Updated 2024 Approved The Wax Way A Comprehensive Guide to Free Video Editing

Updated 2024 Approved The Wax Way A Comprehensive Guide to Free Video Editing

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The Wax Way: A Comprehensive Guide to Free Video Editing

Wax - How to Use Free Video Editor Wax to Edit Videos

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Wax is a light weight but high performance and flexible video editing, composition and special effects software. And above all, it’s a free video editor for both commercial and personal use. Wax can create 2D & 3D special effects and can work in two modes - as a standalone application and as a “plug-in” to video editors/NLEs like VirtualDub, Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere, etc.

This is the getting-started tutorial for Wax. In this Wax tutorial, we are going to show you how to zoom, crop and pan video and image, how to make project settings and how to render AVI videos.


Note: If you think Wax is something complicated, you can turn to Wondershare Filmora , which enables you to edit videos with separate tracks and add transitions to your videos, finally, convert your video to any video format you like.Download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora (originally Wondershare Video Editor) (Windows/Mac) below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


1. Zoom, crop and pan image for video

Download Wax and install it first. Run the software and Load Media Files by right-clicking on MediaPool panel. But this doesn’t finish. To edit video, you need to drag-n-drop desired media files to the timeline. Then switch to Video Plugins to drag-n-drop Quick 3d plugin to the just added track.

wax free video editor

As shown above, click the triangle next to Quick 3d, you would see many options such as Posx, Posz, Cropleft, Cropbottom, etc. Please see detailed instructions to make editing in Wax:

Zoom Video: Click the Posz clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Crop Video: Click the Cropleft/Croptop/Cropright/Cropbottom clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Pan Video: Click the Posx clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Note that you could preview the video while making settings in the top preview windows.

2. Make project settings

Press F3 or click the Project Settings button in the tool bar to bring up the dialog. There, specify the file name, save path and video options, including video dimensions, frame rate, and click OK.

how to use wax

3. Render AVI video

Click the green arrow button on the tool bar to start saving video to specified path in the project settings. A few minutes later, you will get the edited video.

wax video editing

To be concluded, this is just the beginning Wax tutorial. You will find more features while using it. Just download Wax and have a try.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Wax is a light weight but high performance and flexible video editing, composition and special effects software. And above all, it’s a free video editor for both commercial and personal use. Wax can create 2D & 3D special effects and can work in two modes - as a standalone application and as a “plug-in” to video editors/NLEs like VirtualDub, Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere, etc.

This is the getting-started tutorial for Wax. In this Wax tutorial, we are going to show you how to zoom, crop and pan video and image, how to make project settings and how to render AVI videos.


Note: If you think Wax is something complicated, you can turn to Wondershare Filmora , which enables you to edit videos with separate tracks and add transitions to your videos, finally, convert your video to any video format you like.Download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora (originally Wondershare Video Editor) (Windows/Mac) below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


1. Zoom, crop and pan image for video

Download Wax and install it first. Run the software and Load Media Files by right-clicking on MediaPool panel. But this doesn’t finish. To edit video, you need to drag-n-drop desired media files to the timeline. Then switch to Video Plugins to drag-n-drop Quick 3d plugin to the just added track.

wax free video editor

As shown above, click the triangle next to Quick 3d, you would see many options such as Posx, Posz, Cropleft, Cropbottom, etc. Please see detailed instructions to make editing in Wax:

Zoom Video: Click the Posz clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Crop Video: Click the Cropleft/Croptop/Cropright/Cropbottom clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Pan Video: Click the Posx clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Note that you could preview the video while making settings in the top preview windows.

2. Make project settings

Press F3 or click the Project Settings button in the tool bar to bring up the dialog. There, specify the file name, save path and video options, including video dimensions, frame rate, and click OK.

how to use wax

3. Render AVI video

Click the green arrow button on the tool bar to start saving video to specified path in the project settings. A few minutes later, you will get the edited video.

wax video editing

To be concluded, this is just the beginning Wax tutorial. You will find more features while using it. Just download Wax and have a try.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Wax is a light weight but high performance and flexible video editing, composition and special effects software. And above all, it’s a free video editor for both commercial and personal use. Wax can create 2D & 3D special effects and can work in two modes - as a standalone application and as a “plug-in” to video editors/NLEs like VirtualDub, Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere, etc.

This is the getting-started tutorial for Wax. In this Wax tutorial, we are going to show you how to zoom, crop and pan video and image, how to make project settings and how to render AVI videos.


Note: If you think Wax is something complicated, you can turn to Wondershare Filmora , which enables you to edit videos with separate tracks and add transitions to your videos, finally, convert your video to any video format you like.Download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora (originally Wondershare Video Editor) (Windows/Mac) below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


1. Zoom, crop and pan image for video

Download Wax and install it first. Run the software and Load Media Files by right-clicking on MediaPool panel. But this doesn’t finish. To edit video, you need to drag-n-drop desired media files to the timeline. Then switch to Video Plugins to drag-n-drop Quick 3d plugin to the just added track.

wax free video editor

As shown above, click the triangle next to Quick 3d, you would see many options such as Posx, Posz, Cropleft, Cropbottom, etc. Please see detailed instructions to make editing in Wax:

Zoom Video: Click the Posz clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Crop Video: Click the Cropleft/Croptop/Cropright/Cropbottom clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Pan Video: Click the Posx clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Note that you could preview the video while making settings in the top preview windows.

2. Make project settings

Press F3 or click the Project Settings button in the tool bar to bring up the dialog. There, specify the file name, save path and video options, including video dimensions, frame rate, and click OK.

how to use wax

3. Render AVI video

Click the green arrow button on the tool bar to start saving video to specified path in the project settings. A few minutes later, you will get the edited video.

wax video editing

To be concluded, this is just the beginning Wax tutorial. You will find more features while using it. Just download Wax and have a try.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Wax is a light weight but high performance and flexible video editing, composition and special effects software. And above all, it’s a free video editor for both commercial and personal use. Wax can create 2D & 3D special effects and can work in two modes - as a standalone application and as a “plug-in” to video editors/NLEs like VirtualDub, Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere, etc.

This is the getting-started tutorial for Wax. In this Wax tutorial, we are going to show you how to zoom, crop and pan video and image, how to make project settings and how to render AVI videos.


Note: If you think Wax is something complicated, you can turn to Wondershare Filmora , which enables you to edit videos with separate tracks and add transitions to your videos, finally, convert your video to any video format you like.Download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora (originally Wondershare Video Editor) (Windows/Mac) below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


1. Zoom, crop and pan image for video

Download Wax and install it first. Run the software and Load Media Files by right-clicking on MediaPool panel. But this doesn’t finish. To edit video, you need to drag-n-drop desired media files to the timeline. Then switch to Video Plugins to drag-n-drop Quick 3d plugin to the just added track.

wax free video editor

As shown above, click the triangle next to Quick 3d, you would see many options such as Posx, Posz, Cropleft, Cropbottom, etc. Please see detailed instructions to make editing in Wax:

Zoom Video: Click the Posz clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Crop Video: Click the Cropleft/Croptop/Cropright/Cropbottom clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Pan Video: Click the Posx clock icon to set Keyframming mode to Linear, and then change the value by hanging over mouse to ZEROs and drag to left/right.

Note that you could preview the video while making settings in the top preview windows.

2. Make project settings

Press F3 or click the Project Settings button in the tool bar to bring up the dialog. There, specify the file name, save path and video options, including video dimensions, frame rate, and click OK.

how to use wax

3. Render AVI video

Click the green arrow button on the tool bar to start saving video to specified path in the project settings. A few minutes later, you will get the edited video.

wax video editing

To be concluded, this is just the beginning Wax tutorial. You will find more features while using it. Just download Wax and have a try.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Mastering the Ken Burns Technique: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Make Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ken Burns Effect is an advanced feature of Final Cut Pro that allows users to add creative animations to their videos and images within minutes. You just need to select your picture, add movements to the clip, and choose the start and the end position to produce high-resolution stills. Besides, you can do a tilt, zoom in, a pan, or a combination of these three moves on a single image. This way, you can use the Ken Burns Effect to highlight the stimulating features in your photograph and save your memories in the form of innovative and high-definition animated clips.

This article introduces the readers to Final Cut Pro and explains how to add the Ken Burns Effect in 8 simple steps.

Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro is user-friendly software and makes it easy for you to create a Ken Burns Effect without having advanced skills and expertise. So, are you interested in knowing the best part? Given below are a few simple steps to create Ken Burns Effect and make your pictures and videos look adorable.

