Production How-To Guides

iMovie Introduction

The video editing software called iMovie is available for free download from the Apple website on any Mac. It allows you to create professional quality movies after you have completed shooting.

iMovie helps you through all steps of video editing.  Below is a description of a few of the basic features. However, for those that are new to imovie, we recommend you watch a detailed tutorial on all iMovie has to offer at Apple’s iMovie support page: https://www.apple.com/support/imovie/

Summary Features

• Import video: After you connect the camera to a computer, turn the camera on and set it to computer mode. When your clips pop up in iMovie, click “Import All” or switch the setting to “Manual” to import a selection. After you save your clips, you will be able to find them in your movie library.
• Create a new project:Your projects are shown in the “Project Library” in iMovie. To create a new one, click the plus sign in the bottom right corner. You can preview and choose a number of different themes for your movie or start blank. You can always change your theme later during the editing process.
  • Themes: There are a number of theme templates iMovie has prepared for use. You can create a movie trailer, photo album, newscast, film reel, bulletin board, scrapbook, or sportscast.
• Add transitions: Click the transition button (it looks like an envelope) below the area where you screen your movie (the viewer) to see the transitions that iMovie offers. If you rollover one that you like, add it by dragging it between two movie clips. To edit the transition, double click it.
• Add titles: Click the title button (it looks like the letter ‘T’) below the viewer to see all the different title signs and add one by dragging it over a clip in your project section. You can edit the font, color and size to your liking.
• Add music: Click the music button below the viewer to see your music library. To use a song, drag it to your project section and release it anywhere but over a clip. Once there, you can adjust the settings or length of the music clip.