Apple Update iMovie '08 to 7.0.1

[MadDoc]

I hope this fixes the bug which means that I can't bloody export video at all! Whenever I try to export video I get audio but no video (just a black screen). It all works fine in the editor.

Actually producing a video is a feature I would have thought Apple would have left in iMovie

MadDoc

 

[ezekielrage_99]

I think iMovie 08 is dramatically different to iMovie HD it has unnerved the diehard iMovie people out there. I also think with the release of iMovie 08 the expectations were high considering that it's nearly been two years since the last iLife release, IMO there were some unrealistic expectations.

Apple have added some very good features with iLife 08 however I think it will take some time for most users to get use to it.

 

[Hairball]

I think iMovie '08 is great. I wasn't a heavy user of iMovie HD, but since '08 is simpler to use, I have found myself using the program more. I have no gripes. If I wanted more, I'd buy a pro app.

 

[mambodancer]

iMovie 08 is like Text Edit?

iMovie '08 is growing on me for short small projects. The new editing features are very cool.

But, the griping was due to the complete removal of some important features. Examples include detailed audio control, extracting audio, visual effects, third party plugins, themes, and iDVD integration.

We've heard the "you still have iMovie HD" argument. I can't believe people try to use this argument, I guess we never need to update any software ever again, right?

iMovie power users (like me) have a right to be annoyed. You expect new features and performance improvements to old features in a new release.

Apple could have avoided much of these issues by just renaming the new app to iVideo or something.

What they did is similar to giving you TextEdit and calling it Pages '08. "Look, you can write a letter in like 30 seconds!"

So you're implying that iMovie '08 is like Text Edit for a word processor? Hmmm...not when every poll I've seen posted shows unanimous preference for the new version of iMovie.

Having said that, I have been used to iMovie HD and timeline editing. I was just getting used to themes too. Like you and a lot of people I would like to see iMovie renamed Final Cut Lite or something and have the product updated. If, however, Final Cut Express drops in price by about $100 to $199, then I'd be tempted to migrate from iMovie to FCE. It's a bit like iPhoto versus Aperature. If Aperature were about $100 less, again, I might be tempted to upgrade. I don't think either of these things will happen. Sooo...

We'll have to wait and see if the new version of iMovie has a plug-in support feature and see what comes next.

 

[crazedbytheheat]

I think iMovie '08 is great. I wasn't a heavy user of iMovie HD, but since '08 is simpler to use, I have found myself using the program more. I have no gripes. If I wanted more, I'd buy a pro app.

Steve loves you. OK - he probably thinks pretty highly of me as well, given how much cash we send Apple's way. However, the missing features are pretty significant and, one would think, pretty easy to add back in since they are in every other video app they have. It wouldn't have been that hard to allow one to highlight the effects area, have a tab next to the text, transition, etc. tool bar, and apply. I had a nice short clip of our cat flipping around chasing her tail - the kids love it. I wanted to put it to music and do a slo-mo.....

Rip from camera - OK
Put in iMovie '08 - OK
Grab part of clip to put in slo-mo - OK
Select effects - hmmmmm those used to be around here somewhere - check help - ah there they are - surprise just in help, not the app - TOTALLY missing.
Export section for slo-mo - OK
Import into iMovie 6 - OK
Slo-mo - OK
Export back to iMovie 08 - OK
Finally get a movie created and sent to iWeb and then .mac - OK

Now - that's not an editing process I expect from a company like Apple. I actually buy my own computer to use at work because I want to use a Mac and not a Windows box, so this is really disappointing to me. I really hope they fix this prior to iLife '10.

There are a lot of new features I really like, but this special effects was one of those previously highly touted features that made iMovie really fun.

 

[Essefgy]

Nope. No use. I still get a kernel panic. Thanks for nothing.

(On a 2.5GHz PowerMac.)

