Problems with iMovie importing Video files to edit

[firenix]

Greetings from a newbie(ish)
Ive had a MacBook for a few months now and am creating videos using iMovie in the short term cuz I heard its easier - im teaching myself to create Promo videos as im a performer
Its been fine importing from my DV camera but now I need to import some video files i'd saved on my external hard drive from my previous Acer laptop
It was in a wmv so ive used handbrake to convert to both a mov and m4v files even to avi as the 1st 2 formats iMovie wouldnt allow me to import (they were shown in grey) so I put into an avi as MPEG-4 both FFmpeg and XVid
iMovie did let me import file but then there was nothing showing upon completion HOWEVER it did show my hard drove had dropped, so I went in search - couldnt get to in finder had to go 'by hand' through into iMovie application and individual projects and delete by hand!!!
CRAZY!!
PLEASE help me im going CRAZY and have literally spent ALL day trying to import this one file!!!
What to do?

 

[Mattaut]

It was in a wmv so ive used handbrake to convert to both a mov and m4v files even to avi as the 1st 2 formats iMovie wouldnt allow me to import (they were shown in grey)

So the clips were in the event clip viewer, but all the thumbnails were grey? This just means that iMovie didn't generate thumbnails properly. If this is the problem then quit out of iMovie and on your computer go to Movies/iMovie Events/[Event Name]/iMovie Thumbnails and delete all the thumbnails. Then re-open iMovie and it will generate new thumbnails. Hope this helps, not sure if I understood your problem correctly.

 

[hunor]

Hi

I made a .mov file with DVDxDVPro, and when I import it to iMovie some of it is missing. I tried with an other converter, the same happened, and I found a kind of a sign in it: a place where iMovie cuts it when importing.

It's a short, 1 min trailer, and the last (most important) 4-5 seconds are cut off.
I tried to open iMovie outside my account (Users/Shared) but it didn't help.

What should I do?

 

[xStep]

What should I do?

Well first, you shouldn't try hijacking another thread. You should start you own.

I suggest you check with the manufacturer. If you have an option to make the rip longer, beyond the problem point, then try that. Or try ripping from that point as a starting point for a second rip sequence than combine the two.

 

[xStep]

Your WMV file is a mystery to us. I would try FFmpeg to convert to a .DV file or .MOV file with something like MP4, H.264 or AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec) in it.

DO NOT convert to an AVI file. I haven't played with that, but I suspect that causes problems for the Apple video editing software based on the number of times I've seen problems mentioned and the acronym AVI is involved in the text. Maybe one day I'll waste time looking into it.

 

[firenix]

Got round problem

Thanks for your advice guys
I actually tried another way right after 1st posting without reading your suggestions which worked!!
I saved in IPhoto then opened in iMovie from there
So I havent tried the other ways
I have to say though ALL this trouble with iMovie makes me wanna use another vif edting program - considering Mac's asupposed to be THE creative laptop.....not impressed with the basic software