iMovie questions

Eric Brown · May 15th, 2007, 01:38 PM

Hey, Stu

I saw just saw this post today so I'm assuming you have this solved by now? Before IMovie fires up it will display a window asking what type of footage you will be importing.
Are you possibly by-passing this without having the "widescreen DV" box checked?

Gabriel Yeager · May 18th, 2007, 01:09 PM

Hi,

I started making a time-lapse of a sunrise in Imovie today. I just planed on piecing all the footage together and putting transitions on them to make them blend nicer, then highlight all the clips and use the speed-up tool in the effects.

Well, I did that, and it got me nowhere. All that happened was it made it go about 4 minutes faster (there is about 35 minutes of footage in real time)...

Could someone help with this please? I have to have this done by monday for the UWOL challenge here in DVinfo.

Thanks in advance! Any advice is appreciated!
~Gabriel

Martin Labelle · May 18th, 2007, 01:23 PM

hi gabriel
I don't understand when you say it got me nowhere.
are you recording with the isight, you just have to select isight then choose capture a frame every... i usually use 1 every 30 sec press record.
after when you edit you can slow it or fast the sequence.
P.s the sequence is only visible after its been captured

Gabriel Yeager · May 18th, 2007, 02:27 PM

Hi Martin.

There is one thing that I forgot to mention thats kind of important. It was recorded at 29.97 frames per a second on a miniDV tape using my Canon Elura 100.

Umm, I am not sure I understand? I imported the full 35 or so minutes of the footage and I am just editing it raw on Imovie. I used a firewire cable to import it straight in. Does this answer your question?

Thanks for the help!
~Gabriel

Martin Labelle · May 18th, 2007, 03:52 PM

I always record time lapse with my macbook pro and I am not sure if you can do what you want but there is probably a way.
you should check the site istopmotion.com or this may help you http://www.danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/...cks/6016.shtml

Bob Thompson · May 18th, 2007, 04:07 PM

Gabriel,

For future timelapse shots, may I suggest DVTimelapse software. I take my camera and macbook out into the field and run a firewire between them and capture direct to Macbook in timelapse and onto DV tape (in the camera in real time - as a backup).

Bob

For your challenge footage, try using less number of shots and longer dissolves between the cuts. When one disolve finishes the next dissolve should start so that in the end the sequence will look like one continual dissolve

Tim Dashwood · May 18th, 2007, 04:30 PM

There are a couple of software solutions to capture your 35 minutes of tape as timelapse.

I like BTVPro, but it hasn't been updated since 2002. http://www.bensoftware.com/

iStopMotion is another, newer app from Boinx. http://www.istopmotion.com
It also has unattended timelapse.

In either case you can just hit play on your tape and start capture timelapse frames with the software. I like that BTV Pro has the option for "long-exposures." It simulates long exposures by combining frames. This way you can get those long "neon lights" when doing nighttime street shots.

Cole McDonald · May 18th, 2007, 04:53 PM

you'll have to speed up the clip (i think it'll only allow 150%), export, reimport and repeat a couple of times until you have the desired clip length. iMovie is a consumer product for making home movies. You could get the free version of avid from their site and use that however.

Gabriel Yeager · May 18th, 2007, 05:54 PM

Thanks everyone! I'll be sure to remember that next time...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole McDonald

you'll have to speed up the clip (i think it'll only allow 150%), export, reimport and repeat a couple of times until you have the desired clip length. iMovie is a consumer product for making home movies. You could get the free version of avid from their site and use that however.

Thanks Cole, that is what I was looking for. I was expecting thats what I would have to do... What would you recommend for export? Just hit the full quality?

Thanks again everyone!
~Gabriel

Cole McDonald · May 18th, 2007, 06:28 PM

have to keep it full quality or you'll start to notice loss from it. I would recommend something other than iMovie for it...there are other free options.

Gabriel Yeager · May 18th, 2007, 09:39 PM

Ok, great. Thanks for all the information! I very much appreciate it!

