Activity One: Getting Started

The first step in creating a photo movie is to download a program used to create photo stories and familiarize yourself with the program.  The program on which this curriculum web will focus is Microsoft PhotoStory 3.
(Visit the Resources page for a list of other similar programs if you choose not to use PhotoStory 3.)

Please begin by downloading PhotoStory 3.  Click here to go to the Microsoft site.

For instructions on how to download the program, please view the tutorial “Getting the Software”.

Once you have downloaded the program, please take a moment to watch the tutorials “What is a Photo-Movie?”, “Setting Up”, and “Importing Pictures”. To access these short videos, click on Assignment: Photo Movies, a site dedicated to PhotoStory tutorials.

Please explore one or more of the following resources to get a feel for how to use PhotoStory 3.

Video Resources:

Watch the rest of the tutorials from Assignment: Photo Movies
Atomic Learning (Membership Required)

Print Resources:

Microsoft Tips
A Beginner’s Guide to PhotoStory

Using the resources above to guide you, try importing a small selection of photos (10 or so), controlling movements, adding captions, and publishing a story.  Watch your story focusing on the movements.  Does the photo movie have the feel of a full-motion video?  One of the most difficult aspects of creating photo movies is setting movements that look natural, capture the essence of the scene, and hold the attention of the viewer.

You are now ready to move on to Activity Two:   Benefits of Using Photo Movies.