StudioVeena.com Forums Discussions How to convert and edit movies for free

  • How to convert and edit movies for free

    Posted by UTpoler on August 9, 2010 at 8:47 pm

    I love watching everyone’s videos! But I have noticed that some of them aren’t rotated if recorded vertically, or they could benefit from some simple editing ….I’ve also read comments here and there that the format their camera records in isn’t supported by their video editor. So, I thought I’d make a post with some tips and hopefully it’ll help someone. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

    If you are running Windows, your computer should have the free video editing program Windows Movie Maker. This program is easy to use and will help you edit your videos!!
    (If your computer doesn’t have it installed already, you can download the program here http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx)

    However, most videos on digital devices these days records in .MOV format which Windows Movie Maker does not support. You must first convert the files to .WMV files.

    There’s an easy and free solution to this! It’s a program called Any Video Converter.
    You can download the free version of Any Video Converter from here http://www.any-video-converter.com/products/for_video_free/

    Just click the download button and follow the direcitons (click RUN any time it gives you the option)
    Download.jpg

    Go through the set-up for Any Video Converter. It will walk you through it…
    Note of caution: you do not need to include the Bing install option when prompted
    DoNotBing.jpg

    Now, that you have Any Video Converter installed, you may start converting videos. Save your .MOV videos from your camera onto your computer. Open Any Video Converter and follow the directions displayed in the center of the program’s screen to convert them to .WMV files.
    Areas to note:
    In the bottom left corner, click on the Output Folder to set the location where your newly converted .WMV files will be saved (the default is My Documents > Any Video Converter > WMV).
    And in the top right corner, use the drop down menu to select the “Customized WMV Movie (*.WMV)” option

    AnyVideo.jpg

    After your videos have been converted, you may open them using Windows Movie Maker and edit away!

    Windows Movie Maker is really user friendly and intuitive but if you would like directions, check out their tutorials here http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/default.mspx

    ecxpandy replied 12 years ago 8 Members · 19 Replies
  • 19 Replies
  • sosagely

    Member
    August 10, 2010 at 2:42 am

    Thank you!!! I’ve had so many problems trying to get vids on my computer! Hopefully these will help!

  • cali

    Member
    August 10, 2010 at 3:07 am

    thanks !!! that will help loads i have been trying everything forever just couldnt figure it out thank you for posting this. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

  • hookedonpole

    Member
    August 10, 2010 at 3:54 am

    Thanks, I’m having problems when I want to record with my digital camera in vertical. It comes out sideways in quicktime. I’ve tried rotating in my editing program, as you can see in my recent vid post, it’s distorted around the sides. I rotated in WMM and came out kinda short and squaty. I have a program that converts also. Will the one you recommended rotate without distortion? I would like to get practices with bottom of pole to the top. I have to have my camera kinda close due to angle of the door into the room where I pole. Can’t back up to get it all in with regular view of camera. Does this make sense? EDIT: Does this free converter software have a watermark or logo on final editing?

  • UTpoler

    Member
    August 10, 2010 at 8:05 pm

    @Cali – glad you’ll find this helpful!!!

    @Hooked – I don’t use the conversion program to edit the videos at all. I simply use it to convert the .MOV to a .WMV file. That way, I can import the .WMV file into Windows Movie Maker for editing. I use Windows Movie Maker to rotate my clips and no distortion occurred at all. In fact, you can see an example at the movie I just uploaded yesterday and it was recorded in verticle orientation.
    The logo and watermark also would be something you would add using Windows Movie Maker. The conversion program is simply to create .WMV files so Windows Movie Maker recognizes the file type since it does not recognize the native .MOV file type your camera records in. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

    I hope that helps!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

  • hookedonpole

    Member
    August 10, 2010 at 9:22 pm

    I did see your video. That was rotated upright? You must have a very nice recorder. Do you use a digital camera? If so, which one? Or do you use a camcorder? Your video is very clear. I’m still practicing with mine. Might try one more time. I think I did mine the long way and maybe that’s why it’s not so good. I don’t like the quality of final result. I’ll try converting straight from .MOV to .WMV to see if it’s any better. I think I need a better digital camera, mine is so old. It’s a Kodak EasyShare 3.1 megapixel. Thanks for all your help.

  • UTpoler

    Member
    August 10, 2010 at 9:35 pm

    I did see your video. That was rotated upright? You must have a very nice recorder. Do you use a digital camera? If so, which one? Or do you use a camcorder? Your video is very clear. I’m still practicing with mine. Might try one more time. I think I did mine the long way and maybe that’s why it’s not so good. I don’t like the quality of final result. I’ll try converting straight from .MOV to .WMV to see if it’s any better. I think I need a better digital camera, mine is so old. It’s a Kodak EasyShare 3.1 megapixel. Thanks for all your help.
    Yeah, it was recorded holding the camera vertically so when I uploaded it to my computer the movie was horizontal. I converted the file and then using Windows Movie Maker, I rotated the clip back to verticle. I use my digital camera which records video as well. It’s a Canon PowerShot SD940. Let me know if you see any improvement using your Kodak with this method of conversion and editing, k?

  • hookedonpole

    Member
    August 12, 2010 at 5:20 am

    Another question, are you able in Windows Movie Maker to mute or remove background audio when recording? I can’t seem to find if WMM has the feature to do that. Sometimes the TV or background noise is going on when practicing and want to remove it and add music, etc. When I and music, the recorded background audo is there also.

