Video FX
Transitions and special effects are commonly used to add visual interest and a professional touch to movies created in Windows Movie Maker. While a number of effects, transitions and titles/credits were included in the more recent versions, one of the nice features of Movie Maker is the ability to create your own custon effects and transitions through the use of an xml file to modify the built-in effects and transitions. In addition, advanced users with some programmimg skills can build them from scratch using C++ and the Windows Media Transforms included in the Microsoft DirectX Media SDK.
A large number of custom effects and transitions have been developed by users as well as companies such as Adorage and Pixelan Software. This page attempts to identify free sources and materials related to the creation and use of custom effects and transitions in Movie Maker; it does not attempt to list any of the commercially available packages.
Due to the implementation differences between the Windows XP and Vista versions of Movie Maker, this page has a separate section devoted to each operating system.
Windows XP Versions
How to Create Your Own- Creating Custom Effects and Transitions in Windows Movie Maker
- Creating Custom Titles and Credits for Windows Movie Maker
- PapaJohn's website...Go to Edit Movies > XML - Persian Section
- Ayumilove's video tutorials
- FX Archive - previews and download links for over 2200 custom effects and transitions for Windows Movie Maker 2.x (XP)
- XML Generators for creating your own customized effects, titles and transitions
- Forum Post 74030 - Transitions and Effects in Alphabetical Order for Movie Maker 2.x (XP)
- the titles and transitions in this post (as of May 2007) have been packaged into self-installing .exe files and can be downloaded via the following links:
- Custom titles (including those requiring images) - 19.6 MB
- Custom titles that do not use images - 286 KB
- Share Your Transitions and Effects Forum
- Windows Movie Maker 2 Creativity Fun Pack
- Windows Movie Maker 2 Winter Fun Pack 2003
- Windows XP Winter Fun Pack for Windows Movie Maker 2
- Blaine's Movie Maker Blog
- HittheBongo's Website
- kathokatho's Website
- Rehan's Website
- Nick's WMM Source
- Daniel's Moviemaker Page
- Trugga's Logo Locator
- The Christmas Page
- Credit Maker
- Pixelan's SpiceFX 4.0 - the SpiceFX 4.0 demo package includes a free TranJelly LE wizard for creating bevelled transitions
Vista Versions
How to Create Your Own- Windows Movie Maker XML Extensibility
- Changes to the XML Schema
- Creating Custom Transforms Using XML
- Transition and Effect Objects Provided by Windows Movie Maker
- Built-in transitions in Windows Movie Maker 6.0
- Built-in effects in Windows Movie Maker 6.0
- Wipe Transitions
- Shatter Transitions
- Film Age Effects
- Blur Effects
- Brightness Effects
- Fade Effects
- Pixelate Effects
- Pan/Zoom Effects
- Rotate Effects
- Posterize Effects
- Ripple Effects
- Creating Your Transform
- Creating Custom Transforms Using COM and DirectX
- Creating Custom Effects with XML and DirectX Pixel Shaders
- How Windows Movie Maker Interacts with Your Transform
- Adding Custom Icons to Windows Movie Maker
- TRANSITIONS, EFFECTS AND TITLES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER - for Movie Maker 6.0 (Vista)
- XML Generators for creating your own customized effects, titles and transitions
- Blaine's Movie Maker Blog
- ColinW's Website
- MovieMakerKid's Website
- Nick's WMM Source
- PatrickL's Website
- Rehan's ShaderTFX
- Pixelan's SpiceFX 4.0 - the SpiceFX 4.0 demo package includes a free TranJelly LE wizard for creating bevelled transitions