iMovie Quick Directions

Open iMovie:

-Click the iMovie icon in the Dock at the bottom of the screen. OR double click the system hard drive. Click ÒApplications.Ó Then double click ÒiMovie.Ó

Importing a Video:

-Open the iMovie program. Use a FireWire to connect the DV camcorder to the computer. Turn the camcorder to VCR mode (on some camcorders itÕs called VTR). Click and drag the blue dot at the bottom of the screen from the scissors icon to the movie icon.

-Choose ÒPreferencesÓ from the iMovie menu. Click the box to the left of ÒAutomatically Start New Clip at Scene Break.Ó

-Click ÒImport.Ó Each clip imported shows in the ClipÕs pane. To start and stop importing, click Import or press the spacebar. When iMovie is in camcorder mode, the playback buttons at the bottom of the screen control the camcorder.

Adding Clips to a Movie:

-To choose a single clip, click it and hold down the mouse key. To choose several clips hold down the ÒAppleÓ key while clicking on the clips. Then click any one of the selected clips and hold down the mouse button. Drag the clip to the timeline and release the mouse button.

-Clips can also be added to the Timeline by clicking on the chosen clip.  Then choose ÒCutÓ from the Edit menu to delete the clip from its current location and move it to another location.  Or choose ÒCopyÓ from the Edit menu to copy the clip and then move it to another location. Click the Timeline where the clip needs to be placed. Choose ÒPasteÓ from the Edit menu.

Switching Views in iMovie:

-Click the reel of film or the clock in the bottom left of the screen to change views in iMovie OR press the ÒAppleÓ key and ÒEÓ

Changing Clip Order in the Clip Viewer:

-Click a clip and hold down the mouse button. Drag the clip to the desired position and release the mouse button.

-The Clip Viewer is ideal when first assembling a movie and for experimenting with clip sequence.  Use the Timeline Viewer to fine-tune the movie by doing things such as working with the sound, trimming clips, and changing the speed of the video.

Cropping Clips (marks footage to keep):

-Select a clip to crop by clicking on the clip. A clip that is already added to the timeline can also be cropped.

-Click the dashed ruler area beneath the movie. Triangle markers will appear. Drag the triangle markers left or right to crop the clip. The area between the arrows is the portion that will be kept. The length of the clip is displayed as it is cropped. To fine-tune cropping, click a cropping arrow. Then use the keyboard arrows to move the arrow in the desired direction.

-To review a cropped clip, drag the playhead left and right

-Choose ÒCropÓ from the Edit menu or push the ÒAppleÓ key and ÒKÓ

Trimming Clips (marks footage to get rid of):

-Click the dashed ruler area beneath the movie. Drag the arrows to select the portion of clip to delete. Choose ÒClearÓ from the Edit menu or press delete on the keyboard.

-Use trimming only to remove footage from the very beginning or very end of a clip. If footage is deleted from the middle of a video clip, it will make an awkward jump in the action.

Restoring Cropped Clips:

-To get back footage that was wrongly cropped, select the clip by clicking on it

-Choose ÒRestore ClipÓ from the Advanced menu

-Reclaim disk space by emptying the Trash periodically. To do this, choose ÒEmpty TrashÓ from the File menu. However, be aware that once the Trash is emptied, the cropped out footage canÕt be restored.

Adding Bookmarks:

-A bookmark serves as a post it note of sorts. Position the playhead where you want the bookmark to be. Press the ÒApple KeyÓ and ÒB.Ó

-You can add a bookmark while the movie is playing by pressing ÒApple KeyÓ and ÒBÓ at the desired time of the bookmark

Creating a Chapter Marker:

-A chapter marker marks a certain important point in the movie.  This will save time.  Instead of Fast forwarding or rewinding through a movie to find a specific part, a chapter marker can be clicked on to immediately go to that part of the movie. 

-Position the playhead at the desired location of a chapter marker. There cannot be a chapter marker withing the first one second of the movie and there must be at least one second between each chapter marker. A marker will automatically be created for the beginning of the movie.

-Click the ÒiDVDÓ button at the bottom right of the screen. Click ÒAdd Chapter.Ó A yellow diamond will be displayed at each chapter markerÕs location.

-Continue this process to create as many chapters as desired up to 99 chapter markers.

Naming a Chapter:

-Click the ÒScene SelectionÓ button at the bottom of the screen. Each chapter marker that was created was made into a link of sorts. These links were automatically given a name and these names are displayed.

-Double click the existing name to be changed. Type a new name for the chapter.

Playing Back Entire Project:

-Move the playhead button to the beginning of the movie

-Click the ÒPlayÓ button at the bottom left of the screen