iMovie 11 export has some nasty artifacts

[cgbier]

Is it possible that the issue is rather the combination of Canon's AVCHD flavor and AIC? I've been using AIC for years without any problem in FCE/FCS, even the few times I had AVCHD on my desk.

I could imagine that AIC doesn't really know what to do with the modern, higher bitrate compression schemes that are used, compared to the original AVCHD.
Try to shoot the old fashioned 17mbps if you get the same artifacts.

AIC is a nice codec, but it's getting a bit long in the tooth, and I'm not sure if Apple has ever updated it.

 

[cyclotron451]

You can retrieve the prores codecs from (1) using (2), ... Export to Quicktime with any "Apple ProRes 422" variant). Then when you import to iMovie, it should skip the usual conversion to AIC. ....

Thanks DisMyMac, I'm another happy client who tried this bunch of codecs and found them a big improvement on iMovie'11 editing of the output from my Olympus PEN E-PL1 720P video. In fact, I'll be buying FCP X as I wish to learn more about editing; after having tried the codecs can see that it's much better quality than the consumer product. (I was getting posterizing on blacks and also motion variation throughout the vid with just AIC)

 

[BunnyBites]

It works~

Conspiracy theory states that Apple Intermediate Codec is to blame, and the only solution (thanks to ) is to buy FCPX which uses the ProRes codec. There is an alternative however...

(1) http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1396
(2) http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/16357/unpkg

You can retrieve the prores codecs from (1) using (2), then use MPEG Streamclip (for example, Export to Quicktime with any "Apple ProRes 422" variant). Then when you import to iMovie, it should skip the usual conversion to AIC. I haven't actually edited this way, but I know exporting straight to iDVD works.

I followed what you said and uploaded a test video to Youtube with my t3i. Omg, thank you so much! I kept getting really terrible quality with Imovie 11' and the quality is really close to the original.

I'm not sure if anyone else have tried/I bumped an oldish thread but it really works and makes Imovie bearable without buying a legit good editing software.

I still need to play around with editing in Imovie to see if the quality remains like my test video but so far, the quality is really good.

Thank you again - I only registered to comment here, ha.. haha.

 

[cascaman]

My problem is the following:

- Import footage with iMovie from Canon HF-11 (so, transcoded in AIC) -> horrible artifacts in dark zones.

- Transcode AVCHD to ProRes from HF-11 with FCPX, then import into iMovie. I make a little 1 minute test project with 2 sequences and 1 transition between them. Export with iMovie in ProRes format. Excellent image quality.

- BUT if instead of my little test project I try to make a trailer, when I export to ProRes, the image is again horrible. It seems as if iMovie transcode the image into AIC when I try to make a trailer.

So... it is not possible to make a decent trailer with iMovie 8-(

 

[Ifti]

Experiencing the same issue here.

Would the following work?

1. Import capture into iMovie and edit as normal (the preview window in iMovie shows god quality - no artifacts or banding in dark areas etc, which leads me to believe its when iMovie exports that this happens?).

2. Once project is finished in iMovie - open FCPX and import the project into FCPX (would this keep all my PIP, audio, voiceovers, and transitions intact??).

3. Export the project to a file using FCPX instead.

Apparently this should yeild much better results - I will try it tonight, but has anyone else given this a shot already?

 

[rusty2192]

Experiencing the same issue here.

Would the following work?

1. Import capture into iMovie and edit as normal (the preview window in iMovie shows god quality - no artifacts or banding in dark areas etc, which leads me to believe its when iMovie exports that this happens?).

2. Once project is finished in iMovie - open FCPX and import the project into FCPX (would this keep all my PIP, audio, voiceovers, and transitions intact??).

3. Export the project to a file using FCPX instead.

Apparently this should yeild much better results - I will try it tonight, but has anyone else given this a shot already?

Did you get a chance to try this?

I am desperate right now. I have just finished editing the video for my cousin's wedding. I have at least 50 hours of editing in it already and when I just exported straight from iMovie 11 to iTunes, the outcome is unacceptable. Horrible artifacts anywhere that is even remotely dark. It never looked like this in the preview windows in iMovie.

This is from both a Canon T2i and Canon Vixia video camera, both at high settings. And I do still have all of the raw footage, but if I have to start over, that is every bit of my time down the drain.

If I export using QuickTime as suggested above, what settings should I be using? My ultimate output will be a DVD and digital format in as high quality as possible.

 

[daybreak]

Why would you export it to iTUNES???????

 

[rusty2192]

Why would you export it to iTUNES???????

Simple. To stream it to the Apple TV to see it on the tv rather than my little iMac. Like I said, my final product will be a DVD and digital format.

