Capture the fun and happiness this festive season on your video camera and use Windows MovieMaker to produce a professional quality film to share with friends and family.
If you have Windows XP or Windows Vista on your PC you have Windows MovieMaker available to you. Windows MovieMaker allows you to import and edit video direct from your camcorder. Add transitions, narration and background music to make your movie special. Look at this You Tube Tutorial to see what is possible and visit the forums on http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/ to see how you can go beyond the basics and be really creative!
If you have Windows Vista on your PC you can also produce a DVD of your movie with Windows DVD Burner. Available from the All Programs menu or from directly within the Windows Vista version of Windows MovieMaker, Windows DVD Burner enables you to create full DVD menus for your movie and photographs. Choose which movie clip should play on the DVD menu just like on purchased DVD films! Remember, you do need a DVD burner in your PC to produce the DVD - if you don't have one, why not upgrade your machine this Christmas? DVD burners can be purchased for as little as £20 and typically are a direct swap to existing CD or DVD readers in desktop PCs.
A note on HD video editing. If you are lucky enough to have an HD video camcorder you can edit your HD films with the Windows MovieMaker version included in Windows Vista. However, your PC must have a reasonably good graphics card to be able to do this. If you play modern computer games on your PC successfully you probably have a good enough graphics card, BUT if you are planning to use your work laptop to do this you may not. Unfortunately most laptops built today have a hardware specification to suit business applications which often (even in the coolest Sony Vaios) leaves out a gamer capable graphics card. These business laptops will not have the graphics grunt you need to edit HD video - something Suzi from Channel 5's Gadget Show should have suss'ed by now!!!
If you are in doubt whether your current PC or the PC you are thinking of buying this Christmas will be up for HD video editing you can check the Windows Experience Index (Available only on Windows Vista) of the machine. Type Welcome Center into the Start menu search box and look at the details of the machine to see the Windows Experience Index (WEI). The WEI tells you how capable the machine is. If the two Graphics scores are LESS THEN 3.8 you will not be able to edit HD video. If they are better than 3.8 then you have a top machine and can get cracking on your next movie sensation. You can learn more on Windows Vista and its WEI scores in my video here.
A TIP: If you are looking to buy a good Windows Vista machine this Christmas and are concerned by the lack of capability and high cost of many of the Laptops in high street stores you should check out the ROCK laptops. Rock make gamer level laptops which pack the latest in graphics hardware which blows away most of the competition and at prices as low as £680+vat they are very competitive too. My advice is to forget the Sony Vaios of the world - you pay loads for the brand - and go for a Rock instead.
Have fun.