iMovie '08 Transition Pains

[MacRumors]

Appleinsider details complaints from some in the transition from iMovie HD 6 to the iMovie '08.

Apple's new iMovie application was described as a complete rewrite to Apple's movie editing software. Many of the complaints focused on features that were lacking and a difficulty in transitioning projects from previous versions of iMovie.

Apple is offering iMovie HD 6 as a download to purchasers of iLife '08 for those unhappy with the transition.

The change has not been met entirely with disapproval as some of our forum members seem very happy with the new iMovie.

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[wavelayer]

It's the first version, bound to be bugs. FCP was ridiculous in V1. I'm sure they'll work it out.

[Eric Lewis]

need it to have wait ilife 08 has

[marco114]

Personally, I didn't use the old iMovie very much because I felt it was more complicated than it had to be. However, if you've ever tried using Windows Movie Maker, you'll appreciate how fast it is.

I think it would have been wise to have two different editing modes, simple and advanced and the simple mode could be the new one.

I found that the new iMovie is VERY easy and I now enjoy making movies again. The audio controls is about the only thing I would miss on the old one but it's not a deal breaker for me. It's easier to use and I find making movies fun again.

Also with the new iMovie, my movies seem more clear and smaller in size. I really think there's more pluses than minuses.

I think Apple directed the new iMovie at a person like myself. One that didn't really make movies often because it was more work than you wanted to do and the new one is just so simple, even a child could do it.

[Kobekes]

Originally Posted by marco114

I think it would have been wise to have two different editing modes, simple and advanced and the simple mode could be the new one.

I found that the new iMovie is VERY easy and I now enjoy making movies again. The audio controls is about the only thing I would miss on the old one but it's not a deal breaker for me. It's easier to use and I find making movies fun again.

... my thoughts exactly!

[VespR]

I'm more upset over the fact my 12" powerbook can't run the app at all. Bit of a kick in the teeth considering I think this is an amazing laptop with one of the best form factors ever built.

[duklaprague]

I tend to use iMovie to do dvd slideshows for wedding photographers, and a big thing was the ability to fade music out, or one track into another.

This is a huge feature to drop - surely a soundtrack is an important part of any movie, even a basic one, so to drop the ability to fade the audio in and out to fit your video is crazy. It's not a nice feature to have - surely it's an essential feature?

Having had a quick look at 08 on a new 24" iMac, it does look great, and the skimming is superb - but all it really needs is a timeline view. Then you can either use it as it is, or if you want to use some of the missing features, you could just switch to the timeline view. By all means tart it up a bit so it looks as great as the rest of 08, but there's really no excuse to drop it.

One question tho' - when you drop transitions in now - or even photos with the ken burns effect added - are they just done instantly now without encoding?

[g3jedi]

Originally Posted by marco114

Personally, I didn't use the old iMovie very much because I felt it was more complicated than it had to be. However, if you've ever tried using Windows Movie Maker, you'll appreciate how fast it is.

I think it would have been wise to have two different editing modes, simple and advanced and the simple mode could be the new one.

I found that the new iMovie is VERY easy and I now enjoy making movies again. The audio controls is about the only thing I would miss on the old one but it's not a deal breaker for me. It's easier to use and I find making movies fun again.

Also with the new iMovie, my movies seem more clear and smaller in size. I really think there's more pluses than minuses.

I think Apple directed the new iMovie at a person like myself. One that didn't really make movies often because it was more work than you wanted to do and the new one is just so simple, even a child could do it.

If you read through a lot of the posts on this subject on the web most of the ones that reference Windows Movie Maker talk about how horrible it is and that iMovie '08 is too much like it.

iMovie was (is) not too hard to use. I could edit through 2 hours of video in just a few minutes, trimming out dead space and the back of the lens cap. It's not hard! One parent commented that his kids are complaining that iMovie '08 lacks features. That's children complaining. Evidently they didn't need it to be easier

[typecase]

I don't believe it. I realize I'm on a Macintosh board, and God knows I love my Mac but people apologizing for Apple's lack of foresight here is frustrating and embarrassing. iMovie HD had the perfect mix of features for me. I loved it. The new version sucks. I'm not going to try to put a shiny happy face on this. I'm gonna say just how I feel. Apple simply tossed the baby out with the bathwater on this one and it's okay to say the product sucks. Really.

