Bummed with iMovie '09

I just want to say how bummed I am with the new iMovie. I recently
got a shiny new MacBook Pro (thanks, work) and all's good except for this new version of iMovie. The old one was just so intuitive - you could see your clips in one, obviously laid-out timeline. You could see the audio level line and create your own custom fade-outs according to picture. Sure, I bet iMovie '09 has way better functions but functionality is a whole different issue - one that Apple usually gets right but sadly didn't in this case. Seriously bummed. Is it just me? Do I fear change and should I just get over it?

It's not just you: in an attempt to simplify iMovie and speed "production" I think Apple certainly "over-achieved" with the introduction of iMovie 08 -and swung back to more usability with '09. But as you point out: the visual interface of iMovie HD is more complex but also more versatile in that it allows for finer editing of sound tracks. I really! loved being able to fade background music in and out in coordination with my voice-over narrations. I see no way of doing the same thing with iMovie '09 (i.e, iMovie 8.x).
I also liked it that iMovie HD has sound filtration to moderate extraneous sounds (like traffic noise) but iMovie 09 does not have this, as far as I can see. Nor does '09' seem to have tint, brightness, contrast or desaturation controls. I've started using "old" QuickTime Pro (v. 7.6) AV controls for "pre-processing" clips before using either iMovie HD or 09.
Yet, I also love the "shake removal" feature in iMove 09. So what I've done is to keep iMovie HD for more post-processing of clips and sound tracks while using iMovie 09 just to pass the clips through shake removal.
I do agree with others on this thread that one can get used to handling some of the other differences in iMovie 09. That applies at least to snipping off unwanted bits by selecting and then cutting.
So it seems to be a mixed bag with tradeoffs. I hope some of my workarounds (above) may help you.

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FCP 6 no longer 'sees' my Sony HDR-HC7. Works perfectly with iMovie HD

I used to be able to capture from and print to my HC7. Setup was saved. Now, FCP doesn't 'see' the camera with the saved settings, or when I try setting it up again from scratch. Camera connection, driver, etc. are good in that the camera works perfectly with IMovie HD. Obviously I've messed something up in FCP, but I can't find it. Suggestions?

Thanks for the response SDIllini, unfortunately when I do go the Disk Utility, my camcorder isn't even show for me to even repair the disk permissions. As monty jr stated, Sony was no help for me either, they also told me that I would need to contact Apple. The problem still remains unsolved though, it's as if the MBP just doesn't recognize the camcorder whatsoever. I'm open to any suggestions, have anymore?

How do I use an external hard drive with iMovie 10.0.1? I have run out of disk space on my Macbook Air.

How do I use an external drive with iMovie 10.0.1? It is not obvious and I have run out of space.

If you want to move a complete iMovie 10 library (file with .imovielibrary extension) click on the library in the libraries pane and select File - Consolidate Library Media. This ensures that all media is copied to the library. You can then move the library onto your external drive using Finder. The first time to want to access it from iMovie you will have to tell it where it is by choosing File - Open Library -Other and navigating to it.
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Geoff.

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Is your problem with iMovie as the title suggests or with iDVD?

Help on purchasing a dvd camcorder to work with imovie

hello out there...was wondering which camcorder that has a dvd burner works best with imovie and osx...i want a sony, but i thought the small dvd's did not work on osx. presently, i have a digital8 and use a firewire connection to ingest video for editing with imovie. thanks for any help...

