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How to Make a Documentary With Powerpoint

By James T Wood
Tell the story that the world needs to hear through your own documentary.
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Creating a documentary doesn't have to be a big budget affair. You can put it all together with tools that you already have. PowerPoint can stitch together the video clips and photos that you have, record narrations to all of the content, and save the presentation as a video file that can be read by most, if not all, computers. The essential elements of a documentary are all contained in the PowerPoint software.

Step 1

Launch PowerPoint and click on the "Insert" tab in the ribbon.

Step 2

Click on the arrow below the "Video" button on the far right side of the ribbon and choose "Insert Video from File."

Step 3

Browse to the first clip of your documentary and double-click on it to insert it on the slide.

Step 4

Resize the video on the slide by clicking on the white circles on the corners to stretch the video so it fills the slide.

Step 5

Create a new slide by pressing "Ctrl+M" on your keyboard and repeat the process for adding video clips to your video.

Step 6

Insert pictures for your documentary by using the Insert tab and choosing "Picture."

Step 7

Navigate to the photo that you want and double-click on it.

Step 8

Click on the "Slide Show" tab then then choose "Record Slideshow."

Step 9

Speak the narration for each slide or video in your documentary into your computer microphone. At the end of the slide show, right-click and select "End Narration." Everything you said is saved with the PowerPoint file.

Step 10

Click on the "File" tab and then click "Save and Send."

Step 11

Click "Create a Video."

Step 12

Click on the second drop-down menu and choose "Use Recorded Timings and Narrations."

Step 13

Click the "Create Video" button.

Step 14

Type a name for your video file and then click "Save." It can take a long time to create the video.

References

Tips

  • Use the "Transition" tab to create smooth, movie-style transitions between slides.
  • Trim your video clips with the "Video Tools: Playback" tab. You can also apply a fade-in and fade-out effect to the clips.
  • Use a headset microphone to reduce background noise on your narration.

Writer Bio

James T Wood is a teacher, blogger and author. Since 2009 he has published two books and numerous articles, both online and in print. His work experience has spanned the computer world, from sales and support to training and repair. He is also an accomplished public speaker and PowerPoint presenter.

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