derekfromkitchener
Level 1 (8 points)
iLife

Q: Importing video from Photos into Imovie

Hey,

Since IPhoto was replaced by Photos I can't figure out how to import the video I took on my phone that are in uploaded into Photos.

I'm using IMovie 10.1.2 and ElCapitan 10.11.5.

Imovie opens fine and all the media I've had in the past is there and usable. I can't drag videos from Photos into IMovie and when I try to import into it I can't open Photos and see the new videos.

 

I promised my daughters coach that I would burn the Video to DVD from our last Gold medal game to show at our year end team party tomorrow. '

I'm desperate! Can anyone help?

I'd be forever in your debt! 

Posted on May 28, 2016 8:53 AM

by léonie,Solvedanswer
léonie léonie
Level 10 (105,279 points)
iLife
A:

I can see the videos in my Photos Library in iMovie, like this while viewing a project:

  • Select the Photos Library in the sidebar with the libraries.  Wait.
  • Set the selector to "Albums" and select one of my albums, that only contains videos:

This will let me drag video clips to the timeline.

Screen Shot 2016-05-27 at 20.55.57GMT.jpg

 

Is your Photos Library stored locally or an iCloud Photo Library?  If the videos are only in iCloud, select the videos you want to use in iMovie and use "File > Export > Export original ..."  to export your videos to a folder on the Desktop.  Then add them from there to your iMovie project.

Dragging and dropping from Photos will not work, because dragging will just export a preview of the edited version.  It reduces the quality of your videos.

 

 

Added:  The menu to the left of the search field should be set to "All" or "Videos", not to photos. Toggle it to "videos", to make sure it is not excluding the videos.

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-28 at 18.32.24GMT.jpg

 

 

And if your Photos Library does not appear at all in iMovie, check the Photos > Preferences > General.  The option "Use as System Photo Library" needs to be greyed out, to indicate that that it is your current system photo library and other applications can access it.

If you have to change this option, quit Photos and quit iMovie after you enabled it.

Posted on May 28, 2016 9:39 AM

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derekfromkitchener

Q: Importing video from Photos into Imovie

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  • Helpful answers

  • by léonie,Solvedanswer

    léonie léonie May 28, 2016 9:39 AM in response to derekfromkitchener
    Level 10 (105,279 points)
    iLife
    May 28, 2016 9:39 AM in response to derekfromkitchener

    I can see the videos in my Photos Library in iMovie, like this while viewing a project:

    • Select the Photos Library in the sidebar with the libraries.  Wait.
    • Set the selector to "Albums" and select one of my albums, that only contains videos:

    This will let me drag video clips to the timeline.

    Screen Shot 2016-05-27 at 20.55.57GMT.jpg

     

    Is your Photos Library stored locally or an iCloud Photo Library?  If the videos are only in iCloud, select the videos you want to use in iMovie and use "File > Export > Export original ..."  to export your videos to a folder on the Desktop.  Then add them from there to your iMovie project.

    Dragging and dropping from Photos will not work, because dragging will just export a preview of the edited version.  It reduces the quality of your videos.

     

     

    Added:  The menu to the left of the search field should be set to "All" or "Videos", not to photos. Toggle it to "videos", to make sure it is not excluding the videos.

     

    Screen Shot 2016-05-28 at 18.32.24GMT.jpg

     

     

    And if your Photos Library does not appear at all in iMovie, check the Photos > Preferences > General.  The option "Use as System Photo Library" needs to be greyed out, to indicate that that it is your current system photo library and other applications can access it.

    If you have to change this option, quit Photos and quit iMovie after you enabled it.

  • by derekfromkitchener,

    derekfromkitchener derekfromkitchener May 28, 2016 10:05 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iLife
    May 28, 2016 10:05 AM in response to léonie

    Thanks so much. For some reason My photos library in Imovie only shows the last 10 days of video & photos. When I open Photos from my desktop it shows All my videos and photos from the last 6 yrs.

    The video i need to get into Imovie does not show up when I click albums in Imovie.

  • by derekfromkitchener,

    derekfromkitchener derekfromkitchener May 28, 2016 11:15 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iLife
    May 28, 2016 11:15 AM in response to léonie

    You are a lifesaver! thank You So much!!!

    I was able to move the videos i need from photos to a folder on my desktop and import them into imovie.

     

    Now the question is... can I figure out how to use the Burn a DVD with the new external dvd burner I just bought? The disc drive in my Imac was replaced with a 500gb SSSD yesterday.(probably the reason I was having issues with imovie)

     

    Thanks Again!!!  You rock! 

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 28, 2016 12:12 PM in response to derekfromkitchener
    Level 10 (105,279 points)
    iLife
    May 28, 2016 12:12 PM in response to derekfromkitchener
    Now the question is... can I figure out how to use the Burn a DVD with the new external dvd burner I just bought?

     

    Do you need to burn a video DVD that will play in a DVD player or  a data DVD that you will play from a computer?

     

     

    For a video DVD you need authoring software - iDVD or similar.

    First , share your finished movie as video to a folder on your desktop. Then burn the shared video:

    How to create a video-DVD? (Macs without iDVD)

    Why is there no iDVD on my new Mac?