Capturing Still Images from Digitized Video Using Windows MovieMaker

Objective:

Sometimes we want to use a still photo from a digitized video, whether for publicity purposes, documentation, or to provide a link to where we have our video stored online. This job aid will show you how to create a photograph from a digitized video, using Windows MovieMaker.
 
 

Step one:
 

After opening the MovieMaker program, click on “Import Video” from the Movie Tasks list.

 
 
 

Step two:
 

Using the box that pops up, locate the video file and click “Import.”
 
 
 

Step three:
 

Wait until the video loads into the program.

 
 
 

Step four:
 

Drag and drop the clip(s) into the timeline below.

 
 

(If the timeline is not visible, click on the “Show Timeline” button.)
 
 
 

Step five:
 

If you know the general location on the clip that you want to capture, click on that time on the timeline.

 
 

That part of your video will pop up in the screen on the right.

 
 

Step six:
 

Click the play button in the preview screen.
 
 
 

Step seven:

 

When the “shot” that you want to capture appears, click on the “Take Picture” button in the preview screen.

 
 
 

Step eight:
 

Give the image a name and save.

 
 

Congratulations! Now, your still photo is saved as a graphics file. It can be opened in any photo-altering software program if you need to make changes such as cropping, adjusting light/color, adding additional graphics, etc.