Step 1: Add Images to the Timeline

First of all, you should specify a name for your project and add photos to the timeline in Final Cut Pro. For this purpose, select multiple photos and press E. A clip will be added to the timeline as shown in figure 1.

AddingPhotostotheTimeline

Step 2: Check Your Settings

As you can see, our timeline has no other video clip. Hence, Final Cut Pro will not recognize the clip until you adjust the video properties such as format, resolution, and rate, etc. For this purpose, click OK to use your preferred settings and press Shift + Z to fit the picture to your timeline window. Once you’re done it’s time to apply the Ken Burns Effect.

adjust properties

Step 3: Add the Ken Burns Effect

The Ken Burns Effect is used to focus on specific parts of an image and bring motionless content in to provoke emotional reactions. Follow these steps to add the Ken Burns Effect:

  1. Select the clip or picture;
  2. See the lower left of the viewer;
  3. Go to the Viewer window using the drop-down menu;
  4. Tap on the pop-up menu located in the bottom left-hand corner;
  5. Choose the Crop option from the menu or press Shift + C;
  6. Press the Ken Burns button in the Crop onscreen controls to add the effect; and
  7. Finally, notice the start frame and the end frame controls.

adding ken burns effect

Step 4: Customize Your Effect

In the Ken Burns display, you can see the controls for adjusting the panning and zooms effects by changing the size and position of two-colored rectangles overlaying on the clip. To customize the Ken Burns effect:

  1. Adjust the green rectangle’s size and position to set the start position;
  2. Adjust the red rectangle’s size and position to set the end position;
  3. The arrow depicts the direction of camera position between start and end position;
  4. In the top left-hand corner, click on the Swap button to exchange the two positions as per your requirements;
  5. You can see the preview of the animation on the screen.

custormizing ken burns effect

Step 5: Add a Freeze Frame

You’re not done yet because you need to hold your picture at the end of the animation. For this purpose, you should create a freezing frame at the end of the clip to make Ken Burns do this. Here’s the deal:

  1. Press the Down arrow followed by the Left arrow to go to the last frame;
  2. Press Option-F to add a freeze-frame;
  3. Make sure that your added frame matches the ending frame of the Ken Burns Effect.

adding a freeze frame

Step 6: Adjust the Duration of the Freeze Frame

The users can also adjust the speed of the animation and the duration of the freeze-frame by trimming your clip. For this purpose, trim the length as per your requirement and it will optimize the speed as shown in figure 6.

adjust the length and speed

Step 7: Swap the Start and End Frame

Now, swap the start and ending frame as per your preference for the Ken Burns animation. Here’s how you can do this:

  1. Click on the Swap button;
  2. The start frame will match the still frame (previous one);
  3. Grab the end frame and move it to your desired position;
  4. Apply enough zoom in to make the black areas disappear;
  5. Preview to see how your animation looks.

swapping the start and end frames

Step 8: Play/Preview Looping

After you have optimized the speed of the Ken Burns Effect by trimming the clip’s length and have widened the shot to include everyone, it’s time to preview the changes you have made. Given below are simple steps:

  • Press the Play Loop button;
  • Tap on the Pause icon and return to editing;
  • Click Done and enjoy your animation.

Seems a little complicated? Filmora allows users to do Ken Burns effect, or pan and zoom effect, in much easier steps, click to download and have a try!

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?

Although you can apply a single Ken Burns movement to your image, you can still give the impression of multiple movements being used. This means the Ken Burns Effect can be added to multiple camera movements by duplicating the photo and building numerous movements in sequence.

  1. Add the first camera movement to your image;
  2. Duplicate the clip by click and drag option or copy and paste option;
  3. Press the Swap button in the Ken Burns settings to reverse the start and end positions;
  4. Verify if multiple camera movements have been added.

Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

What is the Ken Burns Effect?

The Ken Burns Effect is a feature in Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect by using your predefined start and end positions. Basically, it is a crop effect with one crop at the start of the clip while the other at the end. Ken Burns Effect can be further customized by adjusting the smoothness of the animation. While creating a Ken Burns Effect, the motion applied to the video clips gets automatically smoothed to accelerate and decelerate the movement slowly at the start and the end of the animation.

Why the Effect is named after Ken Burns?

Now, as you have learned the purpose of the Ken Burns Effect, you must be curious about its name. It is named after American documentarian Ken Burns, who is known for his instantly recognizable and highly influential visual aesthetic. Surprisingly, Ken Burns did not invent this Ken Burns Effect; rather, it has existed for decades. You might be wondering why the technique was then named after Ken Burns. This was due to the persistent and adroit use of this technique that it is now known as the Ken Burns Effect.

ken-burns

What are the Applications of Ken Burns Effect?

Primarily, the Ken Burns Effect is used due to the unavailability of a film or video. The technique gives action to still photographs to glorify the subjects of interest like couples in wedding photography. It gets better and better as you apply simulated parallax with Ken Burns Effect to make your 2D images appear as 3D plus advanced zooming visuals. You can also use the Ken Burns effect to make a video of your graduation ceremony pictures or memorable moments of reunion. Ken Burns Effect is also used in documentaries by professional filmmakers and editors.

Conclusion

Adding animated effects to your pictures and videos makes them look gorgeous. This is crazy, isn’t it, when you impress your peers with your editing skills. So, what’s the bottom line of this whole discussion? Try adding the Ken Burns Effect with Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect on your pictures and clips get the output in your desired format.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ken Burns Effect is an advanced feature of Final Cut Pro that allows users to add creative animations to their videos and images within minutes. You just need to select your picture, add movements to the clip, and choose the start and the end position to produce high-resolution stills. Besides, you can do a tilt, zoom in, a pan, or a combination of these three moves on a single image. This way, you can use the Ken Burns Effect to highlight the stimulating features in your photograph and save your memories in the form of innovative and high-definition animated clips.

This article introduces the readers to Final Cut Pro and explains how to add the Ken Burns Effect in 8 simple steps.

Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro is user-friendly software and makes it easy for you to create a Ken Burns Effect without having advanced skills and expertise. So, are you interested in knowing the best part? Given below are a few simple steps to create Ken Burns Effect and make your pictures and videos look adorable.

Step 1: Add Images to the Timeline

First of all, you should specify a name for your project and add photos to the timeline in Final Cut Pro. For this purpose, select multiple photos and press E. A clip will be added to the timeline as shown in figure 1.

AddingPhotostotheTimeline

Step 2: Check Your Settings

As you can see, our timeline has no other video clip. Hence, Final Cut Pro will not recognize the clip until you adjust the video properties such as format, resolution, and rate, etc. For this purpose, click OK to use your preferred settings and press Shift + Z to fit the picture to your timeline window. Once you’re done it’s time to apply the Ken Burns Effect.

adjust properties

Step 3: Add the Ken Burns Effect

The Ken Burns Effect is used to focus on specific parts of an image and bring motionless content in to provoke emotional reactions. Follow these steps to add the Ken Burns Effect:

  1. Select the clip or picture;
  2. See the lower left of the viewer;
  3. Go to the Viewer window using the drop-down menu;
  4. Tap on the pop-up menu located in the bottom left-hand corner;
  5. Choose the Crop option from the menu or press Shift + C;
  6. Press the Ken Burns button in the Crop onscreen controls to add the effect; and
  7. Finally, notice the start frame and the end frame controls.

adding ken burns effect

Step 4: Customize Your Effect

In the Ken Burns display, you can see the controls for adjusting the panning and zooms effects by changing the size and position of two-colored rectangles overlaying on the clip. To customize the Ken Burns effect:

  1. Adjust the green rectangle’s size and position to set the start position;
  2. Adjust the red rectangle’s size and position to set the end position;
  3. The arrow depicts the direction of camera position between start and end position;
  4. In the top left-hand corner, click on the Swap button to exchange the two positions as per your requirements;
  5. You can see the preview of the animation on the screen.

custormizing ken burns effect

Step 5: Add a Freeze Frame

You’re not done yet because you need to hold your picture at the end of the animation. For this purpose, you should create a freezing frame at the end of the clip to make Ken Burns do this. Here’s the deal:

  1. Press the Down arrow followed by the Left arrow to go to the last frame;
  2. Press Option-F to add a freeze-frame;
  3. Make sure that your added frame matches the ending frame of the Ken Burns Effect.

adding a freeze frame

Step 6: Adjust the Duration of the Freeze Frame

The users can also adjust the speed of the animation and the duration of the freeze-frame by trimming your clip. For this purpose, trim the length as per your requirement and it will optimize the speed as shown in figure 6.

adjust the length and speed

Step 7: Swap the Start and End Frame

Now, swap the start and ending frame as per your preference for the Ken Burns animation. Here’s how you can do this:

  1. Click on the Swap button;
  2. The start frame will match the still frame (previous one);
  3. Grab the end frame and move it to your desired position;
  4. Apply enough zoom in to make the black areas disappear;
  5. Preview to see how your animation looks.

swapping the start and end frames

Step 8: Play/Preview Looping

After you have optimized the speed of the Ken Burns Effect by trimming the clip’s length and have widened the shot to include everyone, it’s time to preview the changes you have made. Given below are simple steps:

  • Press the Play Loop button;
  • Tap on the Pause icon and return to editing;
  • Click Done and enjoy your animation.

