Add special effects to your video.
Adding special effects to your video can enhance it. Special effects are fun to watch and, when used judiciously, can help convey a video's message more effectively. Effects such as fading in and out, making a film look grainy and black and white and changing the speed of the video are just a few types of special effects that can be used in a video. Adding special effects to a video can be done using a free computer program that is part of the Windows standard software package or that can be downloaded for free.
Instructions
1. Download Movie Maker (Windows Version 7). Go to the "Windows Live" website (see Resources). Click on "Download Now." Click "Run." Check "Movie Maker" next to the boxes of the programs you want to install. Click "Next." Check the boxes if you want Bing as your default search provider and MSN as your browser home page. Uncheck them if you don't. Click "Next." Movie Maker will be installed.
2. Open Movie Maker. Click the "Start" menu and click "All Programs." Click on "Movie Maker." The video editing program will open.
3. Add video. Click "Import Video." A browser window will open. Click on the video file you want to add special effects to. Click "Import." Copy and paste the video file into the Movie Maker timeline.
4. Add special effects to your video. Click "View Video Effects." An effects menu appears as icons with the effects name below each icon. Drag the video effect icon onto the clip you want to add a special effect to. For example, if you want the video to look like an old film, click and drag the "Film age, Old" icon to the place in the timeline you want it. Repeat this step as needed.
5. Review the special effects you've added to the video. Click the "Play" arrow on the Movie Maker video player. The video will play and show the special effects you have added.