  • minicoopergrl

    Member
    August 13, 2010 at 10:36 am

    Another question, are you able in Windows Movie Maker to mute or remove background audio when recording? I can’t seem to find if WMM has the feature to do that. Sometimes the TV or background noise is going on when practicing and want to remove it and add music, etc. When I and music, the recorded background audo is there also.

    In the timeline there should be something about the audio. You should see that the audio has its own timeline. You can mute that directly and use another audio on top of the video. Thats how I do my videos, to me it looks a bit more professional. I have degree in TV production so its good for me to use all my skills that I learned.

    Since I cant find my camcorder ive been using my digital camera. I have a Kodak EasyShare with 8.2 megapixels. I did convert vids to play on WMM but they came out with a lagging and looked like crap. I downloaded an editing software by NCH and I love it more than WMM. Ive been using the free trial version and will evenutally buy the full version. Or until I find my camcorder.

  • hookedonpole

    Member
    August 13, 2010 at 2:05 pm

    Thanks, mini. Another question(s)…is the software you use VideoPad Video Editor Software? What do you use to convert to wmm? Do you ever record vertical and have to rotate when uploaded to your pc so it will be vertical and not horizontal? Mine is also not good result when rotating in wmm to vertical when I record that way. I don’t like it. I purchased AVS video editor and like it, EXCEPT for the rotation feature. It comes out weird, I have one short vid of it here on sv. I really like AVS when recorded normal, but not to rotate, unless I’m doing something wrong. Same thing when rotat in wmm, comes out short and squaty. Haven’t posted one of those yet. Maybe a short one later tonight. Thanks for input!! If I’m going to take the time to record my practices, etc. might as well have decent result . Although, better pole skills might help, haha https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif

  • minicoopergrl

    Member
    August 13, 2010 at 2:30 pm

    Thanks, mini. Another question(s)…is the software you use VideoPad Video Editor Software? What do you use to convert to wmm? Do you ever record vertical and have to rotate when uploaded to your pc so it will be vertical and not horizontal? Mine is also not good result when rotating in wmm to vertical when I record that way. I don’t like it. I purchased AVS video editor and like it, EXCEPT for the rotation feature. It comes out weird, I have one short vid of it here on sv. I really like AVS when recorded normal, but not to rotate, unless I’m doing something wrong. Same thing when rotat in wmm, comes out short and squaty. Haven’t posted one of those yet. Maybe a short one later tonight. Thanks for input!! If I’m going to take the time to record my practices, etc. might as well have decent result . Although, better pole skills might help, haha https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif

    I dont covert to wmm. I use the VideoPad software. All my current videos are in .AVI format. I rotate mine in video pad and they dont look bad. Granted it took me a few min to figure out how to rotate my videos, but once I got it it was easy. My Porn Star, Breakdown and Polarity videos were edited with Video Pad. I had serious lagging issues when I converted my vids to WMM. I record vertical b/c you can see more of the pole and me, I like to climb high every now and then and hate getting my head cut off in the shot.

    I think I need to bust out my TV production book and brush up on my skills.

  • tarah

    Member
    January 21, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    Hello UTpoler, hookedonpole, & minicoopergirl https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif  thanks for all your helpful info!!  I'm glad I found this thread.  If I don't have good results with WMM, I'm going to try Videopad.   I still haven't had time to play with things (maybe that's good because I've been gathering information which will save me alot of time once I get into stuff).  Will let you all know when I get something accomplished, lol https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_geek.gif

  • hookedonpole

    Member
    January 23, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    tarah, have you used WMM for editing or did you try Videopad?  Thanks.

  • tarah

    Member
    January 23, 2011 at 7:37 pm

    Hi Hookedonpole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif  I have a kodak easyshare C533 camera.  I've had it for over 4 years and I love it.  I've always used the kodak easyshare software for viewing and editing photos.  since my camera also takes videos, I started using if for SV.  my camera automatically transfers the videos to easyshare for viewing, editing, saving to computer, etc.  I am able to trim the beginning and endings of videos, or cut them, but not splice.  that's why I've been looking for a way to do it preferable for free, 'cause why pay for something if there's a good free version.  I used the prism video converter for converting .mov to .wmv, saving it to my computer, then uploaded into WMM.  except I had the new version of WMM, and couldn't figure it out.  I just got WMM version 2.6 which looks like what is described in the how-to for WMM forum thread.  anyway prism video converter came with Videopad and they were both free.  but I didn't get around to using Videopad.  I got my movie uploaded into it, but didn't try to edit.  then they both expired.  SO that's where I am, I'm sorry I haven't accomplished more but hopefully this is a help to you, or we can try to help each other while we're both figuring it out, lol https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_geek.gif

  • tarah

    Member
    January 27, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    Hey Everyone, I finally had a chance to play with WMM today.  I used Any-Video-Converter to convert my .mov file to a .wmv file, then uploaded it to WMM.  It all seemed to work fine.  I used the same video as my last upload (tarah-practice) so you can compare them.  I'm not sure how good the quality will be.  I'm going to upload it to SV right now….  https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_geek.gif 

  • Maria-Elena Kadala

    Member
    January 27, 2011 at 11:14 pm

    Here's another product that does all sorts of conversions and allows you to download from youTube and convert from iTunes format to mp3 (I just used it to convert a particular version of a favorite songon youtube  to mp3!)

    http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/free-dvd-video-software.htm

    There are some videos that I like to use for study, and by editing breaks into them, it's easier to stop and rewind!

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