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End of the Year Video Tutorial {Part 1: Movie Maker}

Hi, friends!  Can you believe the end of the year is already upon us?!?  Our last day isn’t until the second week in June, but I know many of you will be finishing up the year soon.  Last year, I decided to make an end of the year video that we would watch at our end of the year celebration.  I also made a copy of this video in DVD format for each child.  It was a huge hit!  However, if I am being completely honest, this was the first time I had ever used Windows Live Movie Maker and I had an extremely difficult time figuring out how to convert my movie to a DVD that the kiddos could watch at home.  With that being said, I thought a step-by-step end of the year video tutorial would be helpful for all of you!

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!

The images below contain the basic steps for creating a video with Windows Live Movie Maker compatible with Windows 8, 8.1 or 10.  For more detailed instructions, watch the video at the end of this post!

End of the Year Video Tutorial: Pictures

Inserting Pictures

To insert pictures into Windows Live Movie Maker, click on the “Add videos and photos” buttons. Then, choose the location where you have saved your pictures. Choose multiple pictures at time by holding down the ctrl key.

After you insert the pictures, rearrange the sequence of the pictures by dragging them to the desired location.

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 

Picture Animations

You can also change the animations of each picture by selecting the “Auto Movie themes” under the “Home” tab. This is perhaps the easiest way to add a title slide, set the animations and transitions of each picture, and insert a credits page.

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 
To adjust the animation of each picture, click on the “Animations” tab. From here, you can choose the transitions and panning/zooming of each picture. Choose multiple pictures at a time by holding down the ctrl or shift key while choosing the pictures, and then selecting the animation.
 
Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 

Picture Settings

To adjust the duration that each picture appears in the video, click on the “Video Tools” tab. Then, select a picture. Use the dropdown menu to change the duration.

To change the duration of multiple pictures, use the ctrl or shift key while highlighting each picture. I recommend 4 or 5 seconds per picture.

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 

End of the Year Video Tutorial: Music

Adding Music

To add music into Windows Live Movie Maker, click on the “Add music” button and select “add music” or “add music from current point.” Then, choose the location where you have stored your music. Choose multiple songs at a time by holding down the ctrl key.

After you insert the music, you can use the “Music Tools” tab to adjust the settings of each song.

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 

Music Settings

To adjust the settings of each song, click on the “Music Tools” tab. I like to set the “fade in” and “fade out” of each song to slow, so that the song gets a little quieter and slows as it fades.

You can also set the start time , start point and end point. These features are useful if you only want a portion of the song to play in your end of the year video.

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 

End of the Year Video Tutorial: Title and Credits Slide

Title Slide

To insert a title slide, click on the “Title” button under the “Home” tab. Then, use the tools under the “Text Tools” tab to format the font and edit the effects.

You can also create a separate title slide in PowerPoint, save it as an image, and then, insert it at the beginning of your end of the year video.

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 
To format the font and edit the effects of the title slide, click on the “Text Tools” tab. Please be sure the title slide is selected before clicking on this tab.
 
Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 

Credits Slide

To insert a variety of credits slides, click on the “Credits” button under the “Home” tab. Then, use the tools under the “Text Tools” tab to format the font and edit the effects.

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 
Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 

End of the Year Video Tutorial: Saving the Movie

To save the movie, click on the “Save movie” dropdown menu. Choose the appropriate method for saving your file.

Because I was converting this video to a DVD, I chose “for high resolution display.”

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
 
Now, you can upload this video to a private YouTube channel, Google Drive or Dropbox. Simply share the link with your classroom families. You will want to make sure you are sharing on a private platform so that only your classroom families can access the video.
 
If you are looking for more in depth directions, please watch this video!
 
 
I hope this little tutorial will be helpful as you make your end of the year classroom video!
 

More End of the Year Ideas

 
I’ve narrowed my list down to my Top 10 End of the Year Slideshow Songs, as well as a few close contenders, for a total of 20 end of the year songs that are perfect for your end of the year slideshow and end of the year celebration! Great graduation songs for any grade level!
 
 
 
Don’t forget to grab this end of the year student gift FREEBIE!
 
Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Get yourself some slap bracelets and grab these FREE tags to show your students that you all had a “Slappin’ Great Year!” They are sure to be a HUGE hit!
 
Plus, don’t forget to check out Proud to be Primary’s post about her “End of the Year Goodbye Stars!”
 
End of the Year Goodbye Stars are a great keepsake that your students! Read the how-to, as well as a step-by-step guide on how to create an end of the year classroom video!
 
Here’s to the last few weeks of school!  You’ve got this!
 

DON’T FORGET IT… PIN IT!

Looking for a unique end of the year student gift?! Follow this step-by-step tutorial for creating an end of the year video for your students! Simple how-to guide, featuring tips and tricks for Windows Movie Maker!
Ashley Sharp Pos Bio Image

Ashley Sharp

As a dedicated Kindergarten teacher for nearly 20 years, I believe the words “fun, play, and creativity” can sit right alongside the words “developmentally appropriate, engaging, and rigorous.” Learning is meant to be fun and messy!

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12 responses to “End of the Year Video Tutorial {Part 1: Movie Maker}”

  1. Catherine N. Avatar
    Catherine N.

    Thank you for the video tutorial! I wouldn't have dared to try this without it!

  2. Ashley Avatar
    Ashley

    I would like to try and do a video for my kiddos this year. However, I have a few questions. Do you keep track of the number of photos of each kid in the show? Do you use multiple pictures of each kiddo doing the same thing? I am worried that each child may not have the same amount of photos!

    Thanks,
    Ashley

  3. Elyse Rycroft Avatar
    Elyse Rycroft

    This is incredibly helpful and well explained, Ashley! This will help me make my own product videos for my store. Thank you!

  4. Candy Avatar
    Candy

    I would like to watch the converting to the dvd video. Have you posted it?

  5. Ashley & Jessica Schrage Avatar
    Ashley & Jessica Schrage

    I have never put a cover on the CD I am totally going to do that this year!

  6. Mrs. Krishna Avatar
    Mrs. Krishna

    Have you posted how to convert this movie to a dvd yet? I am at that point and can not figure it out. Thanks!

  7. ~AnA~ Avatar
    ~AnA~

    Have you made it into DVD yet??

  8. 30 End of the Year Activities for the Classroom – Proud to be Primary

    […] Use Windows Live Movie Maker to create a gift DVD for your kiddos. They will enjoy watching a slideshow of photos from the year set to music. You […]

  9. Embrace Kinder Avatar
    Embrace Kinder

    I do this every year. I start promoting it in February. I ask for a $5 donation for the DVD. I try to make it about 30 minutes long and include any videos of the years programs. The donations pay for the food and decorations at pur end of the year celebration.

  10. End of the School Year Activities for Memorable Fun – Proud to be Primary

    […] Use Windows Live Movie Maker to create a gift DVD for your kiddos. They will enjoy watching a slideshow of photos from the year set to music. You […]

  11. Katie Avatar
    Katie

    Hi there,
    Would you be willing to share your templates for title page, transitions, etc…?

    Thanks so much!

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