IMovie HD to Final Cut Express HD

Recently imported a project from iMovie HD to FCE HD. In the canvas window of FCE it tells me the project is unrendered. How do I render this project so as to edit it in FCE? Would someone help me as I am in process? Much thanks.

Export your project from iMovie in a format native to FCE:
Here are the export settings to use in iMovie (this is for iMovie 6; I assume iMovie 8 offers the same selections).
Select Share>QuickTime and choose Expert Settings.
On the next screen select Export: Movie to QuickTime Movie and click the Options button.
In the resulting Movie Settings window, select DV/DVCPRO-NTSC for video compression and Linear PCM Stereo @48kHz for Sound Settings.
Uncheck the Prepare for Internet Streaming box.

Similar Messages

Upgrading from iMovie 11 to Final Cut Express, Worth It?

I was thinking about upgrading from iMovie 11 to Final Cut Express. I know the cost and I was wondering if it is worth it, is it?

Since Final Cur Pro X will be release in June, you may want to wait for it.
Allan

IMovie 08, iMovie 6, or Final Cut Express

I just got a new Sony HDR-SR12 HD camera. It records in 1080i. I tried iMovie 08, but I don't like the export options. I used the iMovie 08 import .mov file and opened it in iMovie 6. I exported the video and it doesn't look that good. I'm thinking about Final Cut Express but I don't know how it integrates with iLife apps. What's the best option?

iMovie 08 imports AVCHD in full 1080i. The AVCHD is converted to Apple Intermediate Codec 1920x1080.
The issue comes when you render the project. The iMovie 08 presets max out at 960x540 for Apple TV. Apple TV looks very good because most TVs will upscale it back to 1920x1080.
It is possible to export to Quicktime in full 1920x1080.
However, then you have the problem of how to play it back.
You can play it back at 1920x1080 on your Mac, if your screen is large enough.
You can play it back on a Sony Playstation 3.
You can play it on a BluRay Disk Player.
Toast 9 permits burning a BluRay Disk in full 1920x1080. You will need a BluRay disk Burner for this. Toast 9 also lets you do a short AVCHD/Bluray disk on a regular DVD on a regular DVD burner, but you are limited to about 20 minutes of playing time.
If you burn to a normal DVD in MPEG2, you are limited to 480i, so that is the worst option.
Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

HD quality iMovie vs. Final Cut Express (AIC)

Hello,
I was finally able to carry out a simple test to compare output from iMovie '09 vs. Final Cut Express (FCE), which has proven to produce much cleaner output when compared with iMovie '08. Just as I have received help from online mac community I feel obliged to share my experiences with you in case it's of interest to you and helps you.
* Footage: filmed on Canon 5D Mark II (1080p, bitrate >40Mbps
* Imported into iMovie '09, no stabilization and other tricks, exported to Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC) with as little quality loss as possible
* Imported into FCE, exported to AIC
Resulting file from FCE is sharper and cleaner when compared side by side in QuickTime. Not surprisingly the same AIC export has different sizes, too.
* FCE: 477 MB for 32 seconds of footage
* iMovie: 253 MB for the same 32 seconds of identical footage
Hope this helps someone. Happy filming!
Roman

It's been long discussed, but your conclusion is not fully correct:
1) If you import at FULL, no pixels are lost by iM. Thus, his Canon footage could have come in perfectly.
2) "One field is DISCARDED with 1080i." Not true. IF AND ONLY IF you use a function or FX that performs scaling, ALL video is chopped to 540p.
3) The functions that do NOT cause conversion of ALL video to 540p include SPEED, DISSOLVE, and FADE. If you use only these FX, then EVERY pixel that is recorded by your camera CAN BE exported by iM 09.
4) If you use no FX, then EVERY pixel that is recorded by your camera CAN BE exported by iM 09.
5) To export ALL pixels, you of course, must choose the correct settings in the QT dialog. They would be the same as you use with FCE or FCP.
The fact he got different sized files shows HE did something to cause the difference. Had he done things "correctly," he would have the same size file.
PS1: Page Curl is a perfect example of a scaling FX. So, by violating the #1 rule of using iM 09 you get support for your incorrect conclusion. Folks shooting with a camera like the Canon do so mostly to get a high-end film look. Very few folks making a film use anything other than SPEED, DISSOLVE, and FADE. In fact, no one making a high-end video would use anything other than SPEED, DISSOLVE, and FADE. So, it is perfectly possible to NOT use any of the "bad" FX. (Although they can be fun I admit!)
PS2: Be aware the black Background IS one of the bad FX. Unless, this bug was fixed in the last update. A static background should not need to use scaling! If this bug remains, use a black JPEG! I keep a black and white matte in iPhoto to use with "Fade TO" FX.

