Can't export to for publishing or upload -- error (-50)

Trying to finish a movie project which is about 60 minutes in length (finished product).
Using my older 2007 MacBook Pro which has limited memory but have emptied out almost all over non-movie files.
When I click on "export movie" it seems to start the process, but then I get 4- 5 pop-ups with messages like:
"clip x cannot be found and the movie cannot play properly."
Then the whole process shuts down and I get this error:
"the project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred (-50)"
I am able to preview the entire movie just fine on iMovie.
This would work for the purpose I intend but unfortunately I don't have a cord converter to project on a standard projector
(and I'm out of the country with no Mac store in sight).
Suggestions?

Hi
Error -50 paramErr  Error in user parameter list
Can there be any external hard disks - if so How is/are it/they formatted ? Must be Mac OS Extended (hfs) if used for Video.
UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange - works for most but not for VIDEO.
What this means in Your situation is above me.
• free space on internal boot hard disk? How much ?
Video codec
• streamingDV, AIC etc. (not .avi, .mp4, .m4v, .wmv etc as they are containers not codecs)
Pictures
• in what format ? .jpg, .bmp, .tif, else ?
Audio
• from where/what format ? iTunes, .avi, .mp3, .aiff, else ?
The "com.apple.iMovie.plist" file
Many users has not observed that there are TWO libraries.
• Library - at root level
• Library - in user/account folder - THIS IS THE ONE to look into
from Luke Burns
I fixed the problem.. but it was very, very strange. I had a very long section for credits and set the line spacing to 1.0.. for some reason this caused it. I removed it, and it worked fine. I put it back, and I couldn't preview or play the video.
I don't know why that could cause that big of a problem, but it did..
Klaus1
You need more free space on your hard drive.
jonorparkerjon
After phone support from apple I ended up creating a new project and adding all 117 clips back in individually till I found out what clips flagged and would not allow me to export. I had 3 I deleted and replaced and everything works now 1hr after tedious work....
Where do Your material come from
• Camera
• External hard disk
• USB-memory
And all are connected so that iMovie can find it ?
Yours Bengt W

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    Hi
    Error -50 paramErr  Error in user parameter list
    Can there be any external hard disks - if so How is/are it/they formatted ? Must be Mac OS Extended (hfs) if used for Video.
    UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange - works for most but not for VIDEO.
    What this means in Your situation is above me.
    • free space on internal boot hard disk? How much ?
    Video codec
    • streamingDV, AIC etc. (not .avi, .mp4, .m4v, .wmv etc as they are containers not codecs)
    Pictures
    • in what format ? .jpg, .bmp, .tif, else ?
    Audio
    • from where/what format ? iTunes, .avi, .mp3, .aiff, else ?
    The "com.apple.iMovie.plist" file
    Many users has not observed that there are TWO libraries.
    • Library - at root level
    • Library - in user/account folder - THIS IS THE ONE to look into
    from Luke Burns
    I fixed the problem.. but it was very, very strange. I had a very long section for credits and set the line spacing to 1.0.. for some reason this caused it. I removed it, and it worked fine. I put it back, and I couldn't preview or play the video.
    I don't know why that could cause that big of a problem, but it did..
    Klaus1
    You need more free space on your hard drive.
    jonorparkerjon
    After phone support from apple I ended up creating a new project and adding all 117 clips back in individually till I found out what clips flagged and would not allow me to export. I had 3 I deleted and replaced and everything works now 1hr after tedious work....
    Where do Your material come from
    • Camera
    • External hard disk
    • USB-memory
    And all are connected so that iMovie can find it ?
    Yours Bengt W

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    I have just loaded iLife 09 on my MAC. I've edited a movie and now want to export it, put it in iTunes, whatever I can do to move it beyond my laptop. No matter what option I choose under Share I get the same error message, "The project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred. (-2009)". I can find the error message online, but not the (-2009) error code. I'm also a longtime PC person who has just switched to a MAC. Can anyone help?

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  • I get this error when trying to prepare a project for sharing to itunes or iDVD. Unable to prepare project for publishing.  The project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred. (-50)

    The project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred. (-50)

    Hi
    Error -50 paramErr  Error in user parameter list
    Can there be any external hard disks - if so How is/are it/they formatted ? Must be Mac OS Extended (hfs) if used for Video.
    UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange - works for most but not for VIDEO.
    What this means in Your situation is above me.
    • free space on internal boot hard disk? How much ?
    Video codec
    • streamingDV, AIC etc. (not .avi, .mp4, .m4v, .wmv etc as they are containers not codecs)
    Pictures
    • in what format ? .jpg, .bmp, .tif, else ?
    Audio
    • from where/what format ? iTunes, .avi, .mp3, .aiff, else ?
    The "com.apple.iMovie.plist" file
    Many users has not observed that there are TWO libraries.
    • Library - at root level
    • Library - in user/account folder - THIS IS THE ONE to look into
    from Luke Burns
    I fixed the problem.. but it was very, very strange. I had a very long section for credits and set the line spacing to 1.0.. for some reason this caused it. I removed it, and it worked fine. I put it back, and I couldn't preview or play the video.
    I don't know why that could cause that big of a problem, but it did..
    Klaus1
    You need more free space on your hard drive.
    jonorparkerjon
    After phone support from apple I ended up creating a new project and adding all 117 clips back in individually till I found out what clips flagged and would not allow me to export. I had 3 I deleted and replaced and everything works now 1hr after tedious work....
    Where do Your material come from
    • Camera
    • External hard disk
    • USB-memory
    And all are connected so that iMovie can find it ?
    Yours Bengt W

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    When I try to export the movie I get this error code. Im doing a music video and have put days into it and now I can not get it to export! My other small project export with no problem.

