Getting .mov files into iMovie - anyone have a quicktime workflow?

Hi.
I'm trying to import .mov files (I think they're actually mpeg2 hdv files) into iMovie 11.
iMovie 11 won't take them.
It worked opening them in Quicktime, exporting and then import them back into iMovie. However, I have tons of files, and this takes forever.
Does anyone know if there's a workflow thing you can do or something to just add multiple files and have them converted? I'd love to just go on holiday and let the computer convert all these files for me.
Better yet, is there another way to import them? I've tried Mpeg streamclip and Visualhub, but none of them will take these files.
Hope you can help me!

If QuickTime is playing it you have either the QuickTime component or a helper application like DivX, Xvid, 3ivx, Perian or Flip4Mac which might actually be playing it back for you through the QuickTime window. They sometimes can playback the MPEG format.
What are you converting them into from QuickTime? iMovie '11 attempts to optimize the clips for playback and editing by converting them into 960x540 sized frames encoded in the Apple Intermediate Codec. The final file type is a .mov file, but the internals are Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC). MPEG Streamclip can convert any video you can open in it to that AIC format, but if you cannot open the clips then that's the problem that the QuickTime MPEG-2 playback is meant to solve.

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How do i get .mov files into imovie? using jvc everio - help!

just purchased a jvc everio hard disk camcorder. i thought it would be easy to import the videos into imovie (but i have never used it before). needless to say it won't recognize the format. the formats say .mov & .moi (i think one is video and one is audio? maybe not). is there any way to import these files into imovie version 5??? sorry by the way if this has been answered before. the volume of questions on this forum is staggering. thanks in advance!!!

welcome sneakypablo to the  boards of discussions...
no, iM does NOT support harddisk camcorders (yet), it is meant by concept to work with firewire connected miniDV cameras.. which use "dv" as codec...
.mov is just a container, but I guess, inside is some kind of mpeg...
Apple mpeg2 plugin (29$) + Streamclip (free) allows conversion of mpeg2 into something editable...
final hint: upper right, "search" field .. ;))

Cannot import .mov file into iMovie '08

I have about 50 .mov files that I need to import into iMovie '08. I am unable to drag-and-drop or import the .mov files into iMovie.
The files originated from a Flip video camera. Is it possible that maybe Flip and iMovie '08 do not interface? Please let me know if you have encountered this before. Thanks!

is this also the case for imovie '09?
i've taken some video with my digital camera that's been imported into iphoto along with pics. i've been trying to get them into imovie for editing purposes, but have had 0 luck...the files aren't selectable when attempting to import.
you're saying that the solution is to buy yet ANOTHER piece of software to convert the file to something else that imovie will read? what the..?!?
it's rhetorical, but why wouldn't they enable imovie do this for you?!?
not sure why it's this difficult and/or why anyone would want to go thru that effort. i "need" to be that much more educated about file types and compression and tween tracks and all that nonsense? seems both counterintuitive and counterproductive.
look, i just want to take some video and edit it...why do i need all the other headache?

Importing mov files into iMovie events

Hi
This is my first post ever on this site. Here goes!
I am new to iMovie, but have had someone more experienced trying to help but to no avail!
I am trying to import mov files into iMovie Events. However in the file menu there is no "events' option, so I chose 'Import Movies'. But ultimately when I click on the mov files they are greyed out.
The version of iMovie I have is iMovie '08 - 7.1.4
When I first opened iMovie it offered to update to the latest version, but in the end it said 'No updates available'. When I looked into this in the Apple Store, it said you need Mac OSX 10.7 or above to get the latest version. My Mac is 10.6.8, so won't support the latest version. However, can I not still use the version I have? What is wrong here?
Any help much appreciated - thanks.
Ermina.

If you don't get an answer here, you might want to post your question in the iMovie discussion here.

