The Simplest App For Making Great Holiday Videos: No Special Skills Required

By Barbarayesspaces @Barbara_Miller

Thanksgiving week is upon us and while shopping lists and centerpieces are buzzing in our heads the most important part of the day is the gathering of family and friends. Photos of the table are nice but wouldn't it be fantastic if you could have a beautiful, edited video of the day to capture the warmth and love.

This always seemed beyond my reach as I have a negative impact on all things electronic, my laptop just doesn't like me. And though I have bartered with a professional photographer friend for a series of lessons to improve the photos on this blog, my camera isn't all that fond of me either. So the idea of trying to put together some kind of a keepsake video and edit it made my head swim.

As part of partnering with Dad's Who Diaper for our Fall series of video's I brought a VERY simple DIY chalkboard that could be used as an interactive part of a video. Sometimes it easier for people to be natural on camera if you give them something to do and hold. Tip: start filming them while they are writing what they are thankful for and ask them a simple question so they are not posed and awkward before you even press play.

What Chad from Dad's Who Diaper found was a super simple video editing app called Magisto. It is free and works on your phone. You can create transitions, add music all at the touch of your fingers. Even I can do it! (My phone tolerates me).

Chad explains how easy the app is to use in the video and you can see a cute sample video of his son at the pumpkin patch at the end to get an idea of what your film could look like. It's so simple you could even edit and share it after Thanksgiving dinner while your family and friends are still there.