Seems a little complicated? Filmora allows users to do Ken Burns effect, or pan and zoom effect, in much easier steps, click to download and have a try!

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?

Although you can apply a single Ken Burns movement to your image, you can still give the impression of multiple movements being used. This means the Ken Burns Effect can be added to multiple camera movements by duplicating the photo and building numerous movements in sequence.

  1. Add the first camera movement to your image;
  2. Duplicate the clip by click and drag option or copy and paste option;
  3. Press the Swap button in the Ken Burns settings to reverse the start and end positions;
  4. Verify if multiple camera movements have been added.

Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

What is the Ken Burns Effect?

The Ken Burns Effect is a feature in Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect by using your predefined start and end positions. Basically, it is a crop effect with one crop at the start of the clip while the other at the end. Ken Burns Effect can be further customized by adjusting the smoothness of the animation. While creating a Ken Burns Effect, the motion applied to the video clips gets automatically smoothed to accelerate and decelerate the movement slowly at the start and the end of the animation.

Why the Effect is named after Ken Burns?

Now, as you have learned the purpose of the Ken Burns Effect, you must be curious about its name. It is named after American documentarian Ken Burns, who is known for his instantly recognizable and highly influential visual aesthetic. Surprisingly, Ken Burns did not invent this Ken Burns Effect; rather, it has existed for decades. You might be wondering why the technique was then named after Ken Burns. This was due to the persistent and adroit use of this technique that it is now known as the Ken Burns Effect.

ken-burns

What are the Applications of Ken Burns Effect?

Primarily, the Ken Burns Effect is used due to the unavailability of a film or video. The technique gives action to still photographs to glorify the subjects of interest like couples in wedding photography. It gets better and better as you apply simulated parallax with Ken Burns Effect to make your 2D images appear as 3D plus advanced zooming visuals. You can also use the Ken Burns effect to make a video of your graduation ceremony pictures or memorable moments of reunion. Ken Burns Effect is also used in documentaries by professional filmmakers and editors.

Conclusion

Adding animated effects to your pictures and videos makes them look gorgeous. This is crazy, isn’t it, when you impress your peers with your editing skills. So, what’s the bottom line of this whole discussion? Try adding the Ken Burns Effect with Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect on your pictures and clips get the output in your desired format.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ken Burns Effect is an advanced feature of Final Cut Pro that allows users to add creative animations to their videos and images within minutes. You just need to select your picture, add movements to the clip, and choose the start and the end position to produce high-resolution stills. Besides, you can do a tilt, zoom in, a pan, or a combination of these three moves on a single image. This way, you can use the Ken Burns Effect to highlight the stimulating features in your photograph and save your memories in the form of innovative and high-definition animated clips.

This article introduces the readers to Final Cut Pro and explains how to add the Ken Burns Effect in 8 simple steps.

Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro is user-friendly software and makes it easy for you to create a Ken Burns Effect without having advanced skills and expertise. So, are you interested in knowing the best part? Given below are a few simple steps to create Ken Burns Effect and make your pictures and videos look adorable.

Step 1: Add Images to the Timeline

First of all, you should specify a name for your project and add photos to the timeline in Final Cut Pro. For this purpose, select multiple photos and press E. A clip will be added to the timeline as shown in figure 1.

AddingPhotostotheTimeline

Step 2: Check Your Settings

As you can see, our timeline has no other video clip. Hence, Final Cut Pro will not recognize the clip until you adjust the video properties such as format, resolution, and rate, etc. For this purpose, click OK to use your preferred settings and press Shift + Z to fit the picture to your timeline window. Once you’re done it’s time to apply the Ken Burns Effect.

adjust properties

Step 3: Add the Ken Burns Effect

The Ken Burns Effect is used to focus on specific parts of an image and bring motionless content in to provoke emotional reactions. Follow these steps to add the Ken Burns Effect:

  1. Select the clip or picture;
  2. See the lower left of the viewer;
  3. Go to the Viewer window using the drop-down menu;
  4. Tap on the pop-up menu located in the bottom left-hand corner;
  5. Choose the Crop option from the menu or press Shift + C;
  6. Press the Ken Burns button in the Crop onscreen controls to add the effect; and
  7. Finally, notice the start frame and the end frame controls.

adding ken burns effect

Step 4: Customize Your Effect

In the Ken Burns display, you can see the controls for adjusting the panning and zooms effects by changing the size and position of two-colored rectangles overlaying on the clip. To customize the Ken Burns effect:

  1. Adjust the green rectangle’s size and position to set the start position;
  2. Adjust the red rectangle’s size and position to set the end position;
  3. The arrow depicts the direction of camera position between start and end position;
  4. In the top left-hand corner, click on the Swap button to exchange the two positions as per your requirements;
  5. You can see the preview of the animation on the screen.

custormizing ken burns effect

Step 5: Add a Freeze Frame

You’re not done yet because you need to hold your picture at the end of the animation. For this purpose, you should create a freezing frame at the end of the clip to make Ken Burns do this. Here’s the deal:

  1. Press the Down arrow followed by the Left arrow to go to the last frame;
  2. Press Option-F to add a freeze-frame;
  3. Make sure that your added frame matches the ending frame of the Ken Burns Effect.

adding a freeze frame

Step 6: Adjust the Duration of the Freeze Frame

The users can also adjust the speed of the animation and the duration of the freeze-frame by trimming your clip. For this purpose, trim the length as per your requirement and it will optimize the speed as shown in figure 6.

adjust the length and speed

Step 7: Swap the Start and End Frame

Now, swap the start and ending frame as per your preference for the Ken Burns animation. Here’s how you can do this:

  1. Click on the Swap button;
  2. The start frame will match the still frame (previous one);
  3. Grab the end frame and move it to your desired position;
  4. Apply enough zoom in to make the black areas disappear;
  5. Preview to see how your animation looks.

swapping the start and end frames

Step 8: Play/Preview Looping

After you have optimized the speed of the Ken Burns Effect by trimming the clip’s length and have widened the shot to include everyone, it’s time to preview the changes you have made. Given below are simple steps:

  • Press the Play Loop button;
  • Tap on the Pause icon and return to editing;
  • Click Done and enjoy your animation.

Seems a little complicated? Filmora allows users to do Ken Burns effect, or pan and zoom effect, in much easier steps, click to download and have a try!

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?

Although you can apply a single Ken Burns movement to your image, you can still give the impression of multiple movements being used. This means the Ken Burns Effect can be added to multiple camera movements by duplicating the photo and building numerous movements in sequence.

  1. Add the first camera movement to your image;
  2. Duplicate the clip by click and drag option or copy and paste option;
  3. Press the Swap button in the Ken Burns settings to reverse the start and end positions;
  4. Verify if multiple camera movements have been added.

Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

What is the Ken Burns Effect?

The Ken Burns Effect is a feature in Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect by using your predefined start and end positions. Basically, it is a crop effect with one crop at the start of the clip while the other at the end. Ken Burns Effect can be further customized by adjusting the smoothness of the animation. While creating a Ken Burns Effect, the motion applied to the video clips gets automatically smoothed to accelerate and decelerate the movement slowly at the start and the end of the animation.

Why the Effect is named after Ken Burns?

Now, as you have learned the purpose of the Ken Burns Effect, you must be curious about its name. It is named after American documentarian Ken Burns, who is known for his instantly recognizable and highly influential visual aesthetic. Surprisingly, Ken Burns did not invent this Ken Burns Effect; rather, it has existed for decades. You might be wondering why the technique was then named after Ken Burns. This was due to the persistent and adroit use of this technique that it is now known as the Ken Burns Effect.

ken-burns

What are the Applications of Ken Burns Effect?