I'll get started on that right away.
~Gabriel

Keith Davey · May 23rd, 2007, 03:29 AM

Although I do not have a Canon XH-A1 yet ( I am saving up the $6000 for the Australian price), I have been experimenting with a Sony single-chip HD camera. I have been switching between DV-cam on 16:9 and the High Definition format also on 16:9. When attempting to import into iMovie I have had to open up a new file a couple of times and then save the first couple of shots to it, and then iMovie seems to sort itself out and can then import in the correct format. I also found I had to turn off the letterboxing selection when shooting in DV-cam.

Once iMovie sorts out that it wants to import as a certain format, it sometimes took a few goes before I could get it to recognise the other format. If you shoot in one format only, I imagine there's not a problem.

After editing in iMovie you then click on "Share" and select "Quicktime", then "Expert Settings". Select "Export" to "Quicktime Movie". Click on the "Options" Button and under Video click on "Settings". Now you will get a whole list of options on what you wish your final video to be. You will need further advice on this depending upon where you wish to use your video. In Australia (PAL) I might select DV-Pro (Pal). At the selector box bottom select "16:9" and whatever quality setting you want, and off you go by clicking "OK". I hope this helps. Keith

Randy Zeitman · June 17th, 2007, 10:18 PM

I have a USB Mic, a Canon ZR700, and an iBook G3 (USB 1). In iMovie it records the video via FireWire...and the audio ONLY when I click the audio tab...but never both at the same time (BUT!...the last time I did this and it worked fine was when I had an iBook G4 which I just found out has USB 2).

Is this the reason or am I missing something? (It also doesn't presently work on my G4 Dual which is also USB 1....if I had a USB 2 Mac here to try it with I wouldn't be posting...)

Phil Kay · June 18th, 2007, 03:20 AM

When I try to convert a 2 minute movie to mediaplayer in imovie it limits the clip to 30 seconds. How can I stop this?

Greg Boston · June 18th, 2007, 12:10 PM

By purchasing the full version of Flip-4-Mac. You apparently have the trial version installed which has this limitation imposed.

-gb-

May 18th, 2007, 01:09 PM	#362
Gabriel Yeager Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Washington, NorthWest USA Posts: 788	Making a Time-Lapse In Imovie or Other Free Software? Hi, I started making a time-lapse of a sunrise in Imovie today. I just planed on piecing all the footage together and putting transitions on them to make them blend nicer, then highlight all the clips and use the speed-up tool in the effects. Well, I did that, and it got me nowhere. All that happened was it made it go about 4 minutes faster (there is about 35 minutes of footage in real time)... Could someone help with this please? I have to have this done by monday for the UWOL challenge here in DVinfo. Thanks in advance! Any advice is appreciated! ~Gabriel __________________ Gabriel Photography

May 18th, 2007, 02:27 PM	#364
Gabriel Yeager Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Washington, NorthWest USA Posts: 788	Hi Martin. There is one thing that I forgot to mention thats kind of important. It was recorded at 29.97 frames per a second on a miniDV tape using my Canon Elura 100. Umm, I am not sure I understand? I imported the full 35 or so minutes of the footage and I am just editing it raw on Imovie. I used a firewire cable to import it straight in. Does this answer your question? Thanks for the help! ~Gabriel __________________ Gabriel Photography

May 18th, 2007, 04:30 PM	#367
Tim Dashwood Wrangler Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 3,637	There are a couple of software solutions to capture your 35 minutes of tape as timelapse. I like BTVPro, but it hasn't been updated since 2002. http://www.bensoftware.com/ iStopMotion is another, newer app from Boinx. http://www.istopmotion.com It also has unattended timelapse. In either case you can just hit play on your tape and start capture timelapse frames with the software. I like that BTV Pro has the option for "long-exposures." It simulates long exposures by combining frames. This way you can get those long "neon lights" when doing nighttime street shots. __________________ Tim Dashwood

May 18th, 2007, 04:53 PM	#368
Cole McDonald Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sauk Rapids, MN, USA Posts: 1,675	you'll have to speed up the clip (i think it'll only allow 150%), export, reimport and repeat a couple of times until you have the desired clip length. iMovie is a consumer product for making home movies. You could get the free version of avid from their site and use that however. __________________ Web Youtube Facebook

May 18th, 2007, 06:28 PM	#370
Cole McDonald Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sauk Rapids, MN, USA Posts: 1,675	have to keep it full quality or you'll start to notice loss from it. I would recommend something other than iMovie for it...there are other free options. __________________ Web Youtube Facebook

May 15th, 2007, 01:38 PM	#361
Eric Brown Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 427	Hey, Stu I saw just saw this post today so I'm assuming you have this solved by now? Before IMovie fires up it will display a window asking what type of footage you will be importing. Are you possibly by-passing this without having the "widescreen DV" box checked?

