How to backup movie/photo files onto external HD?

hard drive is running out of space & while I have a time machine, I don't think it works for this purpose- I want to be able to access the photos & video clips to work on projects in imovie & elsewhere (photobook sites, etc). do I need to do anything more than copy & paste/drag & drop the files from my computer to the external HD? Is there a specific way to do this? I may also save some Word & Excel docs but mostly video & photo since they're hogging up all my hard drive... I'm just so nervous about deleting them off the computer & potentially losing them forever .
thanks!

You can move your iMovie files to an external drive. YOu must do this within iMovie so that your projects continue to work.
First, your external drive must be formatted as Mac OS Extended (journaled). You can right-click on the drive and select Get Info to see how it is currently formatted. The external drive can be USB or Firewire. Both will work, although a Firewire drive will be faster.
If your drive is not already formatted like this, you can reformat using Disk Utility. Let me know if you need detailed instructions on using Disk Utility for this. Keep in mind that if you reformat your external drive, it will erase anything that is there now.
To move your projects and events in iMovie, first click VIEW/EVENTS BY DISK.
In your Project Library, you should see your internal drive and all properly formatted external drives. Hold down the Command Key as you drag the small project icons to the small icon for the external drive. You must hold the command key down as you drag, because this will MOVE the file. If you just drag, it will COPY and you will not save any space.
Next, do the same thing for your Events in the Event Library. Hold down the Command Key as you drag the small event icon to the icon for the external drive. Repeat for each event.
It is quite possible to move your iPhoto library as well. I have only done it once, so I suggest you ask this question at the iPhoto discussion.

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You need to change the premise of your SSD use.
see here:
Your Solid State Drive and having enough space inside your Macbook Air & Pro
Solid State Drive usage premise, or the “more space / upgrade SSD” question
There have been questions posed and positions taken by many people who are trying to use their Macbook Air or Pro’s solid state drive (SSD) as a mass media storage device, for either pictures, videos, massive music collections or all three combined; but this should not be the working premise of a ‘limited’ SSD and its use.
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http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2506
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Specifically from?
You export them: File -> Export
This User Tip
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4921
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Or if you want to, you can keep the images in iPhoto and move the Library to an external:
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