When i import a movie file into iMovie,it somehow reverts to the shortened file of the same name that i previously had used

I'm trying to import a movie file into imovie that I know is 3hr16mins long but when it's finished importing,all I have in the programme is the heavily edited 51mins that i used in a previous project (using the same file),5 years ago. How can I stop iMovie from reverting back or could the much longer file be there and I have incorrect settings so I can't see it all?

Are these files MPEG compressed files? iMovie can not deal with the multiplexed audio of those files. For suggestions on how to get them right start here...
http://www.danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6030.shtml
And if your files are not MPEGs, some of the suggestions on that page may still do what you need done.
Patrick

Why can't i import .mov files into imovie

Everytime recently I've tried to import a .mov file into imovie, its come up with the optimizing video box but nothing happens, I used to import straight from the camera, but I've recently emptied my camera onto my hard drive after a trip to New Zealand and now, when I have tried to import the footage from my hard drive, it does the optimizing video freeze on me. I would like to be able to get these movies into Imovie without having to pay a rediculous amount of money for some little converting program. I originally bought a apple computer, because I thought everything worked with each other, but now, I'm not so sure about that anymore.
Also, I've tried MPEG streamclip and all that did was either freeze on me or make the video size smaller, as in, the sides were pushed in and it ruined the video.
Camera: Canon HD Legria HFR38

What codec are the files? .mov is a container that can house many different video codecs.
Is your camera supported?
iMovie 11 - cameras supported:
http://help.apple.com/imovie/cameras/en/index.html?lang=en_US
iMovie 9 - cameras supported:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3290?viewlocale=en_US

Disk usage after importing movie files into iMovie

The movie files on my iMac consume about 200 gig of space on a 1TB hard drive.
It seems that after I imported them into iMovie, much more of my hard rive is consumed.
Does importing the movie files into iMovie double the disk space used?
Len in NC

Yes you should expect that imported movies will be much larger than the original on the camera. That's because the camera's AVCHD format records a full movie frame only about once a second. In between it stores only differences from the previous frame. That saves a lot of space, but requires a lot more processing power to display the movie during editing. It would also require reprocessing of multiple frames each time you split a clip somewhere that happens not to be a fully-recorded frame.
That's why all of Apple's video software (even Final Cut Studio) converts AVCHD at import time to a format that makes each frame independent, but that uses several times as much space. Actually the pro software uses an even bulkier format than iMovie, to provide more bits per pixel, so that you can do more extensive post processing without loss of quality.
You may want to get one or more big external drives (preferably firewire 800 for speed) to hold your imported movie files.

When I try to import mov files into iMovie'08 (7.1.4) the files are greyed out. Any suggestions?

When I try to import mov files into iMovie '08 (7.1.4) the files are greyed out. Any suggestions?

Hi Appleman - thanks for your guidance.
OK RealTime Inspector: Dimensions of my clips - as I don't know which bit this is I will list everything under Inspector, including Format:
00117
00117
33.30
Format:MPEG-4 Video, 1280 x 720 millions
AAC, 2channels, 44100Hz
FPS29.97
Data Size2.57GB
Data Rate 10.20 Mbits/s
Current size 1280 x 720 pixels (Actual)
And re the types of tracks you mention that iMovie '08 can't import, I don't much about film clips so haven't yet made sense of this, tho I do see that the clips are organised into chapters, so presumably this is 'chapter tracks'?
Thanks - I'll await your further instructions :-)