... boxes that holds DVD and hard drive recorders:
These files are intended for "one time" captures.
The file format is not intended for editing.
I totally agree with your recommendation: try to avoid DVD and harddisk camcorders at this point if you plan to edit on a Mac. Not only is software support seriously lacking, those Mini-DVDs don't even work with slot-loading drives that are common on Mac's.
But... there is nothing wrong with the MPEG-2 compression used on DVDs. Just look at HDV: It uses the same MPEG-2 compression to fit the the HD video into the space of a SD MiniDV tape. iMovie converts HDV video streams during capture into a format that is easier for editing - that's why the files on your harddisk are 4 times as big as the data on the tape. The quality of video captured by most consumer camcorders is more limited by the optics and the video sensor (in particular indoors, with less than perfect lighting), than the recording format and media. And yes, you can edit MPEG-2 just fine, it is just more challenging to get it working right.
I used to tell all my friends to stay away from DVD camcorders, too, but then broke down and very reluctantly bought a DVD camcorder recently. It's mainly used for recording music lessons, with instant and repeated replay. It took me some tinkering to work out a good workflow for editing with iMove. I did some side-by-side comparisons with a similarly priced MiniDV camcorder (Canon DC50 vs. Sony TRV-33). Overall, the video clips were almost identical from either camcorder, with the DVD camcorder producing slightly better video in some situations. But as I said in the beginning, that is probably mostly a result of the better video sensor and the optical image stabilization in this particular model.
So how does my workflow go:
- Use DVD-RWs, formatted in Video-VR mode, and prefinalized. This allows
you to pop out the DVD from the camcorder at any time and immediately
use it in your DVD player or computer without another time-consuming
finalization step.
- Find a Windows PC to copy the video files from the DVD to my Mac.
Mac OSX cannot read the filesystem used by Video-VR discs without
additional software like Roxio's Toast (which I don't have). Besides, all
my Macs are slot loading.
- Convert the clip with the Quicktime MPEG-2 plugin and MPEG Streamclip
to DV format.
- Finally, import the clips into iMovie.
Workable yes, but neither convenient nor esay. Stick with MiniDV.

How can I export/share a project/movie with iMovie 10(.0.1)?

Hi,
I generate a movie with images from iPhoto and underlaid a sound file. In iMovie the film looks great and now I want to share/export it. But the share button doesn't work: I click on it and nothing happens – no submenu, no window, nothing. It seems there is missing a function behind the menu item.
I closed iMovie, restart it – nothing.
I shut down the Mac and reboot it – nothing.
I deleted the preferences after closing the app and restart it – nothing happens.
What can I do?
This happens with image movies AND with clip movies generated with iMovie.
Thanks for a hint.
CK

Thanks Chris,
I will uninstall the imovie app using the mackeeper uninstaller, but wanted to ask if I trash /delete all the files
when I do this? When it scans my computer it says I have two versions of imovie and other files as well.
Just wanted to check if I will still have my trailer left in my user file on the computer.
Sorry to bug you, but I spent alot of time doing it and dont want to lose the work . So want to be sure I am doing it the right way!
Cheers Graham

Using an external drive with iMovie HD

I just received and formatted my external drive. At first I chose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and Zero out data. When I got info (⌘+I) of the drive afterwards, it had 79 MB being used, journalling? So I then Erased it and chose Mac OS Extended and now it shows 59 MB as being used, whatever for IDK.
Does it matter which format I use for working with iMovie, journaled or not?
In the Get Info window there is an Ignore Ownership option. I know it doesn't need to be ticked when an OS is going to be loaded on the drive but am wondering if I should tick it since the drive is only going to be used mainly for iMovie projects and no OS is going to be loaded.
Should I tick Ownership or leave it off?
I have iMovie projects that have not been edited yet and a iDVD project on my internal drive.
Can I just drag and drop or copy and paste the iMovie projects to the external drives icon and delete the project from my internal drive to create a little more space? Is it simple as that?
Same thing with the iDVD project after archiving it first? Copy/Paste,Drag/Drop and delete.
I've got a backup drive but use SuperDuper! so I don't have any experience with using 'scratch?' drives.
I've read elsewhere on this Discussion site that the finished iMovie projects need to be on the internal drive in order to transfer to and edit in iDVD.
How and where do I move the project to from the external? Drag/Drop or Copy/Paste to my Desktop then Drag/Drop, Copy/Paste to iDVD, or some other way?
Thanks.