May 18th, 2007, 01:23 PM	#363
Martin Labelle Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: montreal Posts: 170	hi gabriel I don't understand when you say it got me nowhere. are you recording with the isight, you just have to select isight then choose capture a frame every... i usually use 1 every 30 sec press record. after when you edit you can slow it or fast the sequence. P.s the sequence is only visible after its been captured

May 18th, 2007, 03:52 PM	#365
Martin Labelle Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: montreal Posts: 170	I always record time lapse with my macbook pro and I am not sure if you can do what you want but there is probably a way. you should check the site istopmotion.com or this may help you http://www.danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/...cks/6016.shtml

May 18th, 2007, 04:07 PM	#366
Bob Thompson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 340	Gabriel, For future timelapse shots, may I suggest DVTimelapse software. I take my camera and macbook out into the field and run a firewire between them and capture direct to Macbook in timelapse and onto DV tape (in the camera in real time - as a backup). Bob For your challenge footage, try using less number of shots and longer dissolves between the cuts. When one disolve finishes the next dissolve should start so that in the end the sequence will look like one continual dissolve

May 18th, 2007, 09:39 PM	#371
Gabriel Yeager Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Washington, NorthWest USA Posts: 788	Ok, great. Thanks for all the information! I very much appreciate it! I'll get started on that right away. ~Gabriel __________________ Gabriel Photography

May 23rd, 2007, 03:29 AM	#372
Keith Davey Tourist Join Date: May 2007 Location: Lake Macquarie NSW Australia Posts: 1	HD Video recording in iMovie Although I do not have a Canon XH-A1 yet ( I am saving up the $6000 for the Australian price), I have been experimenting with a Sony single-chip HD camera. I have been switching between DV-cam on 16:9 and the High Definition format also on 16:9. When attempting to import into iMovie I have had to open up a new file a couple of times and then save the first couple of shots to it, and then iMovie seems to sort itself out and can then import in the correct format. I also found I had to turn off the letterboxing selection when shooting in DV-cam. Once iMovie sorts out that it wants to import as a certain format, it sometimes took a few goes before I could get it to recognise the other format. If you shoot in one format only, I imagine there's not a problem. After editing in iMovie you then click on "Share" and select "Quicktime", then "Expert Settings". Select "Export" to "Quicktime Movie". Click on the "Options" Button and under Video click on "Settings". Now you will get a whole list of options on what you wish your final video to be. You will need further advice on this depending upon where you wish to use your video. In Australia (PAL) I might select DV-Pro (Pal). At the selector box bottom select "16:9" and whatever quality setting you want, and off you go by clicking "OK". I hope this helps. Keith

June 17th, 2007, 10:18 PM	#373
Randy Zeitman Tourist Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upper Darby, Pa Posts: 2	Mac iBook USB 1; A/V Separate Sources; iMovie 5 or 6. I have a USB Mic, a Canon ZR700, and an iBook G3 (USB 1). In iMovie it records the video via FireWire...and the audio ONLY when I click the audio tab...but never both at the same time (BUT!...the last time I did this and it worked fine was when I had an iBook G4 which I just found out has USB 2). Is this the reason or am I missing something? (It also doesn't presently work on my G4 Dual which is also USB 1....if I had a USB 2 Mac here to try it with I wouldn't be posting...)

June 18th, 2007, 03:20 AM	#374
Phil Kay Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Peel,Isle of Man(UK) Posts: 194	imovie to mediaplayer problems When I try to convert a 2 minute movie to mediaplayer in imovie it limits the clip to 30 seconds. How can I stop this? __________________ Canon XH-A1,SGPRO flip,Apple imac,FCExpress http://www.pbase.com/philkneen

June 18th, 2007, 12:10 PM	#375
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	By purchasing the full version of Flip-4-Mac. You apparently have the trial version installed which has this limitation imposed. -gb-