Create a movie from your computer
Do you want to make a movie, adding photos and music from your computer? Very well! In the following paragraphs I will show you how to use some useful programs for this purpose.
Photo (Windows)
To create a movie from computer you can use Windows 10 default media manager program, Gallery, useful for making a movie starting from the photos on your computer.
Launch the app Gallery, searching for it through Cortana's search bar, then click on the button Crea located at the top right. Press on the item Automatic video with music o Personalized video with music, depending on what you intend to do. In this example, I'll use the function Personalized video with music.
On the next screen, check the media items to import, click the button Crea that you find at the top. Give the video a name and press OK. To customize it, use, for example, buttons Temi e Music o Duration, Resize e Text, to modify it using the predefined tools or to apply filters and textual elements.
When you're done editing, click the right arrow symbol, then select an export option (faster loading, best solution for 1000 small screen, best solution for online sharing, loading longer best solution large screen), wait for it to finish and press on View in this app or on View in file explorer, to see the final result.
Photo (macOS)
On macOS, the default tool I recommend you use is called Gallery; to use it, click on its icon in the folder Applications or in the bar Dock.
Once started, click on the symbol capacitor positive (+) lead at the top right, then click on the item Presentazione from the menu Fillet at the top left and give your movie a title.
Now, select the media to import and click Add; then use thetwo rectangles icon, to change the presentation theme, music note icon or that ofclock, to insert a soundtrack or to adjust the speed of transitions.
When you're done editing, click the button Export, choose the export format (for example 1080p high definition), indicate the folder where the file will be saved and click Save.
iMovie (macOS)
One of the best known programs useful for creating a movie on macOS is iMovie, software pre-installed on Apple computers. Start it by clicking on its icon in the folder Applications of macOS or, download it for free from the Mac App Store, if it is not present in the latter.
On the main screen, click Create new and then Footage, in order to import the elements. Then press onarrow icon to bass (located at the top left), indicates the path in which the elements to be added are located, in order to select them, and then press on the item Import selected items.
Now, use the menu items like for example Audio, Titles, Backgrounds, Transitions, to customize the movie by adding music files, texts, transactions or even background images.
Then click the button My media files, select the items to add and press on pulsating (+) you see in correspondence of the same to perform this operation.
Further buttons useful for editing the movie are present in the toolbar at the top: the symbol of a clock or il symbol of the three superimposed circles; which are used to change the speed of transitions and to apply other special effects to audio and video.
To export the movie, click on arrow symbol inside a square, choose if you want to export the video to your computer (Fillet) or whether to upload it to Facebook or on Google.
For any doubts or for more information on how iMovie works, read my specific tutorial on this program.
Windows Movie Maker (macOS)
An excellent solution for making a movie on Windows is the program Windows Movie Maker, “Old” pre-installed software, but still useful and working even on Windows 10.
To download the software you must go to third-party websites: the MajorGeeks website (client in English). In this regard, to download the installation of Windows Movie Maker, without errors, read this tutorial of mine.
Once the software is downloaded, installed and launched, click the button Add videos and photos which you can see in the tab Home. Add items to the timeline by selecting them and clicking on the item Animations, to add effects to your movie.
Additional options for editing the video are the options Duration, which is used to set the duration of the added animation effects. To add, for example, background music, tap on Add music (form Home) and then change the volume of the audio file by voice Music instruments.
When you're done making changes, click Fillet (top left) and tap on the item Save movie from its menu. Customize the destination path and export format and click the button Save.
If you want to learn more about how Movie Maker, you can read my tutorial related to it.
Power Point (Windows / macOS)
PowerPoint is a famous software included in the paid suite Office 365 (prices starting from 69 € / year) which can be used for the creation of presentations with text, photos, and audio effects and also for converting them into a movie.
If you have purchased, downloaded and activated this program, open with Power point the PPT or PPTX file you created earlier, then click on the menu item Fillet (top left) and select the item Export from the side menu.
Now, click on the wording Create video, use the menu to tendin Presentation quality to set the resolution of the movie (presentation quality, Internet quality, or low quality) and, using the drop-down menu below, indicates whether to include any intervals and audio comments (do not use recorded audio commentary intervals o use recorded audio commentary intervals).
When finished, tap on Create video, indicate the export folder and click Save to start the conversion.
