Making Movies on Your Computer

A. Introduction

1. Do I Have What It Takes?

Free Time

Interest and Curiosity

Desire to Learn New Things

Good Work Habits

Good Skill with the Computer/Internet

Adequate Software

Adequate Hardware

Plenty of Patience

2. Why Make a Movie?

Combine different objects into one file

– text, still images, frames, music, sound effects, and motion image files

Provide the ultimate multimedia enjoyment experience

– text, colors, images, motion, music, and sound effects

Improve your computer skills

– audio, video, software, hardware, file management, operating systems

Entertain family and friends

3. What Kind of Camera Do I Need?

Camera Type – analog or digital

Digital Video Camera – long segments recorded on tape

– short clips recorded on removable memory card

– 25 Mbps (to 36 Mbps) with 5:1 compression (max recording speed)

Analog Video Camera – long segments recorded on tape

– 1.5 Mbps with no compression (max recording speed)

Digital Still Camera – short clips recorded on removable memory card

4. What Computer and Operating System Do I Need?

Firewire Capability – 500 Mbps (max transfer rate to hard drive)

USB Capability – Coming on camcorders now

Hard Drive Space

Read/write speed – 4 Mbps for capture and digitizing (min)

File Size (captured, rendered, or saved)

.avi – 200 MB/movie minute (uncompressed, open format)

.mpg1 files – 20 MB/movie minute (compressed, open format)

.mpg2 files – 30 MB/movie minute (compressed, open format)

.rm, .wmv, .mov – 15 MB/movie minute (compressed, proprietary formats)

Operating System File Size (limits length of finished movie)

Win 95 – 2 GB (max)

Win ME/98SE – 4 GB (max)

Win XP – 1,000 GB (max)

CD/DVD Burner

CD – –R/–RW

DVD – –R/–RW, +R/+RW, RAM

5. What Will Movie Making Software Do for Me?

Layout Software

Layout Modes – Timeline, Story Board

Editing Tools – cut, brightness and contrast, rotate, etc.

Transitions – cut, fade, dissolve, etc.

Effects – zoom, speed frame rate, etc.

Titles/credits – text or image to begin/end movie

Music – for background

Sound Effects – for effects

Editing Software

Dubbing filters – 3:2 pulldown, inverse telecine, deinterlace, decimate, etc.

Frame rate – adjust for effects, publishing standards, etc.

Indexing – change video to frame sequence

Sequencing – changes frame sequence to video

Segmenting – splice two video segments together

Audio tools – cut, mix, equalize, pan, echo, etc.

Codecs – compress files

6. What Are the Steps in Making a Movie?

ACQUIRE THE MOVIE STOCK

Acquire raw media stock – from camera or other source (e.g., video with audio, clips, images)

Edit raw media stock – with layout software or other program

LAY OUT THE MOVIE

Layout media stock – in movie software program

Add features – title, captions, transitions, special effects, credits

Add music – background, sound effects

RENDER THE MOVIE

Select distribution method – computer, TV, set top player, Web online

Select movie parameters – video pixel size, A/V quality (bit rate)

Select video parameters – video format (e.g., .avi, .mpg1, .mpg2, .mpg4, .rm, .wmv, .mov)

– compression codec (e.g., Cinepak, Indeo, Microsoft)

Select audio parameters – audio format (e.g., PCM, .mpg, .wav, Dolby AC-3)

SHARE THE MOVIE

Transfer movie file – to media (e.g., digital/analog tape, CD, VCD, S–VCD, or DVD)

– to Web host (e.g., Sony, Panasonic, Cannon, Pinnacle, Sonic)

ENJOY THE MOVIE

View movie – on player (e.g., TV/VCR, CD player, DVD player, computer)

– on Web (e.g., download, stream)

(NOTE: Movie and media must conform to strict physical and logical format specifications.)

B. Review of Sample Media, Collections, and Folders

1. Stills – Details, Thumbnails, Film Strip, Properties>Advanced

2. Videos – same as above

3. Video Frames – same as above

4. Music – same as above

5. Sound Effects – same as above

6. Projects – folder for laid out movie (before rendering)

7. Movies – folder for final movie (after rendering into desired format)

C. Review of the Windows Movie Maker Program

1. Review of the Movie Maker Desktop

Menu Bar – File, Edit, View, Tools, Clip, Play, Help

Tool Bar – Shortcuts to most useful commands

Movie Tasks Box

Capture Video – Capture video, Import video, Import pictures, Import audio/music

Edit Video – Show collections, View effects/transitions, Make titles/credits, AutoMovie

Finish Movie – Save to computer/CD, Send to email/Web, Send to DV camera

Movie Making Tips – Capture video, Edit clips, Add titles/effects/transitions, Save and share movies