Can't import mp4/mov files into iMovie

I tried to create a new project by importing a .mp4 file from my account on Youtube. It copied the file to the event but didn't create a thumbnail. I did some research and I tried:
-Quitting imovie, changing the name of the event folder, then restarting imovie.
-Importing the .mp4 to a different event folder. Quitting/restarting.
At this point, the thumbnail for the newly imported movie appeared but the other videos that were previously (and successfully) thumbnailed in that event disappeared. I quit/restarted iMovie and all the thumbnails in that event were missing.
Here's what I've tried since then:
-Converting the .mp4 in Handbrake to .mp4 and then importing again. No luck.
-TRYING to convert the .mp4 to .mov in mpeg streamclip. I get an "Audio Decoding Error" when I attempt.
-Converting the .mp4 to .mov while disabling the sound in mpeg streamclip. IT WORKS and iMovie is able to import AND thumbnail.
So it'd appear that there's something wrong with the audio in the .mp4 file. Tried other .mp4 files and none of them were able to be converted or imported. Tried extracting the audio from the .mp4 file via MPEG streamclip and there's the same "Audio Decoding Error." The audio on the .mp4 file is AAC.
OK... It'd appear that I'd need to just import the .mov (no sound) along with the audio from the clip (I've used AudioHijack for that) to edit both in iMovie. The problem is that when I try to export it in iMovie I receive error codes.
This just all seems way, way more complicated that it needs to be. Does anyone have any suggestions on something I haven't tried yet or perhaps some video editing software (non FCE) worth looking into?
Thanks

I was currently having the same issue trying to import into imovie. I have EyeTV Hybrid and when exporting a movie it asks you to select format in which to export it in. I selected m-peg4 and when I tried to import into imovie it was grayed in the finder, so what I did was return to the export feature in EyeTV and exported again under a different format - for imovie. It's exporting as we speak and I feel this will allow me to import properly now. Hope this helps.

I am trying to move files into imovie but they wont play

I am horrible with computers but trying. The files were saved and would play through VLC player when I clicked on them to rename them I change them to .mov and then when I tried to import in to Imovie they woud not do it and now they will not play at all. So I tried changing them to mp4 but they wouldnt play still. How can I convert these or save them to go into imovie so I can get them edited an uploaded to youtube. I have that part figured out but I dont have the first part figured out. Thanks

See my post here for how to do this.

Import .MOV files into iMovie 09

Hi all. I have three .MOV files to import to a new iMovie Project (to join them together into one .MOV) The first is an After Effects output.MOV which imports just fine. The other 2 are products of iMovie itself - exports to Quicktime.
When I go to Import Movies - the 2 quicktime exports are greyed out and unavailable to import. The After Effects file is fine. Appleman - Tom W if you're there please advise or indeed anyone at all. It is most irritating. Thanks for reading

While an irritation I have discovered a two work a rounds. (Please note that I am using a PPC Mac)
I have iMovie 06, 08, and 09.
I bought a new AVCHD camcorder and my PPC Mac will not do anything with them. Fortunately I wisely bought a camcorder that self converts the AVCHD into .MOV files. At least I thought it was wise.
I found out that neither iMovie 08, or iMovie 09 will import these .MOV files. I tried Quicktime Pro and Perian and had no luck.
Now for the irritating part.
iMovie 06 has absolutely no problem importing these .MOV files at all. 06 happily converts them and imports without any fuss at all.
Problem is, you must install iMovie 06.
The installer is the irritation.
The installer replaces ALL your iLife apps when you do an install. While this is not a major problem if you wish to use iMovie 06/iLife 06, it is a problem if you wish to use iMovie 08 or 09 because iMovie 06 is then replaced by the installer.
Here's what you do. Make a folder in your Applications folder and place iMovie 06 app into the folder then do an install of iLife 08, or 09. The installer does not see iMovie 06 and does not replace it during install.
You will then have iMovie 06 AND iMovie 08, or 09. (all other iLife apps will be overwritten and that's just fine)
iMovie 08, and iMovie 09 WILL import iMovie 06 files. Poof, you now have access to .MOV files.
The other methods are to convert the .MOV files to .DV files with Quicktime Pro or.... most effectively, Toast 9 with HD/BD plugin or Toast 10 Titanium Pro.
Toast is very effective and makes the need for iMovie 06 or Quicktime Pro a non requirement AND best of all converts AVCHD to .DV directly. (also makes other handy conversions AND works with Intel Macs)
This takes some time and space, so be patient. (for example, an AVCHD file triples in size when converted to .DV or .MOV)
iMovie 08, and 09 imports these .DV conversions without any trouble at all.
Bottom line is that the best option is to convert .MOV to .DV
If you an Intel Mac and an AVCHD camcorder then you likely don't have any of these troubles.
Problem solved albeit irritating since the obsolete iMovie 06 program actually performs more video file compatibility tasks than than the new iMovie program.
It's a mystery to me as to WHY?