Primarily, the Ken Burns Effect is used due to the unavailability of a film or video. The technique gives action to still photographs to glorify the subjects of interest like couples in wedding photography. It gets better and better as you apply simulated parallax with Ken Burns Effect to make your 2D images appear as 3D plus advanced zooming visuals. You can also use the Ken Burns effect to make a video of your graduation ceremony pictures or memorable moments of reunion. Ken Burns Effect is also used in documentaries by professional filmmakers and editors.

Conclusion

Adding animated effects to your pictures and videos makes them look gorgeous. This is crazy, isn’t it, when you impress your peers with your editing skills. So, what’s the bottom line of this whole discussion? Try adding the Ken Burns Effect with Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect on your pictures and clips get the output in your desired format.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ken Burns Effect is an advanced feature of Final Cut Pro that allows users to add creative animations to their videos and images within minutes. You just need to select your picture, add movements to the clip, and choose the start and the end position to produce high-resolution stills. Besides, you can do a tilt, zoom in, a pan, or a combination of these three moves on a single image. This way, you can use the Ken Burns Effect to highlight the stimulating features in your photograph and save your memories in the form of innovative and high-definition animated clips.

This article introduces the readers to Final Cut Pro and explains how to add the Ken Burns Effect in 8 simple steps.

Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro is user-friendly software and makes it easy for you to create a Ken Burns Effect without having advanced skills and expertise. So, are you interested in knowing the best part? Given below are a few simple steps to create Ken Burns Effect and make your pictures and videos look adorable.

Step 1: Add Images to the Timeline

First of all, you should specify a name for your project and add photos to the timeline in Final Cut Pro. For this purpose, select multiple photos and press E. A clip will be added to the timeline as shown in figure 1.

AddingPhotostotheTimeline

Step 2: Check Your Settings

As you can see, our timeline has no other video clip. Hence, Final Cut Pro will not recognize the clip until you adjust the video properties such as format, resolution, and rate, etc. For this purpose, click OK to use your preferred settings and press Shift + Z to fit the picture to your timeline window. Once you’re done it’s time to apply the Ken Burns Effect.

adjust properties

Step 3: Add the Ken Burns Effect

The Ken Burns Effect is used to focus on specific parts of an image and bring motionless content in to provoke emotional reactions. Follow these steps to add the Ken Burns Effect:

  1. Select the clip or picture;
  2. See the lower left of the viewer;
  3. Go to the Viewer window using the drop-down menu;
  4. Tap on the pop-up menu located in the bottom left-hand corner;
  5. Choose the Crop option from the menu or press Shift + C;
  6. Press the Ken Burns button in the Crop onscreen controls to add the effect; and
  7. Finally, notice the start frame and the end frame controls.

adding ken burns effect

Step 4: Customize Your Effect

In the Ken Burns display, you can see the controls for adjusting the panning and zooms effects by changing the size and position of two-colored rectangles overlaying on the clip. To customize the Ken Burns effect:

  1. Adjust the green rectangle’s size and position to set the start position;
  2. Adjust the red rectangle’s size and position to set the end position;
  3. The arrow depicts the direction of camera position between start and end position;
  4. In the top left-hand corner, click on the Swap button to exchange the two positions as per your requirements;
  5. You can see the preview of the animation on the screen.

custormizing ken burns effect

Step 5: Add a Freeze Frame

You’re not done yet because you need to hold your picture at the end of the animation. For this purpose, you should create a freezing frame at the end of the clip to make Ken Burns do this. Here’s the deal:

  1. Press the Down arrow followed by the Left arrow to go to the last frame;
  2. Press Option-F to add a freeze-frame;
  3. Make sure that your added frame matches the ending frame of the Ken Burns Effect.

adding a freeze frame

Step 6: Adjust the Duration of the Freeze Frame

The users can also adjust the speed of the animation and the duration of the freeze-frame by trimming your clip. For this purpose, trim the length as per your requirement and it will optimize the speed as shown in figure 6.

adjust the length and speed

Step 7: Swap the Start and End Frame

Now, swap the start and ending frame as per your preference for the Ken Burns animation. Here’s how you can do this:

  1. Click on the Swap button;
  2. The start frame will match the still frame (previous one);
  3. Grab the end frame and move it to your desired position;
  4. Apply enough zoom in to make the black areas disappear;
  5. Preview to see how your animation looks.

swapping the start and end frames

Step 8: Play/Preview Looping

After you have optimized the speed of the Ken Burns Effect by trimming the clip’s length and have widened the shot to include everyone, it’s time to preview the changes you have made. Given below are simple steps:

  • Press the Play Loop button;
  • Tap on the Pause icon and return to editing;
  • Click Done and enjoy your animation.

Seems a little complicated? Filmora allows users to do Ken Burns effect, or pan and zoom effect, in much easier steps, click to download and have a try!

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?

Although you can apply a single Ken Burns movement to your image, you can still give the impression of multiple movements being used. This means the Ken Burns Effect can be added to multiple camera movements by duplicating the photo and building numerous movements in sequence.

  1. Add the first camera movement to your image;
  2. Duplicate the clip by click and drag option or copy and paste option;
  3. Press the Swap button in the Ken Burns settings to reverse the start and end positions;
  4. Verify if multiple camera movements have been added.

Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

What is the Ken Burns Effect?

The Ken Burns Effect is a feature in Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect by using your predefined start and end positions. Basically, it is a crop effect with one crop at the start of the clip while the other at the end. Ken Burns Effect can be further customized by adjusting the smoothness of the animation. While creating a Ken Burns Effect, the motion applied to the video clips gets automatically smoothed to accelerate and decelerate the movement slowly at the start and the end of the animation.

Why the Effect is named after Ken Burns?

Now, as you have learned the purpose of the Ken Burns Effect, you must be curious about its name. It is named after American documentarian Ken Burns, who is known for his instantly recognizable and highly influential visual aesthetic. Surprisingly, Ken Burns did not invent this Ken Burns Effect; rather, it has existed for decades. You might be wondering why the technique was then named after Ken Burns. This was due to the persistent and adroit use of this technique that it is now known as the Ken Burns Effect.

ken-burns

What are the Applications of Ken Burns Effect?

Primarily, the Ken Burns Effect is used due to the unavailability of a film or video. The technique gives action to still photographs to glorify the subjects of interest like couples in wedding photography. It gets better and better as you apply simulated parallax with Ken Burns Effect to make your 2D images appear as 3D plus advanced zooming visuals. You can also use the Ken Burns effect to make a video of your graduation ceremony pictures or memorable moments of reunion. Ken Burns Effect is also used in documentaries by professional filmmakers and editors.

Conclusion

Adding animated effects to your pictures and videos makes them look gorgeous. This is crazy, isn’t it, when you impress your peers with your editing skills. So, what’s the bottom line of this whole discussion? Try adding the Ken Burns Effect with Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect on your pictures and clips get the output in your desired format.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Alternatives to Windows Movie Maker: 10 Free and Powerful Options

We all know what a windows movie maker is, and this is one of the best editing programs for beginners. This program was pre-installed in almost all window devices, and people started preferring this program as it comes with a simple interface, additional special effects for fun, and mainly this is free. One question that was asked by almost all the windows users was whether windows movie maker free.

However, in 2017 Microsoft stopped supporting and helping Windows movie makers. They also warned the users that downloading this movie maker from any 3rd party can contain viruses, hidden costs, and malware. Now it has become difficult to use windows free movie makers. If you are a beginner and searching for a great windows movie maker alternative, stick to this blog.

1. Filmora

If you are not new to this editing field, you must have heard the name Filmora . It is one of the best editing software available in the market. It is a line of editing applications and video creation and contains various products for intermediate and beginners. A few standard features of Filmora include a preview window, effects library, timeline, etc. The software library is developed to be compatible with both macOS and Windows.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

filmora

You can use the free demo feature before purchasing the original product, and you might get to see a few types.

  • Filmora is a simple video editor with preset effects and video templates.
  • FilmoraPro is a premium and better version with better industry-standard features, including keyframe-based animation, customizable effects, and color grading.
  • Filmora is a version available for mobile devices.
  • FilmoraScrn is available only for windows, a screen recording app with additional features.