How to Use iMovie Projects in Final Cut Express

I just upgraded to Final Cut Express because of the feature of being able to start a project in iMovie and then finish it in FCE. The steps look simple in the manual File / Open / etc. But when I do it, it tells me File Error: Wrong Type. Is there something I am doing wrong or some other format for the iMovie projects to make them work?

FCE 4.0.1 is the current version of FCE. There is nothing newer.
A new version of Final Cut Studio was released last year; perhaps it can import iMovie11 projects. You would have to try it to find out. If there is an Apple store nearby, copy your Movies folder to a portable hard drive, take it with you, and ask to try it out with Final Cut Pro on one of the Macs in the store. Most stores will let you do this.
Be aware, however, that even if the import works, there are many limitations: Transitions become cross-dissolves. Cropping, Ken Burns effects, color adjustments, titles, green screen clips, PiP clips, voiceovers, sound effects & music tracks are not exported in the XML file.

Can I Transfer iMovie files to Final Cut Express HD?

I have just upgraded from iMovie to Final Cut Express HD.... I had captured 15 hours of world travel movies in iMovie and realized I needed a more powerful application to do the travel movies justice. But I am wondering if I can use the raw material that I imported or.... YUCK>... if I will have to re-capture the files in Final Cut. Can anyone let me know a solution that saves time?
Thanks

posted many moons ago.
apologies for naff formatting (reposted from an old blog post on an old website). Piero, do you fancy taking this on and hosting it? Improving it? I'm still out of the video editing world so I'm not really interested in reviving any of my old stuff yet.
File below is hosted on my mac so if the link is down, try again later.
This is only any good for DV stuff. No HDV stuff
=======OLD POST 1=========================
OK, here's what I'd do based on what I've tried so far in getting iMovie
.dv files into FCE and avoiding having to render.
Open your iMovie .dv file in Quicktime Pro.
Extract the audio track
Export the audio track as a Quicktime Movie, Linear PCM format, Channels Stereo (L R), 48kHz, 16bit sample size
Delete the audio track from the .dv file
Open the exported audio file, select all and copy.
Select All in the .dv file
Add the exported Audio file using Add to Movie
Export/Save As the .dv file as a self contained Quicktime Movie
Use this movie in FCE
The benefit of this approach as opposed to exporting .dv file in one go is
that the only thing that is truely exported, etc is the Audio track which is
relatively quick. The video track is left unchanged so there is no loss in
quality.
The resultant file never has to be rendered in FCE.
==========OLD POST 2====================
Download: i5m_iMovie2FCE v0.9
It's an Applescript droplet that you can drag the iMovie DV stream media files onto and it'll run away and convert them. There's also a standalone version of the script if you want to run it from the script menu on individual files, etc. It's a 0.9 release since for ease of development in Applescript it doesn't include any error handling, etc. Also I've just realised it assumes 16 bit audio.
============================
// Permanently broken mac // Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Help Required - iMovie 11 V Final Cut Express

Firstly don't shoot me if this has been posted into the wrong place.
I've recently and quite successfully been getting to grips with iMovie. I mainly use it for personal projects importing files from .mov files, DVD's and Screen recording software.
I started using it a few months ago when I upgraded to the new Quad Core mac. First using iMovie'09 then recently upgraded iLife to version 11.
As a total amateur in anything 3D and Video production related it's certainly one area I never imagined I'd enter. Some may comment "Well it's not hard" but at present I'm loving the challenges that it presents me.
However, whilst I'm also not looking to become Spielberg, I do feel that because I have got to grips with the software fairly easily and quite quickly, I seem to have been left feeling that it's already met and exceeded my own expectations, and has now left me wanting more, particularly effects wise. (Maybe I just need to search a bit harder for something I haven't yet found - and I don't mean religion).
Therefore are there any plans to release further plug-ins for iMovie 11 to add to the experience, or would anyone here recommend upgrading to the Final Cut Suite?
FCE I have no experience of whatsoever, but do have friends that use it regularly. (I looked to download a demo version but nothing appears to be available) but it does, from what I have seen and read, offer more in the way of effects. (Or is this simply the upgrade packages that can be added) Am I wrong to even compare the two together?
So should I stick with what I have or make the change over - Basically need some helpful advice before I make what I feel may be a wasted purchase?