Cannot import specific MOV file into iMovie. HELP please!

I have been using iMovie for many years and am not a novice.
For some reason, I have a specific MOV file that I cannot import into iMovie 10.0.5. When I try to import the file, I get an error message:
"No Importable Files: None of the selected files or folders can be imported"
The file is NOT corrupt and plays perfectly in QuickTime. Interestingly, when I try to import the movie in iMovie, it shows 0.0 sec duration, even though it load/plays perfectly in iMovie with a duration of 54:45. See file A1 below:
I even tried converting the file to M4V in Quicktime, but iMovie would still not import the new M4V file.
Any suggestions? This is an important Movie, I cannot re-record it, and I need to edit it in iMovie.
Thanks in advance!

I copied it below. I would appreciate any suggestions!
Basic information:
General
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : QuickTime
Codec ID : qt
File size : 78.9 MiB
Duration : 54mn 44s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 201 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:01:49
Tagged date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:01:58
Writing library : Apple QuickTime
Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : [email protected]
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=2, N=30
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 54mn 44s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 63.4 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 768 Kbps
Width : 1 728 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:10
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 0.294 fps
Original frame rate : 25.000 fps
Minimum frame rate : 0.062 fps
Maximum frame rate : 50.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.116
Stream size : 24.9 MiB (32%)
Encoded date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:01:38
Tagged date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:01:58
Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 54mn 38s
Source duration : 54mn 38s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Channel positions : Front: C
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 48.3 MiB (61%)
Source stream size : 48.3 MiB (61%)
Expanded information:
General
Count : 284
Count of stream of this kind : 1
Kind of stream : General
Stream identifier : 0
Count of video streams : 1
Count of audio streams : 1
Video_Format_List : AVC
Video_Format_WithHint_List : AVC
Codecs Video : AVC
Audio_Format_List : AAC
Audio_Format_WithHint_List : AAC
Audio codecs : AAC LC
File name : OB
File extension : mov
Format : MPEG-4
Format/Extensions usually used : mp4 m4v m4a m4b m4p 3gpp 3gp 3gpp2 3g2 k3g jpm jpx mqv ismv isma f4v
Commercial name : MPEG-4
Format profile : QuickTime
Internet media type : video/mp4
Codec ID : qt
Codec ID/Url : http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html
Codec : MPEG-4
Codec/Extensions usually used : mp4 m4v m4a m4b m4p 3gpp 3gp 3gpp2 3g2 k3g jpm jpx mqv ismv isma f4v
File size : 78.88 MiB
Duration : 00:54:44.630
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 201 Kbps
Stream size : 5.71 MiB (7%)
Proportion of this stream : 0.07233
HeaderSize : 1305394
DataSize : 81406130
FooterSize : 0
IsStreamable : Yes
Encoded date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:01:49
Tagged date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:01:58
File last modification date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:47:04
File last modification date (local) : 2014-12-10 16:47:04
Writing library : Apple QuickTime
Writing library/Name : Apple QuickTime
Video
Count : 274
Count of stream of this kind : 1
Kind of stream : Video
Stream identifier : 0
StreamOrder : 0
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format/Url : http://developers.videolan.org/x264.html
Commercial name : AVC
Format profile : [email protected]
Format settings : CABAC / 2 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=2, N=30
Internet media type : video/H264
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Codec ID/Url : http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html
Codec : AVC
Codec/Family : AVC
Codec/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Codec/Url : http://developers.videolan.org/x264.html
Codec/CC : avc1
Codec profile : [email protected]
Codec settings : CABAC / 2 Ref Frames
Codec settings, CABAC : Yes
Codec_Settings_RefFrames : 2
Duration : 00:54:44.630
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 63.4 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 768 Kbps
Width : 1 728 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Pixel aspect ratio : 1.000
Display aspect ratio : 16:10
Rotation : 0.000
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 0.294 fps
Original frame rate : 25.000 fps
Minimum frame rate : 0.062 fps
Maximum frame rate : 50.000 fps
Frame count : 967
Resolution : 8 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Interlacement : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.116
Stream size : 24.9 MiB (32%)
Proportion of this stream : 0.31508
Encoded date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:01:38
Tagged date : UTC 2014-12-10 21:01:58
Buffer size : 768000
Audio
Count : 222
Count of stream of this kind : 1
Kind of stream : Audio
Stream identifier : 0
StreamOrder : 1
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Commercial name : AAC
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Codec : AAC LC
Codec/Family : AAC
Codec/CC : 40
Duration : 00:54:38.179
Source duration : 00:54:38.193
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Channel positions : 1/0/0
ChannelLayout : C
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Samples count : 144567694
Frame count : 141179
Source frame count : 141180
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 48.3 MiB (61%)
Proportion of this stream : 0.61259
Source stream size : 48.3 MiB (61%)
Source_StreamSize_Proportion : 0.61259