 

[verniesgarden]

iMovie was never meant to be the pro-app replacement it became, like iPhoto,. if you use say aperture or lightroom for a while then you switch to iPhoto you'd go... where is my editing functions? But the new iMovie is really what it was meant to be in the first place, a simple movie editor for grandma and grandpa. i do believe that iMovie will gain back things but for now, it is what it is, a quick simple movie editor.

 

[joemama]

I'll have to research the differences more, but if they got rid of extracting audio and multiple audio tracks, I won't be switching my classroom over anytime soon....

...any teachers out there that can comment on major differences/annoyances?

 

[MrSmith]

Apple Update iMovie '08 to 7.0.n where n>1

[INSERT MR LOGO HERE]

Apple will post an update to iMovie '08 sometime.

This update will address issues associated with lack of a timeline by adding one.

Apple released iMovie '08 with iLife '08 in August. The new version rewrote iMovie from scratch, leading to some transition pains.

 

[iAlan]

Any little update is appreciated....

but I am still i n2 minds regarding iMovie '06 vs iMovie '08

I guess I am so used to iMovie '06 that i notice the missing features - which I am sure will be added back over a short time frame. But for new Mac users I think iMovie '08 offers a very exiting video editing process.

Maybe Apple should have renamed the new app, but then again 'iMovie' has strong brand recognition. I hope they bring ity up to speed in terms of lacking features (and to be honest I didn't use all the features anyway, but nice to have them none-the-less)

Anyway, i think Apple did innovate iMovie to the next level but may have been a bit too quick to get it out without some of the key previous features.

I can't wait for hte next bump upgrade in September that will add at least a timeline.

 

[MacFly123]

Well, this may not be too important, but, I like the new iMovie icon better I understand why they did it the way they did with the old one, but it has always bugged me how it had the same image as iDVD lol.

 

[MacFly123]

Amen!

I think iMovie '08 is great. I wasn't a heavy user of iMovie HD, but since '08 is simpler to use, I have found myself using the program more. I have no gripes. If I wanted more, I'd buy a pro app.

AMEN! I think they could put back a few things like the effects. I liked those, but once they add those few things back I think it will be just right This is what a non-computer person that wants to easily make a movie needs, and that is what iLife and Apple is supposed to be. People that want more can buy Apple's amazing pro apps which I also use and love.

 

[MacFly123]

Question

Can someone please tell me if iMovie '08 works with all these Hard Drive camcorders??? I thought that's what they showed when they imported the video and it showed thumbnails before the import. Can anyone confirm that it works with all the Hard Drive camcorders??? Thanks

 

[nickbates]

I'll have to research the differences more, but if they got rid of extracting audio and multiple audio tracks, I won't be switching my classroom over anytime soon....

...any teachers out there that can comment on major differences/annoyances?

AMEN! I think they could put back a few things like the effects. I liked those, but once they add those few things back I think it will be just right This is what a non-computer person that wants to easily make a movie needs, and that is what iLife and Apple is supposed to be. People that want more can buy Apple's amazing pro apps which I also use and love.

Wow, you whining little brats just don't read do you!? Again as previously stated by Nagromme, THESE THINGS WERE NOT TAKEN OUT!!!! There was a HUGE misconception by most of the press, but they were wrong. Here is a partial list of what people assumed was taken out of iMovie 08, but it is ALL STILL THERE!!!

Ken Burns effect

Video color correction tools

Transition effects

Overlaying multiple audio tracks (background music, sound effects, narration, and multiple layers of these that start and end independently of the video clips)

Audio volume changes on the fly (that's now automatic, via normalization and ducking rather than manual control, but it is there).

Visible timeline. iMovie 08 view wraps the timeline like a paragraph and snaps the bars to the visible thumbnails, but it IS still a timeline in essence, where longer clips look visibly longer, right down to stacking audio tracks with visible in and out points. (It even color-codes different audio tracks for music, effects, or narration.)

Scrubbable playhead. (It's there and lets you preview easier than ever.)

Themes. (Themes in the old sense are gone, but the new titling options incorporate similar imagery.)

Storage of clips on external hard disks. (They simply won't play until you plug in the drive)

Ability to use clips from another project.