Ziatron wrote:
.... But I find the iMovie 06 interface superior to my mind. I also like the 'Final Cut' like Timeline of iMovie 06.  
you probably know, Adobe Premiere, iMovie a + b + i and FinalCut come from the same master-mind (Randy U.)
My first experience with NLE was Avid on some PowerMac - 40min max to import
It had a 'Moviola'-GUI: vertical film'strips'. For European editors this was a huge hurdle, because they were used Steinbecks - horizontal reels.
IMHD≤6 (and FC) tries to 'emulate' that film-strip metaphor too = timeline.
what I noticed: absolute beginners prefer the 'pool' of clips in iM-b, instead of the single-'slide' in iM-a = a better overview of things to come. skimming is a brutal fast way to chop clips together.
a word about that auto-scrolling: that is inspired by Garageband, isn't it ?
I hope, we'll see even more of those interface-marvel in FC/e.
I tested AdobePremiereElements for Mac a while ago, it offers simple features we miss in iM-b (example: pointers) - it is less intuitive, less 'snappy', less 'easy'. Although it is 'old fashioned' with a timeline (and 'slides', as iM-a)
I guess, we old Silverbacks just have to open our minds for new ways of handling videos ... +think different+ anyone? …

Rendering imported iMovie clips in Final Cut Express

I'm learning FCExpress with a previous iMovie project as my footage. The clips/edited sequences dragged/dropped to the browser from an iMovie need to be rendered, but when I click "render all" a menu appears with a list of checkmarked and uncheckmarked options that I cannot find explained in either the Help window or the hardcopy manual. Maybe there somewhere, but haven't found it. Is it detailed somewhere? Or can you briefly explain the menu options and what the checks mean? Thanks. This has gotta be a dumb question, but I'm stuck there.
ibook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.6) LaCie hard drive

Dear Tom,
I did the exact thing of importing iMovie Clips to FCE HD and I had to render the clips before I could add any effects to them.
1) I did this because I had problem with capturing clips from my DV camera using FCE. I had error message like "bad source tape". Any advice for this?
2) After importing and rendered from iMovie, FCE HD could not work Real time with my rendered clips. Every transition or video effects had to be rendered. Shucks, I'm perplexed.

IMovie vs. Final Cut Express HD

I have captured video onto FCE HD but have decided to edit it in iMovie because I am more familiar with it. Is it possible to move the captured videos to iMovie from FCE HD? If so, how?

Hi
As Bev. writes FCE is a better forum.
I usually goes the other way around. Import in iMovie then cont. in FCE/P.
You can locate the imports/captures in FCE scratch disk folder but You can't get
an copy over to iMovie where You still can alter edits eg transitions, texts etc
You can in FCE/P Export out as a full quality QuickTime movie (streamingDV) .mov
file and import this into iMovie.
But still it's a strange way to go to do this as hard as possibly:
• FCE/P Capture - very sencitive to drop-outs and a completely other logistics
(way of thinking/planing)
• iMovie so limited in near all aspects compared to FCE/P
I thought just the Capture process in FCE was the big stepping stone and after
this I enjoy FCE/P ammensly.
Yours Bengt W

Importing iMovie HD projects to final cut express 4

Hi,
Is there any way of putting imovie project into final cut express 4 ?
Thanks in advanced.
.

Hi(Bonjour)!
http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/tutorials/
Look under importing from iMovie title in Capturing and Organizing section.
MMichel Boissonneault

File Compatibility between Final Cut Express and iMovie '09

I am in the process of converting some old VHS tapes to DVD so I can import and edit them in Final Cut Express or iMovie '09 (I'm upgrading from iMovie '08). I would like to transfer them to a file format that I can use in either application.
Are the file formats the same in both applications or is there one in particular that I should use? I know that it is possible to open a video move created in iMovie '09 in Final Cut Express, but there some situations where I want to go in the other direction. i.e. Import the raw file that was created to be imported by Final Cut Express by iMovie '09 instead.
Bob

It would be better if you did not get them transfered to DVD. This is a highly compressed format. If you can get the material transfered directly to QuickTime using the DV NTSC codec you would be better off.
The file formats in iMovie and FCE are not the same. iMovie uses DV Stream. FCE uses QuickTime.

Export to Final Cut Express with iMovie 08 doesn't work?

When i export from iMovie 08 to final cut express using the XML function it exports and when I import into FCE4 it is only one big video with everything connected. I want it to be like separated so I can keep editing in FCE4.
Could someone please help?
Thanks.