About Journaling: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107249
About Ownership: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh669.html
I am not sure zeroing out data on a SATA drives "marks" bad blocks/sectors. I think this may have only been on SCSI drives. I couldn't find a reference that it behaves this way on a SATA drive. Thus the only advantage being that it more securely erases files.
The click and hold works the same on a PB!
Mike

Is there a way to make an audio clip not cover the whole project? I want to add audio clip or song and let it start at a certain point in the project. I'm working with iMovie on IPad!

Is there a way to make an audio clip not cover the whole project in iMovie? I want to add audio clip or song and let it start at a certain point in the project. Whenever I add audio or song it covers the whole project. I'm working with iMovie on IPad!

Thank you for your reply Karsten but unfortunately this didn't help me so far. Or maybe I'm missing something?
First the link is a tutorial for iMovie on a Mac. I'm using iMovie on iPad so the steps are inapplicable.
Second it is only possible for me to manipulate the end part of the sound clip to whichever duration I want. But I can't do the same with the 'beginning' of the sound clip.
I simply want to place some photos in the beginning of my video with no sound in the background then after like 2 secs I want to start the music clip. For some reason that is not possible! Cause every time I drop the music clip unto my project timeline it automatically place it self along with the first frame in the project! And consequently the photos and music are forced to start together.
Hope I'm making sense...

Is there any way to use Compressor 4 with iMovie '11?

I'm a student filmmaker without the money for Final Cut Pro X. Footage from my Canon VIXIA HF S20 (AVCHD format) looks just about perfect when I import it into iMovie and when I cut together a project. However, when I finalize the project, the darker hues in my footage always come out pixelated and crappy. Whether it's 1080p or 480p, this is always the case.
I've been told that Compressor 4 does a much better job of encoding and exporting, but it's completely integrated with Final Cut Pro X and not iMovie. Is there any way I can take raw project files from iMovie and export them using Compressor? Or must I be forced to save up for Final Cut Pro X?

You should be able to use Compressor with iMovie - it's a standalone app - but, of course, there will be no "Send To" buttons. But I really doubt that it will help you much.
sdharwadker wrote:
However, when I finalize the project, the darker hues in my footage always come out pixelated and crappy. Whether it's 1080p or 480p, this is always the case.
Finalizing means that iMovie renders your video in different sizes. Have you tried to export or "Share to Media Browser"?
mish

Is there a way to open and edit my iMovie HD files with iMovie '09 and later versions?

I am getting ready to update an older iMac from Tiger to Mountain Lion. (Long overdue, I know) I have several files that I created using iMovie HD. After I update, will the new versions of iMovie be able to open and edit my iMovie HD files?

I don't think that iMovie 11 is backwards compatible with iMovie HD 6.
If you still have the install disks for iMovie Hd 6 (iLife 6) you can keep it alongside the newer version:
Happily this is easily achieved, but it has to be done backwards.
Delete iMovie 11 (just drag it to the trash). Now install iMovie 6 from the iLife 6 install disks. Update it to iMovie 6.0.3.
Now re-install iMovie 11. This automatically moves iMovie 6 into a folder it creates in your Applications folder called iMovie Previous Version.
Then reinstall iMovie 11.
iMovie 6 works great with iDVD 7.
Now you have them both, and you can have both in the Dock as well.
Alternatively you could try this method, suggested by poster Uitech:
Open a terminal and type "touch /Library/Preferences/com.apple.iLife011.plist"
(No quotes)
Install iMovieHD6 from the iLife 6 install disk.
This works with both Leopard and Snow Leopard Macs.

IMPORT issues: Works with iMovie 3 but not iMovie 6 ???