Pros

  • Great intermediate and basic features
  • Simple user-interface
  • Offers screen recording
  • Offers a sound support system

Cons

  • Lack of advanced features
  • Contains watermark

2. VSDC Free Video Editor

If you plan to edit your videos with some great tools, then you need a VSDC-free video editor. As this video editor doesn’t charge anything, you don’t have to worry about payment, subscription, and trial period. With the help of this application, the developers are successfully building a strong community, which will help you understand troubleshoot issues and features of the program.

vsdc free video editor

This video editor can perform various functions, including adding effects, reducing file size, a wide range of formats, etc. VSDC can also convert the files to a compatible format. The program offers different devices, including Blackberry, iPod, Xbox, iRiver, iPhone, etc. You can easily extract audio, add markers, export individual images, and perform many more functions efficiently.

Pros

  • Simple interface
  • DVD burning features
  • Non-linear editing

Cons

  • Common video editing features
  • Lack of additional editing features

3. VideoPad

Videopad is also free editing software that allows its users to edit videos and perform various tasks related to the editing industry. With the help of this movie maker program, you can easily create a great video and perform a few basic editing tasks. If you create videos very often for social media platforms or your friends and family, then Videopad is what you need.

videopad

Though this video maker doesn’t have advanced features, its basic video editing skills are enough to create a blasting video. The simple interface of the editing platform helps the users understand the process in a simple way. This platform can be termed as one of the best free windows movie makers.

Pros

  • Best free video editing application for the beginners
  • Supports various video formats
  • 360-degree editing
  • New updates daily

Cons

  • Doesn’t support video animation
  • No collaboration tools or video capturing

4. Shotcut Video Editor

Shortcut is also a free editing software, available for Windows, Linux, and Mac. This application is best for the people who would prefer not to be dependent on giant software corporations but would undergo the regular upgrade of the community of dedicated and enthusiastic developers. This video editor is feature-packed, helpful, and one of the best free video editors. Moreover, if you are new to the editing industry, this application is perfect.

shotcut

This application will allow you to edit and create various audio and visual editing functionalities. This app is the perfect alternative for beginners with an engaged and active community. Also, you can also go through the tutorials if you are facing any issues. This popular multimedia store is a perfect alternative for many expensive and complicated tools like OpenShot, Lightwork, etc.

Pros

  • Free to use
  • Consists of advanced tools and effects
  • High-quality export/input support

Cons

  • No preview for transition and effect
  • No stock music

5. OpenShot Video Editor

Cross-platform video editing software is designed to help various businesses utilize the drag and drop interface feature to edit videos, audios, or images. Users can use this video editing software to add animation effects such as flying text, fade, bounce, snow, watermarks, audio track, 3D titles, etc. This app is perfect for the beginner as it has many valuable features, and this software costs no money.

openshot vido editor

This software is very easy to use and is helping various professionals all around the world with its excellent features. This website is great for both professionals and beginners; moreover, the developers are working on the system to bring up the latest version of the video editing software.

Pros

  • 3D title
  • Free to use
  • No watermark
  • Update for reducing the bugs

Cons

  • Limited editing tools
  • Obsolete interface
  • Unstable performance

6. Ezvid

This one is known for its power of cutting-edge features and effects. With facecam, voice synthesis, speed control, and screen drawing, Ezvid is the only best solution to make videos entertaining, enchanting, and informing your viewers. With a single click, you can record the screen using the Ezvid windows version and capture everything that appears on the computer screen; games, applications, paint programs, etc.

ezvid

The software’s revolutionary and elegant screen drawing functionality allows you to paint or draw directly on your screen; moreover, you can develop amazing screencasts and documents with an easy process. This software is also the best and the easiest screen recorder and screen capture program for windows. More than 3 million people have already downloaded the app.

Pros

  • Offer quality and high resolution to record videos
  • An intuitive and simple interface for beginners
  • Power of controlling the speed of recording

Cons

  • Limitation of recording timing
  • Unable to download and save videos

7. Avidemux

Avidemux is one of the best alternatives to free video editing software. This video editor is specially designed for simple cutting, encoding tasks, and filtering. It supports various files like DVD-compatible MPEG files, AVI, ASF, and MP4, using many codecs. You can also automate the task using a job queue, powerful scripting capabilities, and projects.

avidemux

This software is available for macOS X, Windows, Linux, etc. You can use various tools to sync audio tracks or compress videos. Avidemux is an easy video editing software that comes with various useful functions. Users can use this software to cut or edit videos, encode exports, add subtitles, etc. Anyone can use it; it is the best software for editing social media websites and commercial ads.

Pros

  • Store custom script
  • Add subtitles to your video
  • Encode your video

Cons

  • Complex process
  • Confusing cutting features

8. Microsoft Photos

Microsoft photos allow you to edit and view your videos and photos, create an album, make movies, etc. You have various effective creative tools at your fingertips, such as video remix for the instant creation of a video from various pictures or videos, rotating and crop photos, adding a filter and a few other effects, and adjusting lighting and color. It also allows you to add different 3D effects like laser, butterfly, explosion, etc.

microsoft photos

This application has no difficulty, and anyone can use it without facing any trouble; all you need to do is watch the tutorial if you are facing any trouble during the process. This app is best for editing and trimming videos for YouTube. Microsoft Photos: free movie maker windows.

Pros

  • User-friendly interface
  • Easy to access
  • Bunch of basic features

Cons

  • Lack of advanced features
  • Lag in the software

9. FilmForth

FilmForth is a software that consists of all the video editing features that allow the user to edit video without any skills. You can also save a video without a watermark and share it on any platform. The best thing about this application is that you can access all the features without paying anything.

filmforth

Whether you want to edit a video or a picture, FilmForth understands what you want, so they act accordingly and help you get the same video or image in just a few clicks. The main motive of this software is to reduce the complication during video editing. You can perform various tasks like adding logos, making a slideshow, removing or changing background, etc.

Pros

  • Can share the media on any platform
  • Allows you to download without any watermark
  • Allows you to use the features without purchasing any package

Cons

  • Not a great user-interface
  • Lag in the system

10. VirtualDub

VirtualDub is a processing utility and video capture licensed under the General Public license. It is designed in a way so that it can clean and trim the video before processing with another program or exporting to tape. It doesn’t have the features close to Adobe premiere but is comparatively faster than all those software.

virtualdub

This software can also process many files because of its batch-processing capabilities. Just like all other applications, it has its benefits, and you can use them to benefit yourself in many ways. It has a fractional frame rate, so you don’t have to settle for 29 anymore. They also offer mouse and keyboard shortcuts for easy and fast operation.

Pros

  • Integrated volume meter
  • Access to hidden video format
  • Noise reduction

Cons

  • Slow process
  • Poor interface

Conclusion

Many people come up with the question, is windows movie maker free; yes, it is free, and anyone can use it. We also have shared some alternate solutions to the video editing process. You can use one as per your need and requirement.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

filmora

You can use the free demo feature before purchasing the original product, and you might get to see a few types.

  • Filmora is a simple video editor with preset effects and video templates.
  • FilmoraPro is a premium and better version with better industry-standard features, including keyframe-based animation, customizable effects, and color grading.
  • Filmora is a version available for mobile devices.
  • FilmoraScrn is available only for windows, a screen recording app with additional features.

Pros

  • Great intermediate and basic features
  • Simple user-interface
  • Offers screen recording
  • Offers a sound support system

Cons

  • Lack of advanced features
  • Contains watermark

2. VSDC Free Video Editor

If you plan to edit your videos with some great tools, then you need a VSDC-free video editor. As this video editor doesn’t charge anything, you don’t have to worry about payment, subscription, and trial period. With the help of this application, the developers are successfully building a strong community, which will help you understand troubleshoot issues and features of the program.

vsdc free video editor

This video editor can perform various functions, including adding effects, reducing file size, a wide range of formats, etc. VSDC can also convert the files to a compatible format. The program offers different devices, including Blackberry, iPod, Xbox, iRiver, iPhone, etc. You can easily extract audio, add markers, export individual images, and perform many more functions efficiently.

Pros

  • Simple interface
  • DVD burning features
  • Non-linear editing

Cons

  • Common video editing features
  • Lack of additional editing features

3. VideoPad

Videopad is also free editing software that allows its users to edit videos and perform various tasks related to the editing industry. With the help of this movie maker program, you can easily create a great video and perform a few basic editing tasks. If you create videos very often for social media platforms or your friends and family, then Videopad is what you need.

videopad

Though this video maker doesn’t have advanced features, its basic video editing skills are enough to create a blasting video. The simple interface of the editing platform helps the users understand the process in a simple way. This platform can be termed as one of the best free windows movie makers.

