Making a quick slide show

[toddnorris]

I have a series of photos I want to make into a quick slide show. I simply want to have them show in chronological order with some music and nice transitions, maybe in a frame template. I know I can do this in V3 fairly easily and I have done a good bit of video editing with VideoStudio, but I am wondering if there is a wizard that would make something like this faster and get me most of the way there. There was Movie Wizard in past versions that I never used because I never had anything this simple to do. Is there a recommendation for how to get 90% there in VS3?

Thanks

[Ron P.]

Welcome to the forums..

Have a look at the Instant Project or VS Express 2010. The Instant Project is accessed by clicking on the magic wand icon above the time-line. VS Express is accessed through the Tools menu. Either one of them should provide you with a quick easy slide-show.

[BrianCee]

I assume VS3 really means VS X3 - version 3 is very very ancient.

If you have X3 then you also have access to the FREE download of DVD Movie Factory 7SE, I have version 6 of DVD MovieFactory and that contains a slideshow wizard that puts a slideshow together very quickly with transitions, music, menus etc.

[Ken Berry]

Unfortunately, that is one of several features that were stripped out of MF 7 Pro to make it an SE edition...

[toddnorris]

So I am assuming if I was interested in the Pro version of this software I cannot get an upgrade price? I have had Video Studio versions upgrading each year for many years, but I have never really had a need to do something quick. What else do you get for the $60 Pro price? Would it be worth the money, or just use the suggested options within VS 3 Pro?

[Ron P.]

Sadly, only earlier versions of DVD MovieFactory qualify for upgrade price to the Pro version. Is it worth it? It is to me, but then it may not be to you. Check it out on their website. It's more than just a a video DVD authoring program. If you ever need to burn a disc from DVD folders, or ISO image, the Pro version is able to do that.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

What VS versions do you have?
Earlier versions like VS 10 had a Movie Wizard that creates slide shows.

All auto generated slides will use Video Studio sample audio, if you are intending to use your own then you would have to further edit the project.

Why don’t you just create your own slide show by adding images to the timelines.
You can throw a simple slide show together in minutes.

[Ron P.]

Creating a slide-show using VS X3 is much easier than it was in all earlier versions, why you ask?
1. You can select all your clips, right-click and select Auto Pan and Zoom. VS automatically applies pan & zoom to all clips. This is one of the major improvements. Before you would need to apply pan/zoom to each clip individually.

2. You don't have your preferences set to automatically apply a transition, well find your favorite transition in the library, right-click on it and select apply current effect to video track. I think maybe one or two of the previous versions had this also.

3. Don't want the same transition, want random transitions? Press the little icon (right-most) found above the transitions library, which is Apply random effect(s) to video track.

4. Did you know that you can replace clips by dragging one from the library or an explorer window, to an existing clip on one of the tracks? Once you have grabbed the clip you want to use to replace an existing one, hold down the [CTL] key. You will see a tool-tip appear beside your cursor.. Replace clip and + . Drop the clip, viola clip replaced. Oh and this is real important.. If you already had effects applied to the clip you replaced... they're applied to the clip you just put in there.

5. How about if you have some effect, position on screen, filters you want to use on several clips. This has saved me a lot of time recently. Especially using the New Blue PiP effect. I set one clip up applying everything I need, then drop my other clips in the time-line. Now I right-click on the clip I applied the FX to, right-click, select Copy Attributes. I then select my other clip(s), right-click, select Paste Attributes. DONE!!

Those are the major things that make up a slide-show. Just add your title, your audio, maybe drop in a frame, or decoration, check it to make sure it's what you want. Then jump on over to the Share tab, hit Create video file and your done.. Pretty easy and fast. Actually once you become familiar with VS editor, you may find it faster to do it yourself, then depend on a wizard.

[toddnorris]

Thanks for all of your great help. I finished my slideshow... did it in VS X3 and it went much faster with the tips offered.

[Ron P.]

Wonderful!!