Videos by Category: iMovie

In the past it has been tricky to select an entire clip or a range inside a clip in iMovie. With the latest version of iMovie, just clicking on a clip gives you the entire clip, and holding down the R key allows you to select a precise range from within the clip. This works in the timeline as well. The i and o keys can be used to adjust a range start and end.

When you make a series of adjustments to a clip in the timeline in iMovie, it can be hard to replicate the exact same changes to another clip. You can use Paste Adjustments to copy one or all adjustments from clip to clip. This makes it easy to implement consistent settings across different parts of your project.

If you need a transparent image, like a circle, arrow or piece of text, you would usually create it in a graphics app. However, there is a way to create transparent images quickly using only Keynote. You can then use these as overlays on other images in Preview or in iMovie.

You can combine two different techniques in iMovie to create a mirror effect where the same clip is displayed as a mirror image on the left and right.

The Freeze Frame feature in iMovie allows you to easily stop the action and create several seconds of a still image in the middle of your video. You can use this for dramatic effect. You can also cut out the freeze frame portion and apply a filter or other effect.

iMovie includes an easy-to-use function that lets you stabilize shaky video. It works best on video that is relatively still. You can make shaky video easier to view and appear more professional.

It is easy to create a slideshow with iMovie using a photo album. In less than three minutes you can import the photos, add transitions, insert titles, and include music. You can then export the slideshow as a video to use on YouTube, your social networks, or show during a presentation.

It is easy to get confused between iMovie Projects and Events. Events can be used to store video clips which can then be used in multiple Projects. Clips can also be stored directly in a project.

If you accidentally record video on your iPhone in vertical mode, you end up with two ugly black bars on either side of the video when viewing it on a TV. You can use iMovie to fill in those sides with an animated background, or a blurry copy of the same video. Take a look at a variety of techniques for dealing with vertical video in iMovie.

You can use Keynote's animations and special effects in your video projects. Just create the animation in Keynote over a green background. Then export as video and import into iMovie. Use the green screen overlay function in iMovie to place the animation over your other video.

Sharing videos via email, file transfer or using old technology like DVDs can be impractical. Uploading your videos to a service like YouTube that almost anyone can access is easy and useful. You can set these videos to be unlisted or private if you aren't interested in the general publicseeing them. YouTube videos can be viewed on computers, set-top boxes, TVs, tablets, phones. Plus, they can be high definition, giving them a big advantage over DVDs.

Learn how to create a transparent graphic that you can then overlay in iMovie to point out an area of interest. You can then have that graphic move around on the video to follow a subject. You can use this to highlight something in the video, or hide a face or some other element.

You can use many different methods to trim video clips in iMovie. You can bring in a section of a clip, trim the ends by dragging or using keyboard commands, split the clip and remove unwanted sections, or adjust the clip ends with the Precision Trimmer and other tools. Some methods are easier while others are more versatile.

You can add subtitle tracks to your videos by using third-party software. This is different than imprinting a bottom-third title on to your video. Subtitle tracks can be turned on and off in QuickTime Player, iOS, Apple TV and elsewhere. You can also add more than one language. All you need to do is to create a simple text file with the subtitle information and then use the software to import it and add it to your video.

You can use Picture-In-Picture and keyframes to animate object movement in iMovie. Once you add an overlay you can set one or more keyframes and the object will move over time to match each keyframe. You can import transparent graphics to use this feature to highlight a moving element in your video.

In iMovie you can record directly from the microphone to narrate your video. You can start at any point and record your voice, then manipulate the audio track like any other. This comes in handy for regular videos, but also for photo slideshows created in iMovie.

iMovie version 10 uses a new system for storing clips and projects. It is very easy to be able to create and use multiple iMovie libraries and move items between them. You can store archived projects in libraries, and even spread your projects across multiple hard drives.

You can use backgrounds in iMovie in a number of ways. They can be placeholders between clips, or backgrounds to elements like titles. You can also put backgrounds on top of other video as overlays. Backgrounds can be customized somewhat, or you can use your own image or photo.

Markers are a simple tool in iMovie that allow you to create points in your video where the playback head and other elements will snap. You can use them to mark places to add things later, or to let you easily line up overlays, titles or other elements. You can add markers while the video is playing in the preview pane. They are similar to beat markers in previous versions of iMovie.

Once you have created your video masterpiece, you may want to put some professional-looking credits at the end. You can do this with the Scrolling Credits title effect in iMovie. But with a little work, you can make the credits look even better by moving them over and adding images that appear to the left as the credits scroll by.

Learn how to edit audio in iMovie. You can change the volume of the audio in your clips, as well as apply filters. You can add additional audio, such as sound effects and music. You can layer audio by combining several pieces of sound.

You can use semi-transparent images in iMovie as cutaways and picture-in-picture sources. This allows you to bring in almost any graphic element. You can use arrows and circles on your videos, for instance. You'll need to create the image in an editor like Photoshop or Pixelmator, and same it as a 32-bit PNG file. Then you can drag and drop it into iMovie.

Cutaways allow you to place another video on top of the current one and then return to the original later. You can have cutaways fade in and out and make them semi-transparent. Cutaways come in handy when you want to show something on top of the video while the audio from the main clip remains playing.

The Ken Burns effect in iMovie allows you to change the cropping of a video clip or photo over time. You can use this simple device to add movement to your visuals. You can also use this to effectively show detail in large photos of wide or long objects. With a little creativity, you can use a sequence of Ken Burns effects to highlight objects in a photo.

You can use iMovie to create a slideshow video from a series of photos. All of the iMovie tools, like effects, transitions and titles, can be used in a slideshow to make it more interesting than slideshows created in some other tools. You can also easily share your slideshow video from iMovie.

You can place one video or photo over another in iMovie using picture-in-picture. Then you can position and resize the overlaying video. You can add transitions and even have the one video swap places with the other. Side-by-side is a similar effect that places two videos next to each other.

Learn how to put transitions between your video clips in iMovie. You can specify exactly where each transition starts and ends with the precision editor. You can also quickly apply transitions with a keyboard shortcut or have them automatically fill in as you add more clips. Special iMovie themes have custom transitions that work in special ways.

Explore iMovie's video effects. You can make color and quality adjustments on each video clip. You can also apply a variety of special effects, like aged film, to each clip. Controls let you speed up, slow down or freeze frame.

iMovie includes a variety of useful titles that you can use in between clips or on top of them. Some of the titles allow you to change the font style and other elements. Sometimes the creative use of spacing, extra lines and justification can let you customize them further. You can also use your own images for completely customized titles.

When you have a video or photo that does not fit into your iMovie video project exactly, you most crop it one way or another. You can decide to cut off portions of the image so it fills the frame, or you can show more of the image, but have black bars in the space not covered. You can adjust the cropping to best fit your needs.