How to make things Appear and disappear using Windows Movie Maker (WMM) Tutorial (Easy)

A step by step tutorial showing how to do one of the most basic- and versatile video effects ever used on screen, using nothing more than Windows Movie maker. The "disappearing" or "Appearing" special effect was almost certainly discovered accidentally in the early days of film editing, and if you have ever done any editing yourself, you may well have stumbled on the "disappearing/appearing" technique yourself. It is incredibly easy to do, yet can produce some stunning effects. Once you have got your head around how this "video trick" works you will be able to come up with fantastically inventive ways to use it. Although Windows Movie Maker is used in this example, the effect can be done using any other video editor. You will have seen this effect used in a million different ways in movies and on TV. It is a staple of the screen entertainment industry.

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• How-to
• Tutorial
• Windows
• Maker
• Trick
• windows
• movie
• maker
• microsoft
• video
• editor
• sfx
• special
• effects
• tricks
• appear
• effect
• disappear
• magic
• Microsoft Windows
• wmm
• windows movie maker
• movie maker

[rockyforever247]

very well done, now i've never done editing myself but am wanting to learn a few things so this deff helps, but here's a question you would have to make sure in this vid case that a car isn't passing in the background while the "appearing/disapearing" car is in frame or at least during your set record time right. i noticed that they did in your's and was wondering did it only work out because it was only a few seconds for the appear/disappear?

[TheMeejahChannel]

@rockyforever247 well spotted - I actually used a bit of a trick here.The background was too "busy" to use as it was, so I found a quiet bit of the video and took a screenshot of that point. I then used this screenshot instead of the background clip. Because the background is meant to be static anyway, the difference wasn't noticed.(or was it ) :)

[TK42138]

Another tip for an 'otherwordly or sci-fi effect (i.e low budget very 80's) is to take a third shot of the background with the exposure cranked up, then do the same with object in place. Then fade in between shots on Moviemaker.

[TheMeejahChannel]

@TK42138 Nice idea - I must try that next time.

[Henllan]

Excellent tutorial and excellent channel - just what is needed for easy help :o))

[TheMeejahChannel]

@Henllan Cheers Ian - It's been almost too busy to get things done at all over the past month or two - Hopefully it will settle down a bit in the new year.

[rockyforever247]

@TheMeejahChannel alright good to know lol again very well done thank you for the vid and keep up the great work :D

[TK42138]

Great vid, it's often been said that the simplest effects tricks are the most effective. I'm a big fan of practical and in-camera FX.

[TheMeejahChannel]

@wxpm - Yes indeed (which isn't easy in a public area). It's sometimes easier to take a screenshot of the clip, and use that instead of the live clip.

[wxpm]

And also a little tip for the shot to work at it`s best is to make sure there are no people or anything else moving in the background