Now, let's see how long it takes for one of you complainers to post "but why did they take away multiple audio tracks" again!

 

[websyndicate]

Music fades out automatically.

I cant get it to work on mine seem like alot of people are experiencing the same issues

 

[MrSmith]

Ken Burns effect

Well that's something I wish they had removed.

 

[sonicboom]

iMovie is not a DV editor

I used iMovie 08 for a weekend project, and:

• loved the interface
• satisfied with the feature set
• had fun using it

It does more then people who haven't used it think (but less then imovie 06).

HOWEVER, it significantly degrades DV content on import, resulting in unacceptable movie quality... which is why Jobs was promoting using AVCHD.

All of my footage is shot with a miniDV camera, so I cannot use iMovie 08 for editing my family home movies. A major disappointment!

 

[alFR]

HOWEVER, it significantly degrades DV content on import, resulting in unacceptable movie quality... which is why Jobs was promoting using AVCHD.

Can you post some samples? As far as I know this hasn't been reported elsewhere.

 

[Digitalclips]

Anyone else concerned about how quickly these updates have come out considering iLife '08 hasn't been out even a month yet?

No not at all. They had a deadline for the release and perhaps still had a few tweaks. Plus remember they are now working on compatibility for Leopard as well as Tiger and perhaps new iPods. Apple is running at full steam and I for one an loving the ride.

 

[Digitalclips]

I used iMovie 08 for a weekend project, and:

• loved the interface
• satisfied with the feature set
• had fun using it

It does more then people who haven't used it think (but less then imovie 06).

HOWEVER, it significantly degrades DV content on import, resulting in unacceptable movie quality... which is why Jobs was promoting using AVCHD.

All of my footage is shot with a miniDV camera, so I cannot use iMovie 08 for editing my family home movies. A major disappointment!

Until I test iMovie 8 myself (I use Final Cut Pro HD) I won't disagree with you ... but I find this very hard to believe. This is Apple we are talking about here

 

[Digitalclips]

Wow, you whining little brats just don't read do you!? Again as previously stated by Nagromme, THESE THINGS WERE NOT TAKEN OUT!!!! There was a HUGE misconception by most of the press, but they were wrong. Here is a partial list of what people assumed was taken out of iMovie 08, but it is ALL STILL THERE!!!

Ken Burns effect

Video color correction tools

Transition effects

Overlaying multiple audio tracks (background music, sound effects, narration, and multiple layers of these that start and end independently of the video clips)

Audio volume changes on the fly (that's now automatic, via normalization and ducking rather than manual control, but it is there).

Visible timeline. iMovie 08 view wraps the timeline like a paragraph and snaps the bars to the visible thumbnails, but it IS still a timeline in essence, where longer clips look visibly longer, right down to stacking audio tracks with visible in and out points. (It even color-codes different audio tracks for music, effects, or narration.)

Scrubbable playhead. (It's there and lets you preview easier than ever.)

Themes. (Themes in the old sense are gone, but the new titling options incorporate similar imagery.)

Storage of clips on external hard disks. (They simply won't play until you plug in the drive)

Ability to use clips from another project.

Now, let's see how long it takes for one of you complainers to post "but why did they take away multiple audio tracks" again!

You really made me want to try it out, thanks ...

 

[sigamy]

Well, you have used bold so I guess you must be correct.

Seriously, you have to be the only person on this planet that believes that iMovie '08 has a timeline.

And Themes are still there, but in the old sense of themes they are gone, but still there, but gone?

IMHO, you are contributing to the confusion on what features are present in this new app. Making things bold doesn't make them true.

Wow, you whining little brats just don't read do you!? Again as previously stated by Nagromme, THESE THINGS WERE NOT TAKEN OUT!!!! There was a HUGE misconception by most of the press, but they were wrong. Here is a partial list of what people assumed was taken out of iMovie 08, but it is ALL STILL THERE!!!

