Movie Maker Alternative

[NetworkBoss]

We've just taken over a school that was using Movie Maker on old devices. These devices have now been removed but the school still want Movie Maker, which isn't happening.

 

What Video Editing tools do you deploy to primary schools to allow them to cut together different clips, add visual and sound effects including music, and title/end credit slides to make a short film etc.

 

Does anyone recommend free, secure, well known software for primary or even better, a website?

 

We are a fully Microsoft 365 MAT therefore, we could use Microsoft tools if available....

[psydii]

Clipchamp might be worth a look? It's available in A3 from later in June.

 

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/education-blog/what-s-new-in-microsoft-edu-may-2024/ba-p/4132818#clipchamp

[NetworkBoss]

Clipchamp might be worth a look? It's available in A3 from later in June.

 

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/education-blog/what-s-new-in-microsoft-edu-may-2024/ba-p/4132818#clipchamp

 

Perfect!! Thanks for flagging!

[MrKJLS]

We signed up for Canva as it's free for EDU

[slugshead]

Another Canva here - it's free for edu but bit of a weird application process that can take a while.

 

Got it setup with azure so users just hit the login with sso button and they have full blown premium canva with a team setup.

[LeMarchand]

Had the usual "We need this NOW!" notice, so went for ShotCut. The options already mentioned look easier, but we're not on A3 or A5.

[jthompson]

I direct people to Canva now. We have it set up but hardly anyone knows about it, so I'm hpoing that the video features will be a gateway into people producing better posters and notices to put up around the school [and leave there indefinitely].

[Jobos]

I have the moviemaker exe if you need it. Works ok on win10 but not tried with win11

[TJ7]

Probably best to avoid re-deploying Movie Maker, but it is still doable.

 

Silent Install parameters:-

 

wlsetup-all.exe /AppSelect:MovieMaker /noceip /nohomepage /nolaunch /nomu /nosearch /notoolbarceip /q

 

.Reg file to apply

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

 

; Suppress the EULA

 

 

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live\Common]

"TOUVersion"="16.0.0.0"[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live\Movie Maker]

"AllowNetworkFiles"==dword:00000001;

 

; Do not prompt the user to sign into their Live account in Photo Gallery

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live\Photo Gallery]

"SignInRemindersLeft"=dword:00000000

 

; Don’t ask the user to change file associations for picture and photo file types

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live\Photo Gallery\Library]

"DontShowAssociationsDialogExtensions"=hex(7):2e,0 0,57,00,44,00,50,00,00,00,2e,\

00,42,00,4d,00,50,00,00,00,2e,00,4a,00,46,00,49,00 ,46,00,00,00,2e,00,4a,00,\

50,00,45,00,47,00,00,00,2e,00,4a,00,50,00,45,00,00 ,00,2e,00,4a,00,50,00,47,\

00,00,00,2e,00,50,00,4e,00,47,00,00,00,2e,00,54,00 ,49,00,46,00,00,00,2e,00,\

4a,00,58,00,52,00,00,00,2e,00,44,00,49,00,42,00,00 ,00,2e,00,54,00,49,00,46,\

00,46,00,00,00,2e,00,49,00,43,00,4f,00,00,00,00,00

Edited May 15, 2024 by TJ7

[Zammo]

Moviemaker hasn't been supported for approximately 7 years - installing it using reg hacks should be an absolute no-no for any school now.

 

Continuing to use it is actively setting up the school to fail its students

Edited May 15, 2024 by Zammo

[TJ7]

Moviemaker hasn't been supported for approximately 7 years - installing it using reg hacks should be an absolute no-no for any school now.

 

Continuing to use it is actively setting up the school to fail its students

 

As a simple introduction to video editing for primary age (or ability) children, it might still be quite useful, albeit there are better options. However, if teachers are not in a position to revise their plans for the term by learning a new product, as a realist, I'd say it might be a good stop-gap until they can switch to a new solution (the summer holidays perhaps).

 

Changing some registry settings to make the software easier to manage is just a handy tip and can be automated as part of a deployment.

 

Thanks for your input - I'm actively failing the children of tomorrow with the best intentions :-D

Edited May 15, 2024 by TJ7

[LeMarchand]

However, if teachers are not in a position to revise their plans for the term by learning a new product, as a realist, I'd say it might be a good stop-gap until they can switch to a new solution (the summer holidays perhaps).

