Collect material to be used in the movie. If you are using old photographs and video that you have already shot, then gather it and import them onto the computer using a scanner for the pictures and either a USB cable or firewire for the video. If you have yet to produce the material that you intend on using for your video, then be conscious of the fact that you will be using the photos and video for a larger project. This allows you to be thorough and have a comprehensive movie in the end.
Organize all of your clips and photos into subfolders. You will do this within your video editing software. If you are using a lot of clips and photos, it is important to have a system for remembering what you have. It is very frustrating to have to search for the clip that you want out of what could be hundreds of options.
Drag the clips or pictures onto the time line within your video editing software. The clips will carry all of their original properties (duration, speed, etc.), while the photos will be given a certain length of time. Every program has a default duration for pictures, however you can very simply shorten or extend that time by clicking the edge of the clip you brought onto the time line and stretching it to the left or right, depending on if you want it to be longer or shorter.
Edit your material. Be sure that you are showing only the most pertinent material. If you have video of someone opening a present, just show the final few tears of wrapping paper and their reaction. This keeps your viewers engaged in your video. You can also zoom into your photos to show certain parts, change the transitions between clips and photos, and fix any lighting, color or saturation problems with your material.
Store the final draft of your video for you and others to watch. Movies can be saved on the computer or smaller drives, or you can use a secondary program to burn the movie onto a DVD for easy viewing.