How do I import videos Into iMovie?

So I tryed importing them directly from my desktop into iMovie, but that didn't work either.

Check the Audio/Video compression formats of your movies. If either audio or video format is not QT edit supported at the frame level, iMovie '08 will not import (i.e., copy/move) it to iMovie '08. In these cases you can convert just the incompatible data to a fully supported format or convert the entire file to a fully supported content using a variety of applications. In most cases you can even use earlier versions of iMovie to automatically convert most playback compatible files to DV or use iTunes to convert them to H.264/AAC.

I don't understand why they won't work with iMovie 08

Previous versions of iMovie automatically converted the files (if necessary) so they would work in those versions of iMovie. iMovie '08 does not do this. Therefore, if you want such files to import into iMovie '08, YOU MUST FIRST CONVERT THEM YOURSELF!

That's so dispointing! Now I have to go buy software that will convert them, correct?

No, probably not. If as you say, the files previous worked with iMovie '06 and load/play in iPhoto, then there are a number of options. As indicated, iMovie '06 automatically converts compatible files to DV compressed files which work in both iMovie '06 and iMovie '08. You can always import the files into the older version of iMovie and simply open the project package and copy/move the converted files to iMovie '08 or use iMovie '08's built-in "Import from iMovie" option. iTunes also has a built-in converted that will create H.264/AAC compressed files which would be compatible with iMovie '08. If you already have QT Pro, you can use it convert the same files that could be converted in iMovie '06 or iTunes. If you don't have QT Pro, then you can download a number of free converters from the internet. (My choice would be MPEG Streamclip.)

I wish they would have keep the same feature in iMovie 08.

To keep the old method of import would likely mean you would have to go back to editing DV files only. iMovie '08 gives you the option to edit files in their "native" format. The price you pay is having to decide for yourself which format is best for you and converting non-compatible files to that format. Seems many people resist the ability of having the "freedom to choose," preferring to be forced along a single workflow path.

I've got podcasts just waiting there to be created!

Have you tried the "Create New Podcast Episode" in GarageBand? (I.e., edit clips in iMovie '08 and then open the "published" project in GarageBand '08 to chapter and create the actual Podcast episode.)

Do you think Apple will make an update with the same converting feature like in the other iMovies?

Wouldn't bet on it personally... but you never know.

By importing from your Desktop did you mean drag-n-drop? If so, try this. Go into iMovie, select File-->Import Movies then when the file browser window pops up, point it to your Desktop or wherever the videos are located and select them, then proceed. iMovie should open them using this method. I've had movies that I could not drag-n-drop into iMovie '08 (though they did just fine in iMovie '06), but then using the File-->Import option they came in just fine.

Yesterday, .mpg movies (imported directly from my desktop) worked fine. As in it imported. Today I tried loading a new .mpg clip and the file was ghosted out under Import Movie. As well as the other .mpg files that I previously imported successfully?

I never had to convert those clips to DV format. Any reason why this is happening now? I've been using iMovie 08 this whole time.

Yesterday, .mpg movies (imported directly from my desktop) worked fine. As in it imported. Today I tried loading a new .mpg clip and the file was ghosted out under Import Movie. As well as the other .mpg files that I previously imported successfully?

If by MPG files you are referring to muxed MPEG-1 movies, then this is not very likely. Believe that if you check your "iMovie Events" folder you will not find any MPG files since:

1) muxed MPEG-1 files a "playback only" compatible with QT applications
2) while muxed MPEG-1 video can be converted to other QT compression formats by applications like QT Pro, iTunes, iMovie HD, etc., they cannot convert the audio content simultaneously.
3) since muxed files consist of blocks of audio data interspersed with blocks of video data in a single data stream there are no instances of unique "frames" of video data which correspond with unique "frames" audio data which means such files cannot be edited in any "frame level" editor and since iMovie '08 can't edit them "natively", it will not import them at the "Finder" level (i.e., from the desktop)

I never had to convert those clips to DV format.

Previous versions of iMovie automatically converted the video data from muxed MPEG-1 to DV during the "import" process. However, such imports never contained any audio data.

Any reason why this is happening now?

The MPEG-1 compression format has never been "fully" supported by QT. Nothing has changed.

I've been using iMovie 08 this whole time.