Pros

  • Best free video editing application for the beginners
  • Supports various video formats
  • 360-degree editing
  • New updates daily

Cons

  • Doesn’t support video animation
  • No collaboration tools or video capturing

4. Shotcut Video Editor

Shortcut is also a free editing software, available for Windows, Linux, and Mac. This application is best for the people who would prefer not to be dependent on giant software corporations but would undergo the regular upgrade of the community of dedicated and enthusiastic developers. This video editor is feature-packed, helpful, and one of the best free video editors. Moreover, if you are new to the editing industry, this application is perfect.

shotcut

This application will allow you to edit and create various audio and visual editing functionalities. This app is the perfect alternative for beginners with an engaged and active community. Also, you can also go through the tutorials if you are facing any issues. This popular multimedia store is a perfect alternative for many expensive and complicated tools like OpenShot, Lightwork, etc.

Pros

  • Free to use
  • Consists of advanced tools and effects
  • High-quality export/input support

Cons

  • No preview for transition and effect
  • No stock music

5. OpenShot Video Editor

Cross-platform video editing software is designed to help various businesses utilize the drag and drop interface feature to edit videos, audios, or images. Users can use this video editing software to add animation effects such as flying text, fade, bounce, snow, watermarks, audio track, 3D titles, etc. This app is perfect for the beginner as it has many valuable features, and this software costs no money.

openshot vido editor

This software is very easy to use and is helping various professionals all around the world with its excellent features. This website is great for both professionals and beginners; moreover, the developers are working on the system to bring up the latest version of the video editing software.

Pros

  • 3D title
  • Free to use
  • No watermark
  • Update for reducing the bugs

Cons

  • Limited editing tools
  • Obsolete interface
  • Unstable performance

6. Ezvid

This one is known for its power of cutting-edge features and effects. With facecam, voice synthesis, speed control, and screen drawing, Ezvid is the only best solution to make videos entertaining, enchanting, and informing your viewers. With a single click, you can record the screen using the Ezvid windows version and capture everything that appears on the computer screen; games, applications, paint programs, etc.

ezvid

The software’s revolutionary and elegant screen drawing functionality allows you to paint or draw directly on your screen; moreover, you can develop amazing screencasts and documents with an easy process. This software is also the best and the easiest screen recorder and screen capture program for windows. More than 3 million people have already downloaded the app.

Pros

  • Offer quality and high resolution to record videos
  • An intuitive and simple interface for beginners
  • Power of controlling the speed of recording

Cons

  • Limitation of recording timing
  • Unable to download and save videos

7. Avidemux

Avidemux is one of the best alternatives to free video editing software. This video editor is specially designed for simple cutting, encoding tasks, and filtering. It supports various files like DVD-compatible MPEG files, AVI, ASF, and MP4, using many codecs. You can also automate the task using a job queue, powerful scripting capabilities, and projects.

avidemux

This software is available for macOS X, Windows, Linux, etc. You can use various tools to sync audio tracks or compress videos. Avidemux is an easy video editing software that comes with various useful functions. Users can use this software to cut or edit videos, encode exports, add subtitles, etc. Anyone can use it; it is the best software for editing social media websites and commercial ads.

Pros

  • Store custom script
  • Add subtitles to your video
  • Encode your video

Cons

  • Complex process
  • Confusing cutting features

8. Microsoft Photos

Microsoft photos allow you to edit and view your videos and photos, create an album, make movies, etc. You have various effective creative tools at your fingertips, such as video remix for the instant creation of a video from various pictures or videos, rotating and crop photos, adding a filter and a few other effects, and adjusting lighting and color. It also allows you to add different 3D effects like laser, butterfly, explosion, etc.

microsoft photos

This application has no difficulty, and anyone can use it without facing any trouble; all you need to do is watch the tutorial if you are facing any trouble during the process. This app is best for editing and trimming videos for YouTube. Microsoft Photos: free movie maker windows.

Pros

  • User-friendly interface
  • Easy to access
  • Bunch of basic features

Cons

  • Lack of advanced features
  • Lag in the software

9. FilmForth

FilmForth is a software that consists of all the video editing features that allow the user to edit video without any skills. You can also save a video without a watermark and share it on any platform. The best thing about this application is that you can access all the features without paying anything.

filmforth

Whether you want to edit a video or a picture, FilmForth understands what you want, so they act accordingly and help you get the same video or image in just a few clicks. The main motive of this software is to reduce the complication during video editing. You can perform various tasks like adding logos, making a slideshow, removing or changing background, etc.

Pros

  • Can share the media on any platform
  • Allows you to download without any watermark
  • Allows you to use the features without purchasing any package

Cons

  • Not a great user-interface
  • Lag in the system

10. VirtualDub

VirtualDub is a processing utility and video capture licensed under the General Public license. It is designed in a way so that it can clean and trim the video before processing with another program or exporting to tape. It doesn’t have the features close to Adobe premiere but is comparatively faster than all those software.

virtualdub

This software can also process many files because of its batch-processing capabilities. Just like all other applications, it has its benefits, and you can use them to benefit yourself in many ways. It has a fractional frame rate, so you don’t have to settle for 29 anymore. They also offer mouse and keyboard shortcuts for easy and fast operation.

Pros

  • Integrated volume meter
  • Access to hidden video format
  • Noise reduction

Cons

  • Slow process
  • Poor interface

Conclusion

Many people come up with the question, is windows movie maker free; yes, it is free, and anyone can use it. We also have shared some alternate solutions to the video editing process. You can use one as per your need and requirement.

The Art of Attention-Grabbing Thumbnails: A YouTube Creator’s Handbook

YouTube Thumbnail Size Template & Practical Tactics for You

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

A YouTube thumbnail is like a cover page of your video that creates the first impression. Though a default thumbnail is created for each video by YouTube, you can always customize it and make it more appealing and attractive.

YouTube Thumbnails

More in detail about Youtube thumbnail size template, tips, and others can be learned from the following content.

In this article

01 [Youtube Thumbnail Specifications ](#Part 1)

02 [Youtube Thumbnail Templates](#Part 2)

03 [Top 5 Tips for Creating Effective Thumbnails](#Part 3)

04 [How to Add a Customized Thumbnail to a Youtube Video](#Part 4)

Part 1 YouTube Thumbnail Specifications

To stand out from the crowd and create an impact over the viewers, a well-customized thumbnail works great. A customized thumbnail proves effective in ways more than one like encouraging attention, increasing engagement, giving a professional look, portraying your personality, and much more. The right size of the thumbnail is an important consideration and the following are the suggested YouTube video thumbnail dimensions.

An ideal width and height of YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 X 720 pixels

The size of the thumbnail should be kept under 2MB.

Use the thumbnail in JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.

The ideal thumbnail ratio for YouTube has to be kept at 16:9.

The width of the thumbnail should not be less than 640 pixels.

YouTube Thumbnail Size

Part 2 YouTube Thumbnail Templates

If you are struggling to find the right thumbnail for your video, templates are a great rescue. There are several sites and programs where you can find multiple templates that can be customized and edited to suit your requirements. We have shortlisted a few sites where you can check different types of interesting templates for the YouTube thumbnails.

Canva: This online site has a huge collection of free as well as paid video thumbnails in different categories, and types. You can filter the collection of templates based on style and theme. The templates can be further customized as needed after which they can be downloaded to be used on YouTube.

Canva

VistaCreate: Interesting template designs are available at this site to be used as a YouTube video thumbnail. You can even create your own design or customize the ones available. The site also has an option to choose the desired thumbnail design using the search bar.

VistaCreate

Postermywall: YouTube templates in an array of designs, themes, and genres are available at this site. There are also Youtube Thumbnail Size Template and from these you can choose the one that matches the personality of your video and customize it as per the requirements. The search bar to look for your choice of template is also available.

Postermywall

Visme: Templates for all types of video thumbnails are available at this site to choose from. You simply need to choose the template as per your choice and you are all set to have an impressive thumbnail for your video. You can even look for your choice of design using the search bar.

Visme

Snappa: There is a wide selection of templates in different categories at this site that can be used for creating a customized thumbnail for your YouTube videos. The templates are free and you need to create a free account on the site to use them.

Snappa

Part 3 Top 5 Tips For Creating Effective Thumbnails

To make your thumbnails interesting and effective we have shortlisted a few useful tips as below.

Keep it clutter-free: It’s always good to keep your thumbnail simple and clean without any clutter. If you use too many elements in a thumbnail, they will look messy when watched on a mobile device.

Using a still image from the video: Though you can set a customized thumbnail for your videos, an automatic image is also selected by YouTube. It might be a possibility that the image automatically selected is good enough and effective and thus creating a customized thumbnail is not required.