It is currently exporting via QuickTime using some settings, but I don't know if they are the best. It estimated 5 hours until completion for my 69 minute video.

 

[Ifti]

Did you get a chance to try this?

I am desperate right now. I have just finished editing the video for my cousin's wedding. I have at least 50 hours of editing in it already and when I just exported straight from iMovie 11 to iTunes, the outcome is unacceptable. Horrible artifacts anywhere that is even remotely dark. It never looked like this in the preview windows in iMovie.

This is from both a Canon T2i and Canon Vixia video camera, both at high settings. And I do still have all of the raw footage, but if I have to start over, that is every bit of my time down the drain.

If I export using QuickTime as suggested above, what settings should I be using? My ultimate output will be a DVD and digital format in as high quality as possible.

Yes I did try the above, andit didnt go too well.
Imported the project to FCPX perfectly fine - it kep all transitions and edits etc in place, and also pulled over the events associated with the project.

Whenever I tried to export FCPX would just crash after a few mins of rendering! Not sure why this happens as FCPX works and exports projects created within it perfectly fine, but didnt want to export the iMovie imported file for some reason.

I have the same issue though - in the iMovie preview window everything looks fine - so I dont think its an issue with my recorded video, or with the import procress. Its not AIC causing the issues either, since in the preview its fine. It all points towards the actual export process.

Ive tried several different settings when exporting and always seem to get the same.
I guess my solution for now is to get more light onto my subject so that I dont have the darker patches! Either that or I may try moving across to FCPX (reluctantly).

Its a shame since it messes up an otherwise good piece of software.

 

[rusty2192]

Experiencing the same issue here.

Would the following work?

1. Import capture into iMovie and edit as normal (the preview window in iMovie shows god quality - no artifacts or banding in dark areas etc, which leads me to believe its when iMovie exports that this happens?).

2. Once project is finished in iMovie - open FCPX and import the project into FCPX (would this keep all my PIP, audio, voiceovers, and transitions intact??).

3. Export the project to a file using FCPX instead.

Apparently this should yeild much better results - I will try it tonight, but has anyone else given this a shot already?

Did you get a chance to try this?

I am desperate right now. I have just finished editing the video for my cousin's wedding. I have at least 50 hours of editing in it already and when I just exported straight from iMovie 11 to iTunes, the outcome is unacceptable. Horrible artifacts anywhere that is even remotely dark. It never looked like this in the preview windows in iMovie.

This is from both a Canon T2i and Canon Vixia video camera, both at high settings. And I do still have all of the raw footage, but if I have to start over, that is every bit of my time down the drain.

If I export using QuickTime as suggested above, what settings should I be using? My ultimate output will be a DVD and digital format in as high quality as possible.

Yes I did try the above, andit didnt go too well.
Imported the project to FCPX perfectly fine - it kep all transitions and edits etc in place, and also pulled over the events associated with the project.

Whenever I tried to export FCPX would just crash after a few mins of rendering! Not sure why this happens as FCPX works and exports projects created within it perfectly fine, but didnt want to export the iMovie imported file for some reason.

I have the same issue though - in the iMovie preview window everything looks fine - so I dont think its an issue with my recorded video, or with the import procress. Its not AIC causing the issues either, since in the preview its fine. It all points towards the actual export process.

Ive tried several different settings when exporting and always seem to get the same.
I guess my solution for now is to get more light onto my subject so that I dont have the darker patches! Either that or I may try moving across to FCPX (reluctantly).

Its a shame since it messes up an otherwise good piece of software.

I just downloaded the FCPX trial and tried exporting from it last night. So far the results are promising. I just imported the iMovie project and everything was there. Without making any changes, I immediately exported as H.264 and this morning the artifacts seem to be gone. It did export it in its native HD resolution instead of downscaling it, so that is my next step to try tonight.

If this doesn't work, my last resort is to just restart from scratch in FCPX and work my butt off to get everything finished before my trial ends.

 

[Ifti]

I just downloaded the FCPX trial and tried exporting from it last night. So far the results are promising. I just imported the iMovie project and everything was there. Without making any changes, I immediately exported as H.264 and this morning the artifacts seem to be gone. It did export it in its native HD resolution instead of downscaling it, so that is my next step to try tonight.

If this doesn't work, my last resort is to just restart from scratch in FCPX and work my butt off to get everything finished before my trial ends.

Sounds good! Which export settings did you use?
I'm going to try mine again when I get some time!

 

[rusty2192]

Sounds good! Which export settings did you use?
I'm going to try mine again when I get some time!

Lets see, I went File > Share > Master File and then on the settings tab I selected H.264 as the video codec and left the rest the default. This output a .mov file that QuickTime has no problem playing. It was in the raw videos native 1080p 29.97 fps. This may not be the best format for me, but it's at least a start in the right direction.