The few people that seem to be happy with it are those that would buy some Final Cut product anyway. I don't want to have to spend hundreds of dollars more to get what I already had.

Apple could have made this new version of iMovie easy to use AND retained all it's features. They could have toggled the view options in a preference pane. While Apple is offering iMovie HD for new iLife users, it seems more of consolation rather than something to pat them on the back for. iMovie HD would have been great with a slightly updated feature set.

The new version sucks. Plain and simple. Don't apologize for Apple despite your love for them.

[Lancetx]

At least Apple is giving everyone a choice since iMovie HD 6 is a free download. You can use one or the other, or both, so nobody is being left out.

[EagerDragon]

Originally Posted by Lancetx

At least Apple is giving everyone a choice since iMovie HD 6 is a free download. You can use one or the other, or both, so nobody is being left out.

I have a PB and I already paid for iMovie 06 when I purchased iLife 06, If I buy iLife 08, do we get a discount since we can not use the new iMovie?

[EagerDragon]

My biggest complain with iMovie 06 was the inability to create a library of clips that I can use in multiple movies. Everything was oriented to a project and if I wanted to import anything to the project I had to import from camera again or export clips to QT and then import them into the project. This was not optimal.

Have this been solved in the new version???
It looks to me (have not used new version yet) like it has a library of clips, but I am not sure if you can organize the clips in any way. Anyone that can take the time to describe how that works, would be appriciated.

[Ubuntu]

Originally Posted by Lancetx

At least Apple is giving everyone a choice since iMovie HD 6 is a free download. You can use one or the other, or both, so nobody is being left out.

So... you pay for iLife 08, but you end up with the movie app you already had. I realise you get other good apps, but still, for those who upgraded, that's kinda unfair.

[Much Ado]

iMovie '08 = A super-charged, brilliant version of Magic-iMovie.

It aint an editing package, it's an assembling package. Great if you want a quick movie, terrible if you like control.

I own FCE, so i'm covered, but i feel sorry for the people seduced by the 'Get A Mac' ads. They are going to be bitter.

[4God]

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere but when I installed
iMovie '08 (from disc) it created a folder within the applications folder
that says iMovie HD. It has the older version in it and it still works as well.
Not that I've had any problems with iMovie '08 or anything, I just thought
for those that were having issues they could just continue to use the older
version untill some sort of fix was announced.

[jonatron]

Originally Posted by 4God

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere but when I installed
iMovie '08 (from disc) it created a folder within the applications folder
that says iMovie HD. It has the older version in it and it still works as well.
Not that I've had any problems with iMovie '08 or anything, I just thought
for those that were having issues they could just continue to use the older
version untill some sort of fix was announced.

This is exactly what happens when install the ilife disc.

I dont understand why everyone is so upset. I now have TWO applications. One that i was used to and one thats looks even better (even though ive not had much chance to play with it). Thumbs up from me!!

[sanford]

Originally Posted by jonatron

This is exactly what happens when install the ilife disc.

I dont understand why everyone is so upset. I now have TWO applications. One that i was used to and one thats looks even better (even though ive not had much chance to play with it). Thumbs up from me!!

Ha! I never even noticed. After I got home from the Apple Store and installed off the DVD I just used the dock icons to get to the new applications. But, yeah, the previous version is still there in its own folder. And Apple has made it available for download for free in case this is your first version of iLife or you tossed the old version that was placed in the separate folder. Why are we apologetic? Apple doesn't really need to apologize for anything. All the features are still there: they're just in two different applications; take your pick: more features or greater simplicity. Use one or the other or use both. Up to you.