Using editing software like Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for creating customized graphics: A good editing software can be used for creating an effective and impressive image. Wondershare Filmora is one such professional tool that can be considered. This Windows and Mac-based program can let you edit your images using multiple features. Simple and fast to use, the software also supports batch processing so that multiple files as thumbnails for multiple videos can be created at a time. Additional features supported by the software include motion tracking, adding text and tiles, adding overlays and filters, adding transitions and elements, color tuning, and more.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

filmora-video-editor

Use eye-catchy titles: Using catchy titles in your thumbnails is an effective way to grab the attention of the viewers. A title will give a glimpse to the viewers of the content of the video.

Try different designs: If you are not sure about a thumbnail design, create multiple ones and then add them to the video one by one. Select the design that goes best and looks attractive.

Wondershare Filmora

Part 4 How to Add A Customized Thumbnail To A Youtube Video

Once a customized thumbnail image is created, the next step is to add it to the video on your YouTube. The process is simple and quick and involves the following steps.

Step 1. Open your YouTube account and add the new video using the camera-plus icon. Alternatively, to add a thumbnail to the already uploaded video, go to the Studio dashboard and tap on the video for editing the settings.

Step 2. At the bottom of the video settings window, you can see the 3 thumbnails generated automatically. To upload the customized image, click on the Custom thumbnail box at the bottom right-hand side.

Step 3. Browse and import the created thumbnail image and click on the Upload button.

The selected image will not be used as the thumbnail for the video.

Add Custom Thumbnail To YouTube Video

Key Takeaways from This Episode

A YouTube thumbnail works as the cover for your video and is the first thing that will get the attention and the interest of the viewer.

YouTube video thumbnail dimensions as recommended must be used.

Several pre-designed templates are available for creating interesting thumbnails.

To create an effective thumbnail, several tips and tricks can be used like using editing software like Wondershare Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

A YouTube thumbnail is like a cover page of your video that creates the first impression. Though a default thumbnail is created for each video by YouTube, you can always customize it and make it more appealing and attractive.

YouTube Thumbnails

More in detail about Youtube thumbnail size template, tips, and others can be learned from the following content.

In this article

01 [Youtube Thumbnail Specifications ](#Part 1)

02 [Youtube Thumbnail Templates](#Part 2)

03 [Top 5 Tips for Creating Effective Thumbnails](#Part 3)

04 [How to Add a Customized Thumbnail to a Youtube Video](#Part 4)

Part 1 YouTube Thumbnail Specifications

To stand out from the crowd and create an impact over the viewers, a well-customized thumbnail works great. A customized thumbnail proves effective in ways more than one like encouraging attention, increasing engagement, giving a professional look, portraying your personality, and much more. The right size of the thumbnail is an important consideration and the following are the suggested YouTube video thumbnail dimensions.

An ideal width and height of YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 X 720 pixels

The size of the thumbnail should be kept under 2MB.

Use the thumbnail in JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.

The ideal thumbnail ratio for YouTube has to be kept at 16:9.

The width of the thumbnail should not be less than 640 pixels.

YouTube Thumbnail Size

Part 2 YouTube Thumbnail Templates

If you are struggling to find the right thumbnail for your video, templates are a great rescue. There are several sites and programs where you can find multiple templates that can be customized and edited to suit your requirements. We have shortlisted a few sites where you can check different types of interesting templates for the YouTube thumbnails.

Canva: This online site has a huge collection of free as well as paid video thumbnails in different categories, and types. You can filter the collection of templates based on style and theme. The templates can be further customized as needed after which they can be downloaded to be used on YouTube.

Canva

VistaCreate: Interesting template designs are available at this site to be used as a YouTube video thumbnail. You can even create your own design or customize the ones available. The site also has an option to choose the desired thumbnail design using the search bar.

VistaCreate

Postermywall: YouTube templates in an array of designs, themes, and genres are available at this site. There are also Youtube Thumbnail Size Template and from these you can choose the one that matches the personality of your video and customize it as per the requirements. The search bar to look for your choice of template is also available.

Postermywall

Visme: Templates for all types of video thumbnails are available at this site to choose from. You simply need to choose the template as per your choice and you are all set to have an impressive thumbnail for your video. You can even look for your choice of design using the search bar.

Visme

Snappa: There is a wide selection of templates in different categories at this site that can be used for creating a customized thumbnail for your YouTube videos. The templates are free and you need to create a free account on the site to use them.

Snappa

Part 3 Top 5 Tips For Creating Effective Thumbnails

To make your thumbnails interesting and effective we have shortlisted a few useful tips as below.

Keep it clutter-free: It’s always good to keep your thumbnail simple and clean without any clutter. If you use too many elements in a thumbnail, they will look messy when watched on a mobile device.

Using a still image from the video: Though you can set a customized thumbnail for your videos, an automatic image is also selected by YouTube. It might be a possibility that the image automatically selected is good enough and effective and thus creating a customized thumbnail is not required.

Using editing software like Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for creating customized graphics: A good editing software can be used for creating an effective and impressive image. Wondershare Filmora is one such professional tool that can be considered. This Windows and Mac-based program can let you edit your images using multiple features. Simple and fast to use, the software also supports batch processing so that multiple files as thumbnails for multiple videos can be created at a time. Additional features supported by the software include motion tracking, adding text and tiles, adding overlays and filters, adding transitions and elements, color tuning, and more.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

filmora-video-editor

Use eye-catchy titles: Using catchy titles in your thumbnails is an effective way to grab the attention of the viewers. A title will give a glimpse to the viewers of the content of the video.

Try different designs: If you are not sure about a thumbnail design, create multiple ones and then add them to the video one by one. Select the design that goes best and looks attractive.

Wondershare Filmora

Part 4 How to Add A Customized Thumbnail To A Youtube Video

Once a customized thumbnail image is created, the next step is to add it to the video on your YouTube. The process is simple and quick and involves the following steps.

Step 1. Open your YouTube account and add the new video using the camera-plus icon. Alternatively, to add a thumbnail to the already uploaded video, go to the Studio dashboard and tap on the video for editing the settings.

Step 2. At the bottom of the video settings window, you can see the 3 thumbnails generated automatically. To upload the customized image, click on the Custom thumbnail box at the bottom right-hand side.

Step 3. Browse and import the created thumbnail image and click on the Upload button.

The selected image will not be used as the thumbnail for the video.

Add Custom Thumbnail To YouTube Video

Key Takeaways from This Episode

A YouTube thumbnail works as the cover for your video and is the first thing that will get the attention and the interest of the viewer.

YouTube video thumbnail dimensions as recommended must be used.

Several pre-designed templates are available for creating interesting thumbnails.

To create an effective thumbnail, several tips and tricks can be used like using editing software like Wondershare Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

A YouTube thumbnail is like a cover page of your video that creates the first impression. Though a default thumbnail is created for each video by YouTube, you can always customize it and make it more appealing and attractive.

YouTube Thumbnails

More in detail about Youtube thumbnail size template, tips, and others can be learned from the following content.

In this article

01 [Youtube Thumbnail Specifications ](#Part 1)

02 [Youtube Thumbnail Templates](#Part 2)

03 [Top 5 Tips for Creating Effective Thumbnails](#Part 3)

04 [How to Add a Customized Thumbnail to a Youtube Video](#Part 4)

Part 1 YouTube Thumbnail Specifications

To stand out from the crowd and create an impact over the viewers, a well-customized thumbnail works great. A customized thumbnail proves effective in ways more than one like encouraging attention, increasing engagement, giving a professional look, portraying your personality, and much more. The right size of the thumbnail is an important consideration and the following are the suggested YouTube video thumbnail dimensions.

An ideal width and height of YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 X 720 pixels

The size of the thumbnail should be kept under 2MB.

Use the thumbnail in JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.

The ideal thumbnail ratio for YouTube has to be kept at 16:9.

The width of the thumbnail should not be less than 640 pixels.

YouTube Thumbnail Size

Part 2 YouTube Thumbnail Templates

If you are struggling to find the right thumbnail for your video, templates are a great rescue. There are several sites and programs where you can find multiple templates that can be customized and edited to suit your requirements. We have shortlisted a few sites where you can check different types of interesting templates for the YouTube thumbnails.

Canva: This online site has a huge collection of free as well as paid video thumbnails in different categories, and types. You can filter the collection of templates based on style and theme. The templates can be further customized as needed after which they can be downloaded to be used on YouTube.

