How to Rotate Images in Windows Movie Maker

How to Rotate Images in Windows Movie Maker
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Similarities and Differences

Image control is a central part of the video editing process. Windows Movie Maker follows that same principles of allowing this kind of image control. For most editing systems this includes a whole collection of possible actions that can be taken on a given clip or sequence. You can add effects and filters, change the motion, or work on things like cropping. For more advanced professional non-linear editing package there are similarities because advanced editors should be able to cross over between software. Often times the same types of actions are found in the same areas so that there can be a certain amount of intuitive control even for novices to specific programs. Windows Movie Maker does not follow this pattern and actually places specific things, such as image control features, in places where a traditional editor would not think to look. This is especially true of rotating the image.

Rotating

The first thing you have to realize is that in Windows Movie Maker this is an effect because there is no viewer in which to alter the construct of the image. If you want to rotate an image you have to first decide how much and then apply the specific effect. Select the clip that you want to rotate in the Timeline. Go to the Movie Tasks display on the left hand side and look under the Edit Movie heading. Find View Video Effects and click on it. Now look for the three “rotate” effects. There is Rotate 90, Rotate 180, and Rotate 270, depending on the degree of rotation that you want. There really is no middle ground between these and there are black bars that compensate for the aspect ratio of the image when it is at the 90 or 270 degree rotation. Now just find the one you want and drag and drop it onto the clip you hope to alter.

Removal

If you want to change or remove the rotation your right click on the clip and select Video Effects. When that menu shows up choose the rotation selection that you put on the clip in the right hand column and then press the Remove button in the middle. Once you click OK it will have been removed.