Cutting & creating new shorter files

Does anyone know the best way to cut scenes out of an existing avi or wmv file and into a new and separate file.
I recorded a bunch of stuff on my camcorder when I was travelling and now I would like to send 3-4 minutes of a 60 minute file (not 100% sure if it is Avi or Wmv, or something else) to a friend as a birthday present. The other 56-57 minutes are not at all interesting to him.
Answer #1
if you simply want to cut a sequence out of your videofile use “windows movie maker” (its freeware). load file. set start, set end, save in format of your liking. done
Answer #2
Thanks for that. It works exactly as you said. Just need to tweak it a little now.
Answer #3
SolveigMM Video Splitter is a much more versatile splitter
http://www.solveigmm.com/en/products/video-splitter/
it’s in apps section
Answer #4
Can’t seem to make any other files than .wmv with “windows live movie maker”. had hoped to be able to make avi files, as they tend to be smaller.
Is SolveigMM Video Splitter Freeware?
Answer #5
Is SolveigMM Video Splitter Freeware?
nope
AVIdemux is, and works with most file types
both of these can do clips in AVI (re-encoding) or in copy mode, with limited re-encoding
Answer #6
Not sure I understand what you mean by re-encoding. What I was hoping for is simply a program that takes out a section of a pre-existing file and keeps the same ratios. So if I am taking 10% of a 500mb avi file, it will end up as 50mb.
Answer #7
re-encoding (Transcoding) – recreates all frames to the same or other codec
copy mode – retains most frames except where a KEY FRAME is cut out
what format are the files you are working with
Answer #8
you should be able to encode your vids in other formats with ms movie maker (avi, mp4 etc). what version did you get?
Answer #9
Mostly I am working with AVI files.
And I don’t have ms movie maker at the moment. I have Windows Live Movie Maker, which was already on my computer.
Answer #10
google “Windows Movie Maker 2012” and you should be good to go
Answer #11
Just DLed and installed Windows Movie Maker 2012 and now my original Movie maker doesn’t work properly and it has installed Windows Live Writer, when all I wanted was a simple program to make shorter files. Am not very happy with Windows because most of their products seem interlinked and they are always filled with bugs.