Visible timeline. iMovie 08 view wraps the timeline like a paragraph and snaps the bars to the visible thumbnails, but it IS still a timeline in essence, where longer clips look visibly longer, right down to stacking audio tracks with visible in and out points. (It even color-codes different audio tracks for music, effects, or narration.)

Themes. (Themes in the old sense are gone, but the new titling options incorporate similar imagery.)

 

[Thomas2006]

Well, this may not be too important, but, I like the new iMovie icon better I understand why they did it the way they did with the old one, but it has always bugged me how it had the same image as iDVD lol.

I believe the purpose for having the same image was to convey that what you make in iMovie could then be turned into a DVD. I think the new iMovie icon would be better if they got rid of the black in the star and make the camera icon bigger. Apple could have even used an image of the old-time movie cameras.

 

[milo]

It's not a default, but it is automatic. From the Help menu of iMovie:

Yep. And at the end of a movie it defaults to faidng automatically for me. Same with crossfades, does it automatically when you overlap two pieces of music.

I'll have to research the differences more, but if they got rid of extracting audio and multiple audio tracks, I won't be switching my classroom over anytime soon....

Multiple audio tracks works just fine.

Music fades out automatically.

I cant get it to work on mine seem like alot of people are experiencing the same issues

I don't know what to tell you, works fine here. You have an audio clip going to the end of the movie but it doesn't fade? What happens, does it just end abruptly?

Seriously, you have to be the only person on this planet that believes that iMovie '08 has a timeline.

Nope, I'd consider what it has to be a timeline as well. Apple has just changed the look of the timeline, it's split instead of just being one long horizontal line. That has advantages and disadvantages. His post is right, there are many features that people claim are missing that are actually in the program.

 

[martinmartin]

Steve loves you. OK - he probably thinks pretty highly of me as well, given how much cash we send Apple's way. However, the missing features are pretty significant and, one would think, pretty easy to add back in since they are in every other video app they have. It wouldn't have been that hard to allow one to highlight the effects area, have a tab next to the text, transition, etc. tool bar, and apply. I had a nice short clip of our cat flipping around chasing her tail - the kids love it. I wanted to put it to music and do a slo-mo.....

Rip from camera - OK
Put in iMovie '08 - OK
Grab part of clip to put in slo-mo - OK
Select effects - hmmmmm those used to be around here somewhere - check help - ah there they are - surprise just in help, not the app - TOTALLY missing.
Export section for slo-mo - OK
Import into iMovie 6 - OK
Slo-mo - OK
Export back to iMovie 08 - OK
Finally get a movie created and sent to iWeb and then .mac - OK

Now - that's not an editing process I expect from a company like Apple. I actually buy my own computer to use at work because I want to use a Mac and not a Windows box, so this is really disappointing to me. I really hope they fix this prior to iLife '10.

There are a lot of new features I really like, but this special effects was one of those previously highly touted features that made iMovie really fun.

I'm with you.

I'm a new mac user. My MBP came with iMovie HD which I didn't use bc I hadn't transferred my DV video to the computer yet. Then I bought iLife08 and started playing with iMovie 08. I was impressed with Steve's presentation, but when I made my first movie, I tried to put a clip into slow motion (someone doing a flip on a wakeboard). I couldn't find how to do slow mo, so I searched help - which told me to click the effects button. I spent some time searching for that button before I searched google 'imovie 08 slow motion' and realized that there is no effects button and there is no slow motion! And that the directions pointing to the 'effects' button are from iMovie 06.

I still like the app, but I think something like slow motion would be a pretty basic function to incorporate.

I don't really have a problem springing for FCE, but I don't really have the time to learn how to use it - and I suspect I wouldn't really need 90% of what it can do. I bought Aperture, which isn't an intuitive program by any means - but these professional programs really can't be intuitive, though. I worry that FCE would be even tougher to learn and master.

iMovie 08 is a very cool app for beginners. Posting to .mac and youtube are sweet features. In my opinion, though, adding a few other items such as slow mo and some other basic editing features would make it a fantastic app.

Cheers.