You've seen your friends' camcorder-shot, digitally edited home movies-and you're pretty sure you can do better! However, that doesn't mean you want to spend days (or even weeks) learning everything there is to know about the free video editing software at the heart of your Windows XP OS. You learn by doing-and this guide delivers. In these pages, veteran author Jan Ozer gets right to the point, using simple project-based instruction and big, colorful screen shots to guide you through the process of editing your very first video project with Movie Maker. By focusing on a single goal (making that first movie) rather than exploring every option and feature, Jan demonstrates the quickest, easiest, smartest route to cinematic success. Each short lesson builds on the last as you learn how to create transitions, titles, wipes, dissolves, freeze frames, and more in the process of editing your video into a finished film that you can then post on the Web or copy to CD or DVD.
1. welcome to movie maker
2. collecting project assets
3. preparing your clips
4. assembling your clips
5. inserting transitions
6. applying special effects
7. creating titles
8. using audio
9. creating automovies
10. that’s a wrap