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First (failed) attempt at iMovie

H

hampshireman

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 9, 2008
118
0
Hampshire
Non techie here guys OK. I have used Quicktime OK till now but have been recommended iMovie and would like to try it.

I have recorded sample footage on my camcorder and connected to to my Mac and an .avi file shows up.

I open iMovie and I cannot get past two prompts. Create project or Open Existing Project. Create won't open it saying the avi already exists and do I want to replace it and it will be over ridden if i do, and Open just won't do anything with it.

In Help, there is no mention of these two prompts.

Any help would be appreciated please.
 
I'm guessing by "Create project or Open Existing Project" that you are using iMovie6HD? Can you create a new project without the camera connected? iMovie shoudn't recognise the camera anyway. It only picks up DV tape camcorders. You will have to drag the avi file into the Clips panel.
 
Thanks Dave. I have iMovie 3 that's all.

I can try that method of downloading the movie onto desktop and disconnect the camera and then drag it. I will also have to find out where the clips panel is.
 
If your iMovie3 window looks something like this:

imovie3.jpg


then click on the Clips button and it should show the Clip panel/viewer. Just drag your movie into it. That's how iMovie6 works and it doesn't look that different.
 
Thanks again Dave. Every time I open it I get those two prompts and can't get past them. Here is the screen shot. It only seems to want DIVX stuff if I try the Create option.
 

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Create a new project and save it anywhere on your HD. iMovie doesn't open your video file directly the way quicktime does, it has to create a new file for a project that ultimately stores not only the video file, but also sounds, effects, etc. you might add. This file will have a different extension than common video formats, "filename.iMovieProj" if I remember correctly.

You can then edit your video, make cuts, add sounds, apply effects, etc. and export it as ".mov" when you are finished.

As for getting your video into that project file, you should be able to just drag it in there from finder, like another poster has already mentioned. Alternatively, you can import it directly from the camera.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks chaosbunny, but sorry I am a thick non techie.

I record something on my camera.
I connect the camera to the computer and up pops it's icon.
The file in it is an .avi video with a Quicktime logo on the file.
iMovie won't let me open it.

So - how do I create a project and save it on my Hd as you say?
Or maybe i should convert it to a Divx if that's possible, then try iMovie?
 
Thanks again for this help. So many solutions.
I can't drag it to iMovie window. I go Create and it only looks for Divx.
I only use Mac 10.4.11 very basic set up here on old powermac g4
Dave is that two separate options you gave me? Convert and Export? Or is Convert then export?
Where the hell is the Apple Intermediate Codec ps?
 
Dave is that two separate options you gave me? Convert and Export? Or is Convert then export?
Click to expand...
Sorry, it's one and the same really.

Open your .avi file with MPEGStreamclip. From the File menu, select Export to Quicktime:

Export.png


To get the Apple Intermediate Codec,

Click.png


then select.

AIC.png


Set the Frame Size and Quality slider to your preference. If vertical lines in your movie look jagged in the result, do it again but tick the "De-interlace Video" button.

Screenshot2011-05-23at153025.png
 
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