Why can't I import my ppt.mov file into iMovie?

I created a ppt movie, added music and now have a file that I want to import into iMovie. When I hit the browse button, my ppt.mov file shows up but it's light and I can't select it.

You can export from powerpoint as a MOV file. You must take care that Powerpoint does not add any extra tracks like a manual advance track. This would cause iMovie to not be able to edit it. There are several parameters you can change in the "Options" when exporting as a movie from PPT, but it is not obvious to me which of these might introduce the offending track.
The most straightforward way (or most likely to succeed) is to export from Powerpoint as photos. You can select it to Save as Photos as a series of JPEG images. These jpegs can then be imported into iPhoto for easy import into iMovie. You can add the music in iMovie as well.
I guess the question is, what are you adding in iMOvie? That might help us give better advice.
Also, if you use the iWork App "KeyNote", it gives you the option of exporting to QuickTime without a manual advance track.) Keynote can import PPT. If you do a lot of this, Keynote might be worth the money. Else, just import the photos.

Can't import .mov file into iMovie

I have a video clip in .mov format that won't seem to import so that I can edit it. I'm a guy who's worked with windows for years and I am Mac illiterate. Is there a reason why I can't import the clip, but it still plays in quicktime?
G5 Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Hi Solace,
welcome to this forum
to give you some background info for better understanding in the future:
the file extension".mov" is a bit irritating, should NOT be translated with "movie"! a .mov is just a socalled container, it can contain (sic) many kind of media: stills, music, VR...- and for sure video.
just to impress you, have a look in this list:
Apple's list of formats supported by QT
iMovie is an edit-app meant to work with firewire-connected miniDV camcorders..... you can import "other" files&formats, but then it gets a bit tricky....
so, my usual guess, you're trying to import some mpegs (contained in a .mov file, you don't read .mpg as suffix.....)
some very good advices here, in plain english:
http://danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6010.shtml
http://danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6018.shtml
have fun with your Mac!

Need help importing MOV files into iMovie

I am trying to import MOV files from a USB disk -- into iMovie's event library. When I click on the files on the USB -- they are grey and won't import. They will play in QuickTime. What could the problem be? I have the latest OS and am up to date.

Can you maybe try converting them? Download the free program called Miro Video Converter from the Mac App Store. Drag the video into the window and set the output format as mp4. iMovie should import that properly.
Sorry I couldnt be more of a help.
Let us know!

Getting .mov files into iMovie - anyone have a quicktime workflow?

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