictures by selecting ‘Transitions’ in the left hand navigation bar.  You can preview the transition by clicking on it and pressing play in the preview window.  After you find the one you want, drag it down between the clips you want.  You can change the length of the transition the same way you adjusted the length of your picture.
  10. Add titles, captions, or credits to your slideshow by clicking ‘Titles and Credits’.  There’s a variety of different title and credit formats to choose from, find the one you like and insert it.  You can move it along the timeline if you need to.
  11. Add audio to your slideshow (music, narration, sound effects, whatever) the same way you add pictures and video, just drag it into the audio section.  You can right click the audio if you want it to fade in or fade out (just click the appropriate selection).
  12. When you’ve got the slideshow fancied up the way you like it, now you need to make your slideshow into a movie file.  Right now it’s saved as a .MSWMM file (Microsoft Windows Movie Maker) and it’s essentially useless outside of that program.  You’ll want to click on ‘Publish Movie’, select the place you want to save the file and what you want to name it.  Windows Movie Maker will then publish your movie as a .WMV file that will be playable in Windows Media Player.

You’re done!  Just open the file when it’s time to play the slideshow and select ‘View Fullscreen’.  Your guests will be blown away at your technical inclination.

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