It was used PowerPoint su MacOS, reach the section Fillet > Export > Create video, to do it. Alternatively, tap on the tab Registration located in the ribbon and then click Export as video. Once you have set the resolution of the movie, click on the button Create video, enter a name for the file, specify the save location and click Save.
If you need more information on how to convert presentations Power point in video you can read my guide dedicated to the topic.
Other programs to create a movie
Wondering if I can recommend other noteworthy programs to create a movie? Of course yes, check out the ones below or read my guide on programs to create videos.
- DVD Slideshow GUI (Windows) - this software for Windows it is absolutely recommended for the ability to easily make videos with photos, music and transaction effects.
- IMGDissolver (Windows / macOS / Linux) - is a multiplatform program for making movies widely used due to its support for various audio and video file formats
Create a movie on smartphones and tablets
You are away from home and you need to create a movie from your smartphone or tablet and you ask yourself how to do it? Don't worry, in the next few paragraphs you can find some solutions for Android and iOS.
inShot (Android / iOS)
If you want to make a movie on your smartphone or tablet, I recommend the free app for Android and iOS inShot, which however applies a watermark to exported videos, although this can be removed for free during use.
On iOS it is also possible to purchase the version For (prices starting from € 2,99 per month), in order to obtain additional tools, such as unlimited filters and stickers and also eliminate advertising.
After downloading inShot from the Android Play Store or the iOS App Store (if you don't know how to do it, read my guide dedicated to the topic) start it by pressing its icon on the home screen of your device.
On the main screen, tap on the items Video o Gallery, to start from a video or photo, presses on the elements to be imported and then uses the visible editing tools to customize the movie.
For example, there is the button Size to crop the video, the menu item Music to add background music and buttons Background e Text, to add background or overlay elements, such as backgrounds and texts.
Once you have finished making the movie, click on Save da Android, choose the export format via the menu Quality (on iOS it is not possible to choose the resolution, so press the button with the symbol of a square and an arrow pointing up) and then, from both devices, tap again on Save, in order to export the movie to your device's default gallery.
Other apps to create a movie
How about if in the next few lines we take a look at other useful applications for creating a movie? I have a few more tips to give you, besides the ones I told you about in my tutorial on making videos with photos and music.
- Facebook (Android / iOS / Windows 10 Mobile) - Through the official app of the social network it is possible to create a movie with photos and music. This function is not manual: the video is created by Facebook automatically (it is possible to edit it, before publishing it), for example on the occasion of events or anniversaries (friendships, birthdays, etc.) or in case you have taken at least 5 photos within 24 hours.
- Movie (iOS) - this is the famous free video editing application from Apple, version for iOS of the program of the same name that I told you about in the previous paragraph. It allows you to obtain professional results in a really simple way.
Create an online movie
If you want to create a movie and you have little time to do it, I suggest you use a free online tool, such as the one I am talking about in the next paragraph.
WeVideo
To make a movie through an online tool, I recommend that you contact WeVideo, free solution with some limitations (possibility to export only 5 minutes of video per month with maximum resolution at 480p) which can be removed by paying a subscription with prices starting from € 3,74 per month.
To use it for free, connected to its website, register an account using social networks Facebook o Google or register via a different email address by filling out the form you see on the screen.
Click the WeVideo Free account link then click Continue twice in a row and finally on Dashboard, to use this service without paying.
To make a video using the tools of the editor section, click on (+) Create new then click Try it. To import the elements to add to the video use the button with the symbol of a folder, That of speech bubble and finally click Browse to Select.
You can use tools such as the symbol of a musical note (to add background music) or the icon two overlapping squares, to apply transactions.
When you have finished making changes, select the button Finish located at the top, give the video a name and finally click on the buttons Set, Finish and Download Video, to save the video to your computer.
Other solutions to create an online movie
If you found it useful to use an online tool for making a movie, I suggest you also take a look at the tools I am talking about below and learn more by reading my tutorial dedicated to this topic.
- Sharalike - through this free service that requires registration it is possible to make a movie with photos and music (a watermark is applied) also thanks to the integration with the databases of the music streaming platform Spotify. I told you about it in my guide.
- Adobe spark video - is Adobe's famous free tool for creating movies to which overlay text, transaction effects, music and photos can be added. It is also available as a free iOS app.