Okay, still trying to get my import issue resolved.
I have a SONY HDR-HC3 DVmini.
No problems with iMovie 3 on my Powerbook.
iMovie 6 on my MDD will let me control the camera, but the screen stays BLUE with no IMPORT.
My buddy thinks it might be a Quicktime issue.
He said to download Quicktime Pro, that might resolve this issue.
I can copy the iMovie 3 file to my machine with iMovie 6 and do the editing, just not the importing...
THANX

Hi
Can be so much.
Often Camera has to be connected to Charger/mains during Capture.
An majority is a faulthy - badly connected FW-Cable (USB don't work at all)
My list on this
*NO CAMERA or A/D-box*
Cable
• Sure that You use the FireWire - USB will not work for miniDV tape Cameras
FireWire - Sure not using the accompany USB-Cable but bought a 4-pin to 6-pin FW one ?
• Test another FW-Cable very often the problem maker.
Camera
• Test Your Camera on another Mac so that DV-in still works OK
• Toogle in iMovie pref. Play-back via Camera (on<->off some times)
• Some Cameras has a Menu where You must select DV-out to get it to work
• Camera connected to "charger" (mains adaptor) - not just on battery
Does Your Camera work on another Mac ?
Sorry to say it is to easy to turn the 6-pin end of the FW-cable 180 deg wrong.
This is lethal to the A/D-chip in the Camera = needs an expensive repair.
(Hard to find out - else than import/export to another Mac ceased to work
everything else is OK eg recording and playback to TV)
Connections
• Daisy Chaining most often doesn’t work (some unique cases - it’s the only way that work (some Canon Cameras ?))
Try to avoid connecting Camera <--> external HD <--> Mac but import directly to the Mac then move
the Movie project to dedicated external hard disk.
Mac
• Free space on internal (start-up) hard disk ? Please specify the amount of free space.
(Other hard disks don't count)
I go for a minmum of 25Gb free space for 4x3 SD Video - and my guess is 5 times more for 16x9 HD ones
after material is imported and edited.
SoftWare
• Delete iMovie pref file may help sometimes. I rather start a new account, log into this and have a re-try.
• Any strange Plug-ins into QuickTime as Perian etc ? Remove and try again.
• FileVault is off ? (hopefully)
Using WHAT versions ? .
• Mac OS - X.5.4 ?
• QuickTime version ? (This is the heart in both iMovie and FinalCut)
• iMovie 8 (7.1.?) ?
• iMovie HD 6 (6.0.4/3) ?
*Other ways to import Your miniDV tape*
• Use another Camera. There where tape play-back stations from SONY
but they costed about 2-4 times a normal miniDV Camera.
• If Your Camera works on another Mac. Make an iMovie movie project here and move it
over to Your Mac via an external hard disk.
(HAS TO BE Mac OS Extended formatted - USB/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange WILL NOT DO)
(Should be a FireWire one - USB/USB2 performs badly)
from LKN 1935.
Hi Bengt W, I tried it all, but nothing worked. Your answer has been helpfull insofar as all the different trials led to the conclusion that there was something wrong with my iMovie software. I therefore threw everything away and reinstalled iMovie from the HD. After that the exportation of DV videos (there has not been any problem with HDV videos) to my Sony camcorders worked properly as it did before. Thank you. LKN 1935
from Karsten.
in addition to Bengt's excellent '9 yards of advice' ..
camera set to 'Play' , not rec/computer/etc.?
camera not on battery, but power-line?
did your Mac 'recognize' this camera before...?
a technical check.
connect camera, on, playback, fw-connected...
click on the Blue Apple, upper left of your screen ..
choose 'About../More..
under Firewire.. what do you read..?
More
• FileVault - Secure that it’s turned off
• Network storage - DOESN’T WORK
• Where did You store/capture/import Your project ?
External USB hard disk = Bad Choise / FireWire = Good
If so it has to be Mac OS Extended formatted
----> UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange is NOT Working for VIDEO !
mbolander
Thanks for all your suggestions. What I learned is that I had a software problem. I had something called "Nikon Transfer" on my Mac that was recognizing my Canon camcorder as a still camera and was preventing iMovie from working properly. After uninstalling Nikon Transfer and doing a reboot, everything worked great.
I never liked the Nikon Transfer software anyway--I guess I'll get a cheap card reader and use that to transfer photos in the future.
*No Camera or bad import*
• USB hard disk
• Network storage
• File Vault is on
jiggaman15dg wrote
if you have adobe cs3 or 4 and have the adobe bridge on close that
or no firewire will work
see if that halps
DJ1249 wrote
The problem was the external backup hard drive that is connected, you need to disconect the external drive before the mac can see the video camera.
Yours Bengt W

