- Newbie question, still waiting for simple answer...

[Smithee]

How do you edit the length of an effect on a clip? For instance, having a
fade to black at the end.

I am able to add an effect on a clip, but can't find any "configure effect"
option anywhere. How does it know how slow or fast to make the fade?

So far, everyone has forwarded me to full-blown tutorials on the program --
that's not what I need right now. I just need this quick answer to get me
over the this stumbling block.

I just want to piece together 3 clips I made with my camera for my niece
when we went to the zoo, and all I want to know is how to configure the
effects, not just add them.

Thanks.

 

[John Inzer]

How do you edit the length of an effect on a clip? For
instance, having a fade to black at the end.

I am able to add an effect on a clip, but can't find any
"configure effect" option anywhere. How does it know how
slow or fast to make the fade?

So far, everyone has forwarded me to full-blown tutorials
on the program -- that's not what I need right now. I
just need this quick answer to get me over the this
stumbling block.

I just want to piece together 3 clips I made with my
camera for my niece when we went to the zoo, and all I
want to know is how to configure the effects, not just
add them.

Thanks.

=============================
You can adjust Picture Duration and
Transition Duration at...Tools / Options /
Advanced tab.

I'm not aware of an adjustment for Effects
Duration....that's why I offered you the
tutorials for custom effects.

Have you tried the following forum? Maybe
someone there has some ideas:

Windows Movie Maker Forum
http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/forums/

--

*********Notice**********
This is not tech support.
....I am only a volunteer...

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you.

Proceed at your own risk.

John Inzer
Picture It! MVP

Digital Image
Highlights and FAQs
http://tinyurl.com/aczzp

 

[rehan]

The "Effect" duration is the same as the underlying clip. If you want to
speed up the Fade to Black then you need to make your clip shorter by
splitting it.

1. Remove the current effect (use right click menu)
2. Change to timeline view (Ctrl-T) if not already in that view.
3. Place the Current position indicator where you want to split.
4. Press the split button under the preview or press Ctrl-L

Now apply the Fade to Balck to the split clip on the right hand side.

 

[Smithee]

The "Effect" duration is the same as the underlying clip. If you want to
speed up the Fade to Black then you need to make your clip shorter by
splitting it.

1. Remove the current effect (use right click menu)
2. Change to timeline view (Ctrl-T) if not already in that view.
3. Place the Current position indicator where you want to split.
4. Press the split button under the preview or press Ctrl-L

Now apply the Fade to Balck to the split clip on the right hand side.

From scratch (no effects) I split the clip at the 10th second from the start
and applied a FADE IN, FROM BLACK on the very first clip... the result was a
single-second fade-in despite the clip being 10 seconds long. The length of
the clip or where the split is seems irrelevant to the length of the effect.


All I wanted to do was a small, simple, 1-time montage for my niece who's
been waiting after these clips for 2 weeks now. I thought that's what Movie
Maker was for. But I give up. I'll just send them to her unedited straight
from the cam.

(Would it have been so hard for Microsoft to just include a "configure
effect" option somewhere?)

 

[rehan]

Sorry to know you didnt succeed in the attempt.

By the way if you are making a montage of photos alone then using
"PhotoStory 3" is recommended over Movie Maker.
http://www.microsoft.com/photostory

For the Fade To Black, let do another attempt with a different technique:
using a black image / empty title and the Fade transition.

1. Add a title after the selected clip
2. In the text area enter a space and change the background color to Black
3. Make this and the still image as long as you desire by stretching their
right edge in the TImeline view
4. From transitions select the Fade transition and place between the two
clips
5. Drag the black clip leftwards over the first clip to increase the
transition duration