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My iMovie Projects Do Not Open (see Below What I Know and Dont Know… Help Is Hugely Appreciated!)

my external hard drive crashed.
I DID NOT have documents backed up properly.
….I KNOW….
sigh…
Thanks to Ontrack, I recovered most if not all of the data, and this included the iMovies, I was told. Yet, when trying to open each file, none will open.
I’ve tried almost everything, including:
(1) show package contents (and trying to drag and drop “TimelineMovie.mov from cache to new iMovie)(nothing happens when dropping it into the new iMovie–quicktime opens but then nothing)
(2) show package contents (and clicking on the backup copy with ~ in the file name)(again, nothing happens)
What I know is the following:
(1) The data size is the same as when they were functional.
(2) Yet, when clicking on the icon for the movie, it opens and then I see a prompt that says, “A project file is missing…” If I click “ignore all”, the movie never opens… i see it loading, loading, loading, and then it stops about 3/4 in.
(3) If I dont “ignore all”, the process is the same.
(4) when I go into the media file, i see that all of the data is there
(5) while my new external hard drive(S)…lol… have plenty of space, my current MacBook Pro is maxed out and I operate with just under 1gb of available memory
My questions:
(1) do I have any hope here?
(2) If so, how do I fix these priceless files myself? I know, if priceless, why not backed up? again, sigh…
(3) If too hard for a novice, is there a company who can look at priceless iMovie files and fixes them?
Again, I’ve lost MANY iMovies (and the countless hours and love put into each). I’m willing to go to some lengths to fix them, including paying someone.
Thoughts/advice/suggestions?
Thanks.
Damon
—–
DTaylor

Comments: 3 Responses to “My iMovie Projects Do Not Open (see Below What I Know and Dont Know… Help Is Hugely Appreciated!)”

    12 years ago

    iMovie projects are NOT .mov files. They are in the iMovie Projects folder in your Movies folder. Then the clips are in your iMovie Events folder.
    Look for those two folders and see what you have.

    Damon
    12 years ago

    Thanks, Gary. Is the Events Folder different than the Cache folder (with the last gasp Timeline Movie.mov file record of the film as it was) or the "...~.iMovieProj" file located in the iMovie Projects folder?

    I have both along with (1) audio waveforms folder, (2) the cache folder, (3) the iMovieProj file, (3) the ~.iMovieProj file, (4)Media file, and (5) Shared Movies file.

    When you say "iMovie events," does this mean "Media" folder for me?

    I seem to have all I need, its just not working and all of the production value is gone...

    Make sense?

    All exists and yet nothing is opening...

      12 years ago

      Yes. Very different. You shouldn't need the cache folder at all.
      You need the contents of the iMovie Events folder and the contents of the iMovie Projects folder. If you don't have either of those, you won't be able to get your iMovie projects back and working.

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