Me, I prefer the new version. And that's no apology. I like the simplicity because it's all I want or need. Indeed after playing around with the new iMovie I'm sure I'll actually use it a bit as opposed to rarely with the more complex previous version. (I'm not, as someone put it, learning disabled in iMovie use; it's just that meticulously editing videos is not how I want to spend my time: I want point, click, video and I'll sacrifice depth of control for that.) Others who want more robust editing features, you've still got them.

[ironring2006]

Originally Posted by wavelayer

It's the first version, bound to be bugs. FCP was ridiculous in V1. I'm sure they'll work it out.

These aren't bugs. These are lack of features. Two completely different things.

Personally, I think the new version looks like it fits in the iLife mentality. It isn't a pro app, and I don't think it will ever pretend to be one. It definitely looks like its easier and more manageable for the average consumer. It's more about getting your content out there and sharing it with your family/friends more easily.

Working with video can be cumbersome and time consuming. Being able to put something together quick has a lot more value in the end than a bunch of footage sitting unviewed on your hard drive.

[marco114]

Originally Posted by ironring2006

Working with video can be cumbersome and time consuming. Being able to put something together quick has a lot more value in the end than a bunch of footage sitting unviewed on your hard drive.

100% Totally Agree.

[megfilmworks]

I think it fits the user who needs a quick easy movie maker, not a weak version of FCP. I could see using both apps for different reasons. The new iMovie would be great for slapping together a film on vacation for instance and FCP would be best for making a special film when you get home.

[chrisgeleven]

I don't have a camcorder yet (waiting for the HD models to drop in price a little more), but from playing around with a few clips I had on my hard drive, the new iMovies is very nice.

I know previously, I tried to avoid using iMovie because it seemed just too complicated for what I needed to use it for.

This is definitely perfect for throwing together a bunch a clips quickly.

[BadDude]

I would very much agree that iMovie is easier to use than Windows Movie Maker. WMV requires a lot of difficult file management via wizards.

However iMovie only having 2 audio tracks and 1 video track makes it very difficult to preform many basic tasks.

[~Shard~]

This app has undergone a major overhaul so there are bound to be growing pains with repsect to new and missing features between the two versions. I am not an iMovie user, however from the demo the new iMovie looks very slick, so hopefully Apple will refine it in future updates to include some of the supposed lacking features which previous iMovie users have identifed. That being said, those old users need to realize this is not just an update, rather the app has actually been overhauled and changed.

[guzhogi]

Personally, I liked iMovie '06. For me, it was pretty easy to use and had enough features to do what I needed without having too many features. I liked having the chapter markers, effects and being able to record audio into it. I haven't used iMovie '08 yet so I don't know what its features are like, but quite a few of the things I used in '06 aren't available in '08. For all those who say get FCP, FCP Express is $299 and Studio is $1299 for the full versions. That's way too much for an average user, especially me. I don't even make $17,000 a year.

[milo]

Originally Posted by Small White Car

But can someone explain to me why dropping the editor is an improvement? I don't get that.

Because the "editor" features as you call them (although it seems bizarre to insist that you're not really editing video unless you can add chapter markers, which only are available on DVD anyway) complicate the program. And for a most mainstream possible app, users value simplicity over features. While some miss the features, many more seem to be ecstatic about the ease of use. From what I can tell, this release is a direct response to user reaction. They've given the customers what they've asked for, if you don't like it, your beef is that most customers don't want the same thing you want.

Originally Posted by guzhogi

Personally, I liked iMovie '06. For me, it was pretty easy to use and had enough features to do what I needed without having too many features. I liked having the chapter markers, effects and being able to record audio into it. I haven't used iMovie '08 yet so I don't know what its features are like, but quite a few of the things I used in '06 aren't available in '08. For all those who say get FCP, FCP Express is $299 and Studio is $1299 for the full versions. That's way too much for an average user, especially me. I don't even make $17,000 a year.

If you need the advanced features, you're not an average user, you're an advanced one. The average user wants easy and doesn't care about features they'll never use (that complicate the app for them). Your options are getting express or sticking with '06.

And let's not forget, this is an app that ships free with new macs. The upgrade is $79 along with four other apps. Is anyone surprised that an app that basically costs under $16 is going to make ease of use a higher priority than features?