Claymation Videos

using Windows Movie Maker 2.0

This tutorial assumes that you are using a Logitech Web Cam to take your still images for your claymation video. Of course, you can use any digital camera to do this. Just be sure to place all of your photos (and only those photos) into one folder, and name your photos with sequential numbers, so that you do not have to spend as much time sorting them after you put them into iMovie.

This tutorial assumes that you have already taken all your still pictures that you will use for your claymation video. Your photos should be assembled into one folder on your desktop. It is best if the photos are numbered sequentially, so that you do not have to spend as much time sorting them after you put them into Movie Maker.

After you have opened the Windows Movie Maker software,

select Options from the Tools menu.

In the Options window, click on the Advanced tab.

Then change the Picture Duration to 0.375 seconds (you could make it faster, but then you would have to have more still images for every second of your claymation video. This setting is about three frames per second, which is adequate for simple claymation videos).

On the left side of the Movie Maker screen, under Capture Video,

click on Import Pictures.

In the Import Files window that opens, navigate to the folder that contains your collection of still images and open the folder (if you used a Logitech Web Cam to take the photos, the images will be in My ComputerMy PicturesMy Logitech PicturesPictures and Videos).

When you get to where you can see all your still images in

the folder, select all the images (Control-A).

NOTE: It is important that you have no other pictures in this

folder – just the images you want in the claymation movie.

Click Import.

This will import all the selected images into

Windows Movie Maker

At this point, you should look through the images

to make sure there are none there that you do not

want to include in your claymation movie.

If you see some that you do not want, Right-Click

on the image and select Delete.

Select all the images

(Control-A) and drag them

all at once down to the

Video timeline.

This should put all the

images into the timeline,

and each of them should

play for 0.375 seconds.

So, if you have 10 images,

Your video will be 3.75

Seconds. If you have 100

Images, your video will be

37.5 seconds long.

Now you can edit your video the same way you normally would in Windows Movie Maker. You can add titles and credits, voice narration, sound effects, etc.