Those gurus are here:
https://discussions.apple.com/community/professional_applications/final_cut_expr ess_hd

Clips Blurry in Final Cut Express 4.0

Okay i tried putting in some of my screen capture clips that worked perfectly clear in iMovie 08 into Final Cut Express 4.0, and they come out blurry. I then tried to put in a clip recorded from my sony camera a while back and that was also blurry... then i made a livetype title and exported it as a movie, and then put that into Final Cut Express 4.0 and that too was blurry, any ideas?
Is there a format i must change my screen capturing program to, to be clear in Final Cut, or are there any settings in Final Cut 4.0 to make it compatible with my current clips?

You're looking for settings to use with your current clips, but you don't actually say what your clips are. Without precise information it's just guessing. What are the screen captures? Format? Size? Codec? What Sony camera? Format?
FCE is a resolution specific editing application. It only works in DV or HD using the Apple Intermediate Codec.

Final Cut Express 4 & iDVD

When I export using QuickTime movie and import into iDVD I loose the aspect ratio i.e. it is no longer 16:9. I purchased Final cut express because iMovie 08 would not allow CHAPTER MARKS? I produced a 2 hour 25 minute movie in iMovie 08 (a mistake) exported to GarageBand to put chapter marks on and then tried to send it to iDVD and was told File to Large. I have a Double Layer DVD Burner and have created larger movies than this. I thus transfered the movie from iMovie 08 into Final Cut Express 4 to put Chapter Marks on which worked but the aspect ratio was lost. Doing a QuickTime Conversion Aspect Ratio is OK but NO CHAPTER MARKS. (GOOD WAY OF SELLING MORE PROGRAMS BECAUSE NONE SEEM TO DO WHAT YOU EXPECT OR WHAT YOU WANT). iMovie 08 was purchased as an UPGRADE to iMovie HD because of the extra features added, but they forgot to make it work with iDVD?

You may try my instructions in http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6025796&#6025796. They worked with me in the past.
I used myDVDEdit on a G5 iMac without any trouble.
About chapter markers. If you want iDVD to recognize them:
- in FCE make sure the markers are set in the timeline (not in the clips) and are marked "Chapter Marker" (open each marker dialog to set this option)
- from FCE Export/Quicktime Movie (NOT Using Quicktime conversion: this doesn't export markers) and make sure you select "Chapter Markers" (NOT "All markers" or any other choice for this option) in the export dialog
- then you should be able to import to iDVD the movie with chapter markers (iDVD Preferences must be set to create submenus for chapters)
Piero

Apple Final Cut Express HD 3.5

For those wanting more than iMovie then Apple Final Cut Express HD 3.5 is now available as a Universal Binary. Yipee!!
http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/

Well, they're not supported by Apple to run it. You
won't be able to get technical support directly from
them and the folks in the Final Cut forums may not be
able to give you specific advice.
-Doug
What? Read the specs!
Final Cut Studio:
Macintosh computer with 867MHz or faster PowerPC G4, PowerPC G5, or Intel Core Duo processor
HD features require 1GHz or faster single or dual processors (authoring HD DVDs requires a PowerPC G5 or Intel Core Duo processor)
512MB of RAM; 1GB of RAM for HD features (2GB recommended)
Display with 1024-by-768 (or higher) resolution
AGP Quartz Extreme or PCI Express graphics card
Quartz Extreme is supported by my iBook and certainly also the new MacBook!
Motion requires the standard graphics card found in any MacBook Pro, iMac Intel Core Duo, Power Mac G5, iMac G5, a 1.25 GHz or faster PowerBook G4, or a 1.25 GHz or faster flat-panel iMac.
So you won't be able to install Motion.
Mac OS X 10.4.4 or later
QuickTime 7.0.4 or later
4GB of disk space to install all applications
Additional 42GB to install all optional templates, loops, content, and tutorials (may be installed on separate discs)
DVD drive for installation
Playback of DVD Studio Pro 4-authored HD DVDs requires a PowerPC G5 or Intel Core Duo processor
Replication of DVD Studio Pro 4-authored DVDs requires a DLT drive
Recommended Graphics Cards: ATI Radeon X850 XT, ATI Radeon X800 XT, ATI Radeon X1600, ATI Radeon 9800 XT or 9800 Pro, ATI Radeon 9700 Pro, ATI Radeon 9600 XT or 9600 Pro, ATI Mobility Radeon 9700, ATI Mobility Radeon 9600, NVIDIA GeForce Quadro FX 4500, NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT NVIDIA GeForce 6600 and 6600 LE, NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL or 6800 GT DDL, NVIDIA GeForce Go5200 or FX 5200 Ultra
And recommended Graphic Cards is just what it says: recommended. It's not required, like with Motion. But with these cards everything will run faster, and real-time stuff will run great.

IMovie HD to Final Cut Express HD

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