 

[Ifti]

Lets see, I went File > Share > Master File and then on the settings tab I selected H.264 as the video codec and left the rest the default. This output a .mov file that QuickTime has no problem playing. It was in the raw videos native 1080p 29.97 fps. This may not be the best format for me, but it's at least a start in the right direction.

Ah, I dont think I went the Master File route - I'll give that a shot next time

 

[Ifti]

Finally used FCPX this afternoon for a test video.
After having used imovie for several years, fortunately Apple have made FCPX a little more like imovie in style, so the learning curve wasn't too steep.

While creating the project FCPX seemed to crash and close itself once, but luckily it had saved everything anyway. Other then that no issues at all.

The exported video is MUCH better then imovie. No artefacts etc. very happy with the results.
Looks like I'll be using FCPX from now on!

 

[daybreak]

It has the iMovie feel. Make sure you update FCP-X . It is now 10.0.7 and is a bit different then the original FCP-X.

 

[Ifti]

It has the iMovie feel. Make sure you update FCP-X . It is now 10.0.7 and is a bit different then the original FCP-X.

Yeh I updated yesterday. Thanks

 

[RobDee]

Use Handbrake to export from .mov

http://handbrake.fr/

It's much better than export via QT

 

[xStep]

Didn't work for me..

Still the same extremely ugly artifacts

EDIT: Got sucked into this old thread.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Post before and after pictures.

In case it matters here, iMovie versions post version 6 are known to not properly handle standard DV video. Something about skipping lines. I don't believe that has ever been fixed.

 

[sbroadcast]

Conspiracy theory states that Apple Intermediate Codec is to blame, and the only solution (thanks to ) is to buy FCPX which uses the ProRes codec. There is an alternative however...

(1) http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1396
(2) http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/16357/unpkg

You can retrieve the prores codecs from (1) using (2), then use MPEG Streamclip (for example, Export to Quicktime with any "Apple ProRes 422" variant). Then when you import to iMovie, it should skip the usual conversion to AIC. I haven't actually edited this way, but I know exporting straight to iDVD works.

This process did not work for me. When I tried to open the codec .dmg with the unpkg app it said it could not open the file. I have not been able to find another way to open this package.

I'm also looking for a workaround to export acceptable looking video footage. I have been importing .mp4 videos that were converted with Handbrake from .mts. I'm using files provided from another person so I do not have the original camera.

When I import the files they optimize (even when I deselect that option) and then when exporting to quicktime, they produce a HUGE file that is artifacting.

I'm trying to produce the best quality video export to be used for youtube, DVD and uncompressed that I can handoff to someone else. I do not want to directly post to these applications.

Can somebody walk me through a workaround? I'm using imovie 11 on 10.6.8

 

[tuintam]

You must open .dmg (through double click) and then you can access the package file from the new finder window. Just drop it on the umpkg window and it will create a new folder on the desktop.

The pro codec worked for me.

 

[DCstewieG]

A picture is worth a thousand words. Post before and after pictures.

Originally imported from a Canon HV20 using iMovie '09, full resolution. Imported into iMovie '11 without choosing Optimize. Raw video in the iMovie Events folder looks fine, in the screenshot it's the left. The preview window while editing as well as exporting introduces posterization and a maximum resolution of 960x540. It's on the right. You'll notice the awful artifacting of the dark suit right away. Also see how much clearer the camera in the background is in the raw video, as well as a lack of deinterlacing "blur" on the right. It just discarded one set of fields. Grabbing the Apple pro codecs didn't help, it's still a max resolution of 540p.

Downloaded the FCP X trial and imported the iMovie project. The preview window looks like it should. It's still exporting but I'm expecting it to work correctly.

Absolutely ridiculous. Oh I'll be getting Final Cut but Apple won't be getting 300 bucks from me for something I shouldn't need in the first place.

 

[daybreak]

Was that section shoot with Auto Focus?. Look at the power of your white balance and your bench. Perfect. But your person is not.
It is a difficult shoot to get correct if one has little time. Try using the sharpen tool in FCP-X and play around.

 

[Dave Braine]

Disregard.

 

[DCstewieG]

Was that section shoot with Auto Focus?. Look at the power of your white balance and your bench. Perfect. But your person is not.
It is a difficult shoot to get correct if one has little time. Try using the sharpen tool in FCP-X and play around.

Thanks for the tip but that's not my concern right now I'm no pro, this is a friend's wedding. I was using auto focus but the person in this screen is blurry from motion, not focus.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Just wanted to note - iMovie 11 still has this issue and Apple didn't give users who purchased an iLife upgrade the newest edition free.