WindowsMovieMaker
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Windows Photo Gallery and Movie Maker refresh: Vimeo integration, camera stabilization
Microsoft's stalwart Photo Gallery and Movie Maker won't be hitting high-end studios anytime soon, but a new refresh for Windows 7 and 8 adds useful features that the teeming masses might appreciate. Topping the list for Movie Maker is video stabilization, which fixes camera jitter and "wobble" or rolling shutter -- a desperately needed feature for free software chockablock with shaky soccer mom and skater videos. Redmond has also added audio waveforms and an extra narration track, simple audio cleanup tools and text effects to the video editor. As for Photo Gallery, the only new tool of note is "auto collage" which should let you create spectacularly cheesy montages using seven or more photos, regardless of artistic talent or effort. Finally, the software giant announced Vimeo as its new "publish partner," letting you upload your Gadget Cribs rip-offs from either program directly to the site. Let's see if the video hoster figures out a way to cordon off the onslaught of new freeware riff-raff from its regular hipster / film school crowd.
Machinima 101: The basics
You've seen a crazy good PvP video that shows a top ranked player's latest moves or maybe a short clip of the latest epic mount and now you want to make a Warcraft film of your own. With two simple programs you can make a video in an hour or less. It's not going to be an epic story of love and war across the ages, but it can be anything in game you want to show your friends, guildmates or the world whether it's a guild event, a boss fight or an Arena battle. In this article, I'm going to cover the very basics of Machinima (making movies using game footage.) By the end of this feature, you'll be able to record, edit and post a short video of your exploits in Azeroth. You can see a demonstration of how to make a Warcraft film by clicking on the short video tutorial above. Otherwise, read on for step-by-step instructions complete with screenshots and recommendations for advanced techniques.