I can capture with iMovie 6, but not with FCP 6.0 ('no data from device')

I didn't have any problem with FCP 5, but am getting nowhere with FCP 6 using the same settings (I think). FCP seems to see the camcorder, but can't control it and, even if I manually start the camera, reports 'no data from device' when I do a 'Capture Now'. Device control isn't critical, but I'd sure like to find out why it doesn't see the data stream from the camera (Sony HDR-HC7 / FW400). I must be missing a setting some place, but sure can't find it. On the other hand, I have full device control and zero dropout capture with iMovie (exact same hardware configuration). Any ideas?

Wolfgang Matzl wrote:
canopus works fine, as well as all other devices.
i have tons of tapes and tried a few, none worked.
i tried to capture on both my new imac and my mbpro, no way.
but now i'm sure there is something wrong with the sony handycam, i tried to import with my old final cut studio, and it's not possible, also. fc pro says: waiting for timecode.
so i'm confused now. does the sony dcr-trv not send a timecode? maybe, and this will explain the troubles. but on the other hand i imported successfully some footage with exact this device.
maybe i used the canopus then to correct the timebase, i can't remember how i did it. but this would mean i have to accept loss of quality, since i have to connect the sony with s-vhs with the canopus and convert it.
right now i'm importing a tape with imovie and will have a look how the result is, but as far as i remember, the audio has to be re-rendered when importing in fcpx…
My finger is pointing to a Timecode issue.
Is timecode enabled in the camera?
Is it continuous on the tape?
Al

I made a movie with iMovie and cannot get the audio when I burn into dvd. I would like to transfer video to a dvd to be played in any computer and TV

I made a movie with iMovie and cannot get the audio when I burn into dvd. I would like to transfer video to a dvd to be played in any computer and TV

Go to the Map mode in your iDVD project and make sure the blue bin at the left is empty. That's where you drag slideshows to if you want the DVD to open immediately to that slideshow and bypass the menu.
Click to view full size
If there is an item in there drag it out.
OT

What is the best workflow for AVCHD with iMovie/iDVD 09?

I am recording AVCHD video with a Sony HDR-SR11. I don't have a blu-ray burner yet, so I want to create the highest quality DVD's I can from this source video using my MacBook and the software I have (iMovie 09 and iDVD 09).
Currently I am importing the video clips into iMovie 09 at the 1920x1200 setting. After creating a 16:9 movie I choose "Share to Media Browser" and export at the highest setting I see (I think 1280x720, I'm not on the MacBook at the moment).
After a long while this completes and I launch iDVD 09. I drag the movie I exported above into the theme and burn at Professional Quality. After another long wait I have my DVD but I'm quite disappointed with the video quality.
Even taking into account that DVD is not a hi-def disc format it seems like the video quality should be better. Is there a better workflow I should be using with this combination of software? Maybe some way to avoid scaling/compressing the video twice? Or is this as good as it gets with iMovie 09 and iDVD 09? I may have access to iMovie 06, if that would help.
Thanks,
Gerald

