Easy You Tube Videos with Free Software

I have fallen in love with YouTube. Although I'm barely computer literate, I have enjoyed making short films, slide shows and music videos and sharing them with the world. Each project challenges my creativity. It lets me learn new things about my computer and software. And it's exciting to know that I can share my successes with others.

My laptop has limited capabilities. And, admittedly, so does my brain. Despite my husband's glowing reviews, I bypassed Vegas and like programs. I prefer Windows Live Movie Maker (WLMM). I like the interface. I needed something that is easy for me to understand, uncluttered and easy on my hard drive. It has everything I need to make simple videos without a hundred complex features that I'll never use. (Alright, I admit that I wish WLMM had speed controls, but I can live with that.)

My projects begin with an idea, a song or story. I try to visualize what I want and consider the tools at my disposal. Most of my projects have been slide shows. They're easy to assemble and fit to a soundtrack.

A slide show is a series of photographs or illustrations that can be punctuated by animations, text and single-color screens. If, for example, I've chosen to make a film to match a favorite song, I can choose pictures that fit the imagery of the song. I choose the order in which they will appear and the kinds of details, such as captions, that I would like to include. It's important to me to keep all of my material in its own folder to reduce confusion.

If my slides need some tweaking, I use my favorite illustrating program: Paint.Net. It, too, is clean and simple... not to mention free. With this program, I can crop and flip images. I can change colors or apply filters that can give pictures with slightly different styles a unified appearance. Even small alterations can make a big difference. But I've also learned to use the slightly more involved features of the program, including the clone stamp. It's perfect for removing unwanted objects.

To assemble my project, I import my photographs into WLMM. If they're out of order, it's ok. The program allows me to insert a photo between two others or to drag it into place. Pictures are inserted with a duration of "5" by default. I like to leave them that way at first.

The second most important element in my music video is the music itself. I import the track and run my film to test it. If there are any obvious problems, I can fix them now.

The most satisfying part of the process is adjusting the duration of each photo until the sequence matches my soundtrack. I usually put a transitional animation between them. It's best to use the same one throughout. Polishing the timing of my film is a little tedious, but I enjoy watching it come together.

After all that trial and error, I am left with a film that I can be proud of. I can add a title screen at the beginning, credits at the end... Before I know it, I'm finished.

Uploading a film from WLMM to YouTube is easy. It's built right into the program, in the highly visible "sharing" box. With a click of my mouse, I'm on my way to sharing my baby with anyone who wants to watch. I know that you'll feel the same as I do when you're publishing your own movies. Even if it doesn't get a million 5-star ratings and positive comments, it's your work, your idea. For that reason alone, you should be proud.