Explorer Box – shows hard drive, collections, effects, transitions, and titles/credit

Player Window

Control Bar – Play/Pause, Back/forward, Split clip, Take picture, Full screen

Timeline/Story Board Tracks

Timeline Tracks – Video/Transition/Audio, Audio/Music, Title overlay

Tool Bar – Audio level, Voice–Over, Expand/contract timeline, Rewind, Start

– Show Storyboard/Timeline

2. Review of Capturing Video and Importing Media Stock

Capture from Video Device –

Importing Videos –

Importing Pictures –

Importing Audio or Music –

Importing Sound Effects –

3. Review of Editing the Movie

4. Review of AutoMovie Making

5. Review of Finishing a Movie

D. Using the Windows Movie Maker Program

1. Overview of Movie Maker Projects

Simple Slide Show – make slide show with still images

Complex Slide Show – add to simple slide show

Simple Manual Movie – make a movie by hand

Complex Manual Movie – add to simple manual movie

Simple AutoMovie – make a movie automatically

2. Making a Simple Slide Show

Start in Storyboard Mode

Edit the Pictures – rotate, adjust color, adjust B&C, adjust size

Import into Collections –

Layout the Pictures –

Play Slide Show for Effect –

Edit the Slide Show – volume, picture durations

Save Slide Show Project –

Render Slide Show Movie –

Play the Movie –

3. Making a Complex Slide Show

Start in Storyboard Mode

Start with Simple Slide Show– pictures already in place

Add Title – place in series/parallel

– add title animation

Add Credits – at end

Add Transitions – between pictures

Switch to Timeline Mode

Add Background Sound – to cover entire slide show

Add Sound Effects – at selected places on timeline

Play Slide Show for Effect –

Edit the slide Show – fade in/out, video effects

Save Slide Show Project –

Render Slide Show Movie –

Play the Movie –

4. Making a Simple Manual Movie

Start in Storyboard Mode

Edit the Videos – rotate, adjust color, adjust B&C, cut

Import into Collections –

Layout the stock – pictures, videos

Play Movie for Effect –

Edit the movie –

Save the Movie Project –

Render the Movie –

Play the Movie –

5. Making a Complex Manual Movie

Start in Storyboard Mode

Start with Simple Movie – videos and pictures already in place

Edit Video – capture video frames

Add Video Frames –

Add Title –

Add Credits –

Add Transitions –

Add Video Effects –

Switch to Timeline Mode

Add Background Sound –

Edit – volume, pan, duration, effects

Add Sound Effects –

Play Movie for Effect –

Edit the Movie –

Save Movie Project –

Render the Movie –

Play the Movie –

6. Making an AutoMovie

Will Run Automatically in Timeline Mode

Requirements of AutoMovie – select multiple clips (> 30 sec), pick style, 30 sec audio, use wizard

Selecting Multiple Clips –

Pick Style – add title, credits, and background music

Follow Wizard –

Play AutoMovie for Effect –

Edit the AutoMovie –

Save the AutoMovie –

Render the AutoMovie –

APPENDIX

A. Basics of Video Files

1. Common Movie File Extensions

.avi – computer – – – – – – – – – uncompressed stream of interlaced frames

.mpg – computer – highly – intra/–inter – compressed stream of progressive frames

.mpg–j – computer – higher – intra– – compressed stream of progressive frames

.gif – computer – lightly – intra– – compressed stream of progressive frames (motion clip)

(NOTE: File formats like doc, .jpg, .avi, .mpg, .mov, etc. vary per method and details

they were created with. This is not obvious but confusing and frustrating.

Fortunately, software exists to look inside a movie file.)

(NOTE: Welcome aboard the digital revolution. The entire entertainment industry is moving

from line–based, two–field, interlaced to pixel–based, one–frame progressive transmissions.

Look at the difference in TV picture quality the next time you’re in Best Buy!)

2. Common Hardware Encountered in Movie Rendering, Storage, Distribution, and Playback

Computer – creates and plays .avi, .mpg1, .mpg2, .mpg4, .rm, .wmv, .mov files

CD disc – holds any type movie file for computer playback

VCD player – plays .mpg1 file, 352x240 pixel image (384x288 max), 1.15 Mbps FBR, stereo

S–VCD player – plays .mpg2 file, 720x480 (720x576 max), to 3 Mbps VBR, stereo

DVD player – plays .mpg2 file, 720x480, (720x576 max), to 6 Mbps (12 max) VBR, stereo

Web streaming – plays .mpg4 file, image size, etc. adjusted to fit download speed

Tape – data stream converted to tape format when movie printed to/from camera

– analog or digital (720x480 pixel image)

(NOTE: Movie players require that movie (file and media) conform

to strict physical and logical specifications.)