3) Share to Media Browser with Best Quality
For folks like me that wonder exactly how did you do this:
(I don't know what Media Browser is yet.)
I did this: (I got some warnings - did you?)
In iMovie:
Selected my 1280x720 "HD" video in the Project panel,
Share->Media Browser...
- if HD is greyed out, you already shared this size to Media Browser, go to next step,
or select "Remove from Media Browser, check HD, click Remove"
- if HD is not greyed, but is not check marked,
select Computer icon, then uncheck Mobile, Med, and Lrg, leaving only HD checked
With HD checked, Click Publish - watch "Creating the HD movie.."
Bring up iDVD, Select Create a new project, browse for location and enter project name
If Themes at bottom right is not selected (Dark), click it
Double click a theme - for example under Revolution, choose Chapters.
At bottom right, select Media, At top right, select Movies
Under iMovie should be your iMovie project - mine says "My First Project" (I didn't name iMovie proj)
Select your iMovie Project,
you should see a thumb of your video with dimension, size listed
(movie duration is down at bottom right.)
Drag the thumbnail onto the iDVD preview window (I don't what that window is officially called)
drop it under the theme title "Revolution Chapters" for this example
You should see a running preview of your video with the project name below it.
Important step: Project->Project Info, Under Encoding: select Best or Professional Quality
Ok re-encoding warning, close Proj Info window.
File->Burn DVD... Popup says "Warnings in Project", select Continue Burning
Insert DVD (Apple designed sharp edges on the SuperDrive on purpose?)
I used Staples 4x DVD-RW first.
Watch process proceed till DVD is ejected...Don't believe "Time remaining: about one minute"
My DVD-R120 player-recorder would not load the disk. It played fine on iMac, a WindowsXP laptop, and a Windows XP desktop. This DVD machine only likes old 1X RW media for some reason. I wish someone made a standalone Blu-Ray recorder/player. I burned a second copy to some gold Sony 1X/2X DVD-RW media, and this disk played fine.
Picture quality is soft compared to HD material, but the moire patterns on some edges is only somewhat reduced over the Share to iDVD version. This Share to Media Browser version is acceptable for folks that won't go to Vimeo or YouTube to see my videos in HD.

Suggestion request for creating a DVD with iMovie 4, but no iDVD

...or even a DVD burner. Sounds stupid, right? Allow me to explain.
I recently filmed a wedding for a friend using a borrowed Panasonic MiniDV camcorder.
My girlfriend has an iBook G4 with iMovie 4.0.1. However, she doesn't have iDVD...because she didn't purchase a superdrive with this machine. Only the standard combo drive.
Without knowing or thinking about any of this (this is where I was completely stupid) I successfully imported and edited the wedding footage. The final time clocked out at an hour and a half. I had a grand old time doing it, until I started thinking about how I would get this to DVD. I have since returned the borrowed camcorder.
Do you think it is possible or even advisable for me to:
a) not purchase iDVD or a DVD burner as this is most likely the only video project I'll ever work on
b) Export the movie in the highest quality format as possible
c) Transfer said file to an external hard drive (which I would be willing to purchase as I would have other applications for it later)
d) Bring it to a public facility in my town (like Screenz) that has iMovie, iDVD, and a superdrive and burn it there. Of course I realize that depending on the quality I export at, this could take several hours to do, but if it could be successful I'd have no problem doing so. I also realize I should scope them out and determine what versions they have.
Your thoughts? Should I attempt this? Need more info?
Thanks so much for your suggestions! Call me an idiot if you need to. I have no pride in this matter.

Should I attempt this? Need more info?
... hm, don't know the folks of Screenz, wether they allow to "use" their machines without a fee... but, why not giving it a try?
.. buy the ext. harddrive there... makes you a "friend" & good customer..
after purchasing the drive...
* make sure, it has a firewire connection (=100% compatibility)
* connect drive, power on...
* launch Disk Utility from your Utilities Folder...
* select drive
* choose in drop-down menu "MacOsExtended/hfs", give a nice name..
THEN, export your project, share/Quicktime/Full Quality...
AND drag'n drop your iM project (that with the star icon) onto drive
File 1 is in case, for some reasons, File 2 isn't accepted.. the qt.mov could be imported into any iDVD version...
File 2 is in case, they have versions which accept your iMproject folder (any iDVD4 - 6 should do so); this file keeps chapter markers, in case you use one; and stills have probably a slightly better quality... then, you launch iDVD, choose a nice theme, drag'n drop the iM from your hd to iDVD window...
try to get access to some "überMac", Intel quadcore 4GB RAM ... then, iDVD creation is done with your 90min project in less then 15minutes....
buy Verbatim dvd-r, no second try needed..

Bummed with iMovie '09

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