 

IME most teachers will never find that time and will try to cling on to "what they know". Best to rip the plaster off. I've had heads being talked into purchasing the "great" software that teachers learnt on in Primary.

[TJ7]

IME most teachers will never find that time and will try to cling on to "what they know". Best to rip the plaster off. I've had heads being talked into purchasing the "great" software that teachers learnt on in Primary.

 

I always give a deadline: "This software will cease to function from X date" - and then make sure it is removed/disabled by that time and the alternative is in place.

[Zammo]

As a simple introduction to video editing for primary age (or ability) children, it might still be quite useful, albeit there are better options. However, if teachers are not in a position to revise their plans for the term by learning a new product, as a realist, I'd say it might be a good stop-gap until they can switch to a new solution (the summer holidays perhaps).

 

Changing some registry settings to make the software easier to manage is just a handy tip and can be automated as part of a deployment.

 

Thanks for your input - I'm actively failing the children of tomorrow with the best intentions :-D

 

Sorry but they have had the better part of a decade to learn something new so terms like stop-gap make no sense. There are newer, simpler, better tools out there that children can pick up and use in minutes, you don't need any significant time investment to use a tool with equivalence to MovieMaker.

 

Another factor is that you are teaching them to use a system that they cannot reasonably use at home or any other setting. So if Child A really enjoys what they have done, they have no way of continuing with the work at home.

 

EDIT: Finally you are actively working against the DfE guidance in installing unsupported applications onto the network

 

So yes, its a failure if we continue to promote MovieMaker as an option, even a 'stop-gap' one

Edited May 15, 2024 by Zammo

[LeMarchand]

you don't need any significant time investment to use a tool with equivalence to MovieMaker.

 

I've posted this on here before, but the LA bought podcasting software licenses for all schools many years ago (back when it was going to be huge for the second or third time but never took off). Teachers all went off to learn the principles. but were trained on Audacity. As a consequence I had to install Audacity and the paid-for software never got used.

 

To be fair, the TA who needed the video-editing software quickly got to grips with ShotCut.

[TJ7]

Sorry but they have had the better part of a decade to learn something new so terms like stop-gap make no sense. There are newer, simpler, better tools out there that children can pick up and use in minutes, you don't need any significant time investment to use a tool with equivalence to MovieMaker.

 

I guess you're keeping true to the "just say no".

 

 

Dear teachers,

 

You've had the best part of a decade to learn something new, so I'm afraid I've got no sympathy. It's your own fault that your pre-prepared resources contain screengrabs from this antiquated software you are still using. The children can pick-up and use something else in minutes, if only you weren't actively failing them in showing them how to clip videos and string them together in a sequence.

 

Kind Regards,

IT Support

[Zammo]

I guess you're keeping true to the "just say no".

 

 

Dear teachers,

 

You've had the best part of a decade to learn something new, so I'm afraid I've got no sympathy. It's your own fault that your pre-prepared resources contain screengrabs from this antiquated software you are still using. The children can pick-up and use something else in minutes, if only you weren't actively failing them in showing them how to clip videos and string them together in a sequence.

 

Kind Regards,

IT Support

Absolutely I am sticking to Just Say No! It's part of our job to move technology use forward.... and this isn't even an edge case is it? MovieMaker is an ancient and unsupported piece of non-industry software, with very viable alternatives out there and it isn't even particularly good at what it does. Finally it is a limiting factor for students as they cant use it outside of the classroom.

 

I am also sad that schools are using resources that have not been reviewed in 7 years or more.

Edited May 15, 2024 by Zammo

[TJ7]

Absolutely I am sticking to Just Say No, it's part of our job and this isn't even an edge case. Its ancient software, with viable alternatives that isn't even particularly good and actively limits a students experience.

I am also sad that schools are using resources that have not been reviewed in 7 years or more.

Don't be sad, Zammo, there's always hope.

[ITGuyNW]

I've used clipchamp at home for some youtube editing and it was absolutely rubbish.

 

Canva was much easier and nicer to use.

[TJ7]

I've used clipchamp at home for some youtube editing and it was absolutely rubbish.

 

Canva was much easier and nicer to use.

 

Agreed on Clipchamp. Really awful and arguably no more useful than Movie Maker.

[MartinT]

Clipchamp works fine and has the benefit of being not too unlike Movie Maker from an adapting/training point of view.