WinXP - Movie Maker
Windows XP includes some very powerful and completely free applications as part of the operating system - you're probably already familiar with Outlook Express, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, but XP also includes its own digital video application called Movie Maker.
WinXP Movie Maker is a simple wizard-based approach meaning you can create professional results in no time.
Before you start to use the program, we'd recommend that you upgrade to the newest version, as it's free to download and use. Visit www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx to get your hands on it, and if you follow the links to the main Movie Maker site you'll find some helpful how to guides and resources for the program too.
Using Windows Movie Maker is straightforward, even if you've had no experience of digital video editing before. The program splits the movie-making process up into stages, and guides you through each one. You can import footage directly from a camcorder or load it in from your hard drive, and then chop and change your scenes into some kind of order.
What's more, you can add in professional-looking effects and titles before exporting the final result to disk (or even CD). You'll find that there's a range of useful tips and walkthroughs included in the package, so there's help available at every stage should you ever get stuck.
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