Canva

VistaCreate: Interesting template designs are available at this site to be used as a YouTube video thumbnail. You can even create your own design or customize the ones available. The site also has an option to choose the desired thumbnail design using the search bar.

VistaCreate

Postermywall: YouTube templates in an array of designs, themes, and genres are available at this site. There are also Youtube Thumbnail Size Template and from these you can choose the one that matches the personality of your video and customize it as per the requirements. The search bar to look for your choice of template is also available.

Postermywall

Visme: Templates for all types of video thumbnails are available at this site to choose from. You simply need to choose the template as per your choice and you are all set to have an impressive thumbnail for your video. You can even look for your choice of design using the search bar.

Visme

Snappa: There is a wide selection of templates in different categories at this site that can be used for creating a customized thumbnail for your YouTube videos. The templates are free and you need to create a free account on the site to use them.

Snappa

Part 3 Top 5 Tips For Creating Effective Thumbnails

To make your thumbnails interesting and effective we have shortlisted a few useful tips as below.

Keep it clutter-free: It’s always good to keep your thumbnail simple and clean without any clutter. If you use too many elements in a thumbnail, they will look messy when watched on a mobile device.

Using a still image from the video: Though you can set a customized thumbnail for your videos, an automatic image is also selected by YouTube. It might be a possibility that the image automatically selected is good enough and effective and thus creating a customized thumbnail is not required.

Using editing software like Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for creating customized graphics: A good editing software can be used for creating an effective and impressive image. Wondershare Filmora is one such professional tool that can be considered. This Windows and Mac-based program can let you edit your images using multiple features. Simple and fast to use, the software also supports batch processing so that multiple files as thumbnails for multiple videos can be created at a time. Additional features supported by the software include motion tracking, adding text and tiles, adding overlays and filters, adding transitions and elements, color tuning, and more.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

filmora-video-editor

Use eye-catchy titles: Using catchy titles in your thumbnails is an effective way to grab the attention of the viewers. A title will give a glimpse to the viewers of the content of the video.

Try different designs: If you are not sure about a thumbnail design, create multiple ones and then add them to the video one by one. Select the design that goes best and looks attractive.

Wondershare Filmora

Part 4 How to Add A Customized Thumbnail To A Youtube Video

Once a customized thumbnail image is created, the next step is to add it to the video on your YouTube. The process is simple and quick and involves the following steps.

Step 1. Open your YouTube account and add the new video using the camera-plus icon. Alternatively, to add a thumbnail to the already uploaded video, go to the Studio dashboard and tap on the video for editing the settings.

Step 2. At the bottom of the video settings window, you can see the 3 thumbnails generated automatically. To upload the customized image, click on the Custom thumbnail box at the bottom right-hand side.

Step 3. Browse and import the created thumbnail image and click on the Upload button.

The selected image will not be used as the thumbnail for the video.

Add Custom Thumbnail To YouTube Video

Key Takeaways from This Episode

A YouTube thumbnail works as the cover for your video and is the first thing that will get the attention and the interest of the viewer.

YouTube video thumbnail dimensions as recommended must be used.

Several pre-designed templates are available for creating interesting thumbnails.

To create an effective thumbnail, several tips and tricks can be used like using editing software like Wondershare Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

A YouTube thumbnail is like a cover page of your video that creates the first impression. Though a default thumbnail is created for each video by YouTube, you can always customize it and make it more appealing and attractive.

YouTube Thumbnails

More in detail about Youtube thumbnail size template, tips, and others can be learned from the following content.

In this article

01 [Youtube Thumbnail Specifications ](#Part 1)

02 [Youtube Thumbnail Templates](#Part 2)

03 [Top 5 Tips for Creating Effective Thumbnails](#Part 3)

04 [How to Add a Customized Thumbnail to a Youtube Video](#Part 4)

Part 1 YouTube Thumbnail Specifications

To stand out from the crowd and create an impact over the viewers, a well-customized thumbnail works great. A customized thumbnail proves effective in ways more than one like encouraging attention, increasing engagement, giving a professional look, portraying your personality, and much more. The right size of the thumbnail is an important consideration and the following are the suggested YouTube video thumbnail dimensions.

An ideal width and height of YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 X 720 pixels

The size of the thumbnail should be kept under 2MB.

Use the thumbnail in JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.

The ideal thumbnail ratio for YouTube has to be kept at 16:9.

The width of the thumbnail should not be less than 640 pixels.

YouTube Thumbnail Size

Part 2 YouTube Thumbnail Templates

If you are struggling to find the right thumbnail for your video, templates are a great rescue. There are several sites and programs where you can find multiple templates that can be customized and edited to suit your requirements. We have shortlisted a few sites where you can check different types of interesting templates for the YouTube thumbnails.

Canva: This online site has a huge collection of free as well as paid video thumbnails in different categories, and types. You can filter the collection of templates based on style and theme. The templates can be further customized as needed after which they can be downloaded to be used on YouTube.

Canva

VistaCreate: Interesting template designs are available at this site to be used as a YouTube video thumbnail. You can even create your own design or customize the ones available. The site also has an option to choose the desired thumbnail design using the search bar.

VistaCreate

Postermywall: YouTube templates in an array of designs, themes, and genres are available at this site. There are also Youtube Thumbnail Size Template and from these you can choose the one that matches the personality of your video and customize it as per the requirements. The search bar to look for your choice of template is also available.

Postermywall

Visme: Templates for all types of video thumbnails are available at this site to choose from. You simply need to choose the template as per your choice and you are all set to have an impressive thumbnail for your video. You can even look for your choice of design using the search bar.

Visme

Snappa: There is a wide selection of templates in different categories at this site that can be used for creating a customized thumbnail for your YouTube videos. The templates are free and you need to create a free account on the site to use them.

Snappa

Part 3 Top 5 Tips For Creating Effective Thumbnails

To make your thumbnails interesting and effective we have shortlisted a few useful tips as below.

Keep it clutter-free: It’s always good to keep your thumbnail simple and clean without any clutter. If you use too many elements in a thumbnail, they will look messy when watched on a mobile device.

Using a still image from the video: Though you can set a customized thumbnail for your videos, an automatic image is also selected by YouTube. It might be a possibility that the image automatically selected is good enough and effective and thus creating a customized thumbnail is not required.

Using editing software like Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for creating customized graphics: A good editing software can be used for creating an effective and impressive image. Wondershare Filmora is one such professional tool that can be considered. This Windows and Mac-based program can let you edit your images using multiple features. Simple and fast to use, the software also supports batch processing so that multiple files as thumbnails for multiple videos can be created at a time. Additional features supported by the software include motion tracking, adding text and tiles, adding overlays and filters, adding transitions and elements, color tuning, and more.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

filmora-video-editor

Use eye-catchy titles: Using catchy titles in your thumbnails is an effective way to grab the attention of the viewers. A title will give a glimpse to the viewers of the content of the video.

Try different designs: If you are not sure about a thumbnail design, create multiple ones and then add them to the video one by one. Select the design that goes best and looks attractive.

Wondershare Filmora

Part 4 How to Add A Customized Thumbnail To A Youtube Video

Once a customized thumbnail image is created, the next step is to add it to the video on your YouTube. The process is simple and quick and involves the following steps.

Step 1. Open your YouTube account and add the new video using the camera-plus icon. Alternatively, to add a thumbnail to the already uploaded video, go to the Studio dashboard and tap on the video for editing the settings.

Step 2. At the bottom of the video settings window, you can see the 3 thumbnails generated automatically. To upload the customized image, click on the Custom thumbnail box at the bottom right-hand side.

Step 3. Browse and import the created thumbnail image and click on the Upload button.

The selected image will not be used as the thumbnail for the video.

Add Custom Thumbnail To YouTube Video

Key Takeaways from This Episode

A YouTube thumbnail works as the cover for your video and is the first thing that will get the attention and the interest of the viewer.

YouTube video thumbnail dimensions as recommended must be used.

Several pre-designed templates are available for creating interesting thumbnails.

To create an effective thumbnail, several tips and tricks can be used like using editing software like Wondershare Filmora.

Also read:

  • Title: Updated 2024 Approved The Wax Way A Comprehensive Guide to Free Video Editing
  • Author: Ava
  • Created at : 2024-04-29 13:28:04
  • Updated at : 2024-04-30 13:28:04
  • Link: https://video-content-creator.techidaily.com/updated-2024-approved-the-wax-way-a-comprehensive-guide-to-free-video-editing/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Updated 2024 Approved The Wax Way A Comprehensive Guide to Free Video Editing