    Thanks for the details.  We have a similar problem (see my post below) and are in the process of adding back each clip and then testing for export.  My question is, once iMovie is unable to export the project, does it render the file "bad" and prevent exporting even if you remove the "poisned" clip(s)?
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Hello,  We are having a similar problem running iMovie '09.  We get the exact same error as you reported. 
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    When we create the new project from the recorded event without making any edits (just as recorded), it exports without issue.  We have started the arduous task of adding back in each edit and testing it for export until we determine which edit is causing it to "not export".  This is a very inefficient way of troubleshooting.
    This is a science project for my son and we need to be able to save it as a QT or mpeg4 movie so that he can submit it to his teacher for viewing and a grade!
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    PS - have found other posts indicating that clips smaller than 2s or sometimes 5s, or "short files" can cause this. Modern style editing often uses short takes ! Good grief I cannot believe Apple. Well I deleted a half a dozen short sections and can export, but now of course the video is a ruined piiece of junk and I need to re-do the whole thing, the sound etc. which is basically taking as much time as the original. And each time I re-do it I risk again this lovely error -50 and again trying to figure out what thing bugs it via trial and error instead of a REASONABLE ERROR MESSAGE POINTING TO THE CLIP IT CAN'T PROCESS. What a mess. I HATE this iMovie application - full of BUGS BUGS BUGS which Apple will not fix obviously, since I had this product for a few years and see just hundreds of hits on Google about this error with disappointed users. Such junk I cannot believe I paid money for it and Apple does not support it with fixes !!!
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  • The project could not be prepared for publishing ... error (-49)

    Can somebody help?
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    After that I tryed to export "Large" movie (960 x 540) and everything was OK!
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    Here are system details:
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    MacOS X 10.7.2
    Processor: 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7
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    Try turning off the iCloud Services altogether. Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences... > iCloud
    Click on the Sign Out button. And just continue to click OK through all the messages pop-up until you get back to this login screen:
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    I am trying to send an iMovie project to iDVD and I keep getting the following error msg.  "Unable to prepare subject for publishing:  The project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred. (-43)"

    Check out this thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1421870
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    Trying to make a dvd from a project and this error message appears .The project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred. (-2125)

    Hi
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    It use to pop up when going to iDVD !
    iDVD - DO NOT CARE ABOUT Gbs at all. I got movies on 500Mb that do not fit and 50Gb that fits nicely.
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    menu and animation of this can take lost of "DURATION" 15 minutes or even more.
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    iDVD 6 has the two last ones
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  • Imovie error The project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred. (-50)

    I can't export my imovie project.
    Appears this message:
    "The project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred. (-50)"
    What can I do?

    Thanks for the details.  We have a similar problem (see my post below) and are in the process of adding back each clip and then testing for export.  My question is, once iMovie is unable to export the project, does it render the file "bad" and prevent exporting even if you remove the "poisned" clip(s)?
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Hello,  We are having a similar problem running iMovie '09.  We get the exact same error as you reported. 
    "Unable to prepare project for publishing" The project could not be prepared for publishing because an error occurred (-50)
    We have a very similar situation were we have multiple repeated clips.  However, our clips are 2.4 's.  Like you, we took the finished project and started eliminating edits that we thought might be preventing it from exporting. The following actions still would not allow the project to export:
    removing title pages
    removing transitions
    removing imported music from iTunes
    removed another clip from another event
    closed all other programs
    closed iMovie, powered off computer, opened iMovie, tried to export
    reconfirmed the last project exported would still export - it did without issueThe only difference between the project that will export and the one that does not are these short (2.4's) repeating clips
    When we create the new project from the recorded event without making any edits (just as recorded), it exports without issue.  We have started the arduous task of adding back in each edit and testing it for export until we determine which edit is causing it to "not export".  This is a very inefficient way of troubleshooting.
    This is a science project for my son and we need to be able to save it as a QT or mpeg4 movie so that he can submit it to his teacher for viewing and a grade!
    Any ideas from any other users would be greatly appreciated.

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    Project: 50min, filmed with Gopro 960HD
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    Most recently there's been a series of errors -49 being posted to the Discussion Group. I've seen one other -108 error that showed up but without any resolution. The original poster hasn't replied yet to that mesage thread. I don't know if the two are related, but they both have a negative effect on exporting. So I'm going to suggest following the fix for the -49 errors:
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