3. The Challenge of Making a Movie on a Computer

So many file and media formats to deal with and choose from

Media source – tape, TV, movie, Web download, still image

Media capture – camera, computer, recorder

Media editing – computer software

Media rendering – computer codecs, bit rate, etc.

Media distribution – computer, tape, TV, CD, VCD, S–VCD, DVD, Web download

Media player – computer, CD, VCD, S–VCD, DVD

So many steps – acquire camera, HW, SW, and media stock

– digitize, deinterlace, edit

– layout, tweak

– render (for physical/logical disc and player)

– burn (to physical/logical disc and player)

– distribute (to view one way)

Everything is so big – computer, files, sound system, time frame, Web speed

Quality is so different – small video (160x112) – tinny audio (8 bit, mono)

– large video (720x480) – digital audio (32 bit, 192 KHz, theater surround)

4. Looking Inside a Video File

Download Virtual Dub from http://www.virtualdub.org/

File information – file type, format, content, data rate, duration

– video frame size, frame rate

– audio format, mono/stereo, sampling frequency, data rate

– can also use MovieID program

File compression – codecs, effect on file size

Types of frames – progressive/interleave, intra, key, delta, predicted, dropped

Frame rate – relation to player hardware

Other parameters – relation to player hardware

B. Basics of Video Capture and Digitizing

1. Open Capture Software

2. Connect Camera to Capture Card (Firewire or AVDV port)

3. Turn on Camera

Capture software recognizes camera

4. Select Capture Settings

Select hard drive destination for capture

Select virtual or real capture

Select file name for captured video

Select type of scene capture – auto, manual, or time stamp

5. Start Capture

Video captured to hard drive

6. End Capture

7. Turn off Camera

8. Review Capture List

C. Basics of Editing Video Clips

1. Download Virtual Dub from http://www.virtualdub.org/

2. Types of Video Files

Simple .jpg image stream (intra–) – as .mpg–j file

Simple non–compressed image stream – as (raw) .avi file

Segmented stream of individual files – as multiple .avi files

Compressed stream (intra–/inter–) – as .mpg file

3. Video File Details

File information – can also use MovieID program

Types of frames – key and delta (compressed file), others

Frame rate – relation to player hardware

File compression – effect on file size

4. Editing Videos

Selecting frames (and, frame sequences)

Extracting frames

Deleting frames (i.e., cutting)

Cropping videos

5. Segmenting Videos

From video clips

From images

6. Sequencing Videos (i.e., indexing)

7. Filtering Videos (i.e., dubbing)

COMMON DUBS

Null transform

Rotate

Adjust levels

Adjust brightness and contrast

Sharpen

Saturate

Smooth/Blur

COMPLEX

Stabilize (i.e., deshake)

Remove flicker

Remove noise

Adjust hotspot

Remove logo/text

Resize

FRILLS

Add borders

Add subtitle

Add logo overlay/animation

Add fill color

Invert colors

TRANSITIONS

Fade In/Out

D. Basics of Editing Images

1. Download Irfan Viewer from http://www.irfanview.com/

2. Editing Image Files for Intended Use

Reducing image file size for Emailing

Cropping – delete useless information

Resizing – reduce viewing size

Resaving – reduce file size

Fixing problems

Dark and dull – adjust brightness, contrast, or gamma

Blurry – adjust sharpness

Special effects

Adding text – captioning

(Note: Use layout software first to cull and discard pictures.)

E. Basics of Editing Audio Clips

1. Open Music File in Editor

2. Cutout Undesirable Portions

3. Change pitch/key and/or tempo

4. Sync (i.e., beatmap) Music Clip to Other Music Clips in Movie

5. Add Effects, as desired (e.g., volume, fade, pan, echo, flange, reverb)

6. Combine/Mix Music Clips, Loops, Stabs, Synths to Produce Clever Beats, Melodies, Harmonies, etc.

F. Basics of Movie Layout and Editing

1. Components of a Movie File

Video Track – locked with audio track (can unlock, if needed)

Audio Track – locked with video track (can unlock, if needed)

Video Overlay Track – titles, scrolls, credits

Background Music Track – continuous background sound

Sound Effects Track – enhancements to background sounds

2. Steps in Laying Out a Movie

Capture/Acquire Raw Media Stock

Videos (with audio) – with video camera

Motion clips – with video or digital still camera

Frames (i.e., images) – with video or digital still camera

Background music – from CD, tape recorder, music library, Web download, etc.

Sound effects – from CD, tape recorder, sound effects library, Web download, etc.