As indicated above, if you check you "iMovie Events" folders, you will not find any muxed MPEG-1 files. Either the data is converted before import or it will not import at all into iMovie '08.

Thanks Jon, weird how this all transpired. Must have done something differently initially, and couldn't remember what it was. But figured it out now, thanks to your input.

Jon Walker...I'm completely new to MAC...Having come from the 'dark side' (PC) I was hoping the use of the iMovie importing feature with our year old Sony Handy Cam (HC42e) would be a 'snap'. Not so.

I noticed that you seemed knowledgeable in handling of the responses to this thread of questions, and wanted to know if you new of whether there was any 'fix' for the problem I'm having.

Essentially, it's just that when connecting the HC to the iMAC there is no automatic importing of the video into iMovie. My google search indicates that there is a problem but can't see a solution.

Any help or direction would be appreciated.

Essentially, it's just that when connecting the HC to the iMAC there is no automatic importing of the video into iMovie.

Frankly, I do most of my DV and/or HDV imports using the iMovie '08 manual option which works fine for both of my camcorders, as well as, the various firewire DACs I use. If iMovie '08 has a problem recognizing hardware, my normal recommendation is to try alternate applications -- previous versions of iMovie (or FCE/FCP), Vidi (a free dedicated capture utility), or even QT Pro (as a last resort for non-critical captures).

wanted to know if you new of whether there was any 'fix' for the problem I'm having.

Many people seem to have "work flow" problems where the "fix" appears to be a change in the order of the algorithm you are using. Whether this would work in your case may depend on a number of things to include whether or not your device worked properly previously and/or is still properly set up for DV output.

how do you convert them yourselF? ive been trying to put a quicktime video on to my imovie 08 but i have no idea how. it will not let me import it.

how do you convert them yourselF? ive been trying to put a quicktime video on to my imovie 08 but i have no idea how. it will not let me import it.

For me the specific conversion technique depends on the source data involved. For example,
1) My sister-in-law and her kids use various Kodak digital cameras. All store video as MPEG4/µ-Law MOV files. Since the MPEG-4 video is iMovie '08 while the µ-Law audio is not, I simply use the QT "Movie to MPEG" Export option to "pass through" the video unchanged while converting the audio to AAC (MPEG-4 audio) before importing into iMovie '08. This operation can be performed using QT Pro or GarageBand.
2) Several friends use Casio digital cameras. The most common version among them that is not iMovie '08 compatible seems to be the M-JPEG/DVI ADPCM combination. Here again it is the audio track that is causing the main problem. In this case, I usually either convert the file to an AIFF file or extract the audio track and again create an AAC file. In both cases, I then simply copy the audio to memory and replace the original audio track with the newly created audio track. Unfortunately, track manipulations here do require QT Pro.
3) My son and his wife both elected to go with Sony digital cameras which store their videos as "muxed" MPEG-1 files. In this case it is necessary to use aMPEG-based, third-party application to retain audio since QT applications will only convert the video data. In this case I might use MPEG Streamclip (free), iSquint (free), Visual Hub (pay-ware), FFmpegX (donation-ware), etc.
4) In the case of iPhoto created slideshows, they include an extraneous "Tween" track that iMovie '08 doesn't like. Basically, all you need to do here is get rid of the offending track. I normally use the QT Pro "delete" option to remove it, but if you don't have/use QT Pro, then using the MPEG Streamclip "Save As..." option to place the audio and video tracks in an MP4 file container simultaneously "strips" out the unwanted track.
Basically the solution is implicit to the problem itself. I.e., if you properly understand your problem, then the solution usually becomes obvious. I normally start off by simply opening that problem file in the QT Player and examining the file to see what tracks it contains and which codecs are involved. In I am totally unfamiliar with the codecs involved, I simply extract the tracks (once again using QT Pro), and try importing the tacks (video directly and audio via iTunes) individually to see what is and is not compatible with iMovie '08. Once know, I simply proceed as indicated above. And that's about it...

The post previous to Tiger Paws was useful for one of two problems I'm having. Thanks. The other problem involves video with the .vbo file extension extracted from a Panasonic DVD recorder. I've converted the .vbo to a .mov and .mpeg file type but iMovie bombs halfway through loading either type. Have I got a corrupted file or is there something else I should be doing?