Working with iMovie: The Basics

Working with iMovie:The Basics Created by MJ

Importing Video Footage • attach your camera to your computer and set to VTR mode • move the camera button to camera mode (as shown above)

Importing Video Footage • use the playback controls to view the tape in the iMovie monitor • rewind the tape to a few seconds before the point where you want to start importing • click “Play” • click “Import” when you see the scene you want to start importing • click “Stop” when you want to stop importing

Editing Movie Clips • move the camera button to camera mode (yellow) • use the clip viewer (blue) to edit your video clips • use the timeline viewer (red) to edit the speed and/or sound of your video clips

Editing Movie Clips • select the clip in the clip viewer • drag the crop markers (green) to mark the beginning and end of the clip you want to select • you can use the shift key + arrow key to move the crop markers one frame at a time • now you can crop, copy or trim this selection

Cropping Movie Clips • cropping will remove ALL video footage that is OUTSIDE the crop markers • drag the crop markers to the beginning and end of the footage you want to KEEP • choose “edit”, “crop” in the menu bar • any footage that is outside the crop markers will disappear / be trashed

Trimming Movie Clips • trimming will remove ALL video footage that is INSIDE the crop markers • drag the crop markers to the beginning and end of the footage you want to GET RID OF • choose “edit”, “clear” in the menu bar • any footage that is inside the crop markers will disappear / be trashed

Splitting Movie Clips • drag the playhead (red) to the spot where you want to split the video • choose “edit”, “split video clip at playhead” in the menu bar • you can now insert another clip, insert a title / text, or move one part of the split video to another area in your movie

Cutting, Copying & Pasting Movie Clips • drag the crop markers to the beginning and end of the footage you want to select • choose “edit”, then “cut” or “copy” in the menu bar (cut removes the selected video from its current location, copy leaves the footage but allows you to place a copy of it elsewhere) • place the playhead in the location that you want to place this footage • choose “edit”, “paste” (placing the playhead in the middle of a clip will be split the video and the new footage will be inserted)

Rearranging Movie Clips • select clip viewer mode (blue) • click, drag and release video clips to rearrange their order

Changing the Speed of a Clip • choose the timeline viewer • select the clip you wish to change the speed of • drag the speed slide bar (red) to make your clip faster or slower

Changing the Directionof a Clip • select the clip you wish to change the direction of • choose “advanced”, “reverse clip direction” in the menu bar

Adding Effects to Your Movie: The Tab Bar • use the tab bar, which is located just below the shelf, to select various iMovie options: clips, photos, audio, titles, transitions, effects, iDVD • click on an icon tab to edit / add that option to your movie

Adding Photos • click the “photos tab” • choose a photo album from the popup menu (red) • choose a photo in the photos pane (blue) • use the slider to adjust the time that the photo will play for (green)

Adding Photos • adjust the zoom slider (blue) to zoom in or out on the photo • check the Ken Burns Effect box (red) if you wish to add a panning movement to your photo • click “apply” (green) or drag the photo to the clip viewer (*click “apply” (green) if you used the Ken Burns Effect)

Creating Still Frames • move the playhead to the desired spot of your movie that you wish to create a still frame of • choose“edit”, “create still frame” in the menu bar • this will create a 5 second still frame of the footage showing in the movie monitor • the still frame will appear on the “clips shelf”; you can then drag it to the desired position in the clip viewer

Title Frames • click the “titles tab” • select a title style from the list (blue) • click the arrow buttons to select the text movement direction (red) • type your text in the text field boxes (use +/- if available to add/delete lines) (yellow) • select “over black” for text to appear with a black background (green)

Title Frames • click the color box to select a text color (pink) • choose a font style from the pop-up menu (blue) • drag the text size slider to increase/decrease text (purple) • drag the speed slider and pause slider to change the duration of the title (red) • click “preview” to preview your title (green)

Title Frames • if exporting movie for viewing on a TV, deselect the “QT margins” box so title is not cut off screen (blue) • click “update” if changing an existing title (green) • drag the title from the list to just before the clip where you want it to appear (red)

Transitions • click the transitions tab • choose a transition effect from the list (red) • adjust the speed / time the transition will take using the slide bar (blue) *note that a transition can NOT be longer than the length of the clip you attach it to* • if available, click the arrows button to select the transition movement direction (pink)

Transitions • click “preview” to preview your transition (green) • click “update” if changing an existing transition (green) • drag the transition from the list to between the two clips where you want it to occur (red)

Special Effects • click the effects tab • choose an effect from the list (red) • adjust the timing of the effect, coming in and going out, using the slide bars (blue) • if desired, adjust the hue, color and/or lightness using the slide bars (green) • click “preview” to preview your effect (yellow)

Features of Sound Editing Created by Janet Balcom & Dave Jones, September 2005

Extracting Audio • Select clip from iMovie to extract audio. • Use “Advanced Menu” at top. Choose “Extract Audio”.

Audio will be placed on its own track and will be purple. • A yellow pin will keep track in position and locked to its video clip.

Removing Locked Sound Clip • To remove this sound clip, unlock by going to “Advanced Menu” and selecting “Unlock”. • Once unlocked, yellow pin disappears and the sound byte may be moved or deleted.

Changing Placement of Sound Clip • If moving a sound byte it can be relocked at the playhead position. • If deleting a sound byte, ensure that it is unlocked.

Repeating Sound Clip • Any sound clip may be repeated by selecting sound clip, copying it, and then pasting it. • The copy will be layered directly on top of the original clip. It must be dragged to the left or right to work with it. • Simply drag and drop to new location.

Editing Volume of Sound Clips • Select the timeline view to see the two sound tracks that you will be working with. • At the bottom of the screen, check box “Edit Volume”. • A horizontal line will appear through all of your extracted or inserted sound clips.

Use your mouse to click on different points along the horizontal line to edit the sound volume either up or down. • These points may be moved at will by clicking and dragging.

Troubleshooting • If you are having difficulty hearing your tracks, verify the boxes located to the end on the right hand side of your sound tracks. Make sure they are turned on with a checked box for each sound track that you require.

Importing Sound • Still in timeline mode, select “Audio” from the menu to the right just above the timeline. • Insert cd. • Place the playhead where you want the music to start. • Select the song or sound clip of choice. • Click on “Place at Playhead” and the sound will be imported into the second sound track.

The sound track may be shortened by using the grey tabs at either end of the sound clip and choosing crop from the edit menu. The portion cropped is retreivable through “Edit: Undo Crop” only up until you hit save. • Sound clips may be selected from iTunes in the same manner.

Internet Sound Files • Any files extracted from the internet on a Mac, automatically get stored in iTunes.

Working with iMovie: The Basics