How to import .mov files in iMovie?

Question

Level 2

424 points

How to import .mov files in iMovie?

I have some .mov files I want to use to make an iMovie project, but there is no way to import them. iMovie 2 was so much easier. How can I get my .mov files into iMovie?

Thanks,
Bryan

MacBook Pro 17" (2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo)  2GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.4),  GETMACPLATE.ORG

Posted on Sep 25, 2008 2:32 PM

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Answer 1

Jon Walker

Level 6

19,467 points

Sep 25, 2008 3:08 PM in response to Furi0us.Bee

How can I get my .mov files into iMovie?
Basically, an MOV file is a generic file container that can hold and audio and video data supported by your computer's current component configuration. However, iMovie won't import audio or video content which it cannot edit. This includes third-party compression formats (proprietary or open), edit-incompatible compression formats, or files containing "Tween" tracks, text tracks, chapter tracks, etc. If you want to import your files, then you must first determine why iMovie '08 doesn't like it and then correct the problem. If you have QT Pro, examine the tracks and delete any incompatible non-AV content. Then convert any edit-incompatible AV content to compression formats that are edit compatible (if possible).

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Answer 2

Furi0us.Bee Author

Level 2

424 points

Sep 25, 2008 3:21 PM in response to Jon Walker

Hi Jon- It's a .mov file I made with QuickTime Pro (latest version). I can drop it into iDVD just fine (which is what I did), but I wanted to be able to add some text/transitions in iMovie.

In earlier versions, I never had a problem with .mov files.

So should I go back into QuickTime and convert/export/save as this .mov something else? I know I can export it to .dv, but those files are large, and I don't really want to spend the time converting files when I should just be able to drop them in. Or maybe I'm not doing it right?

I start a new iMovie Project, then I see an area to "drag contents" on the top portion of the window. I can't drag anything there. There is also a bottom portion that I can't do anything with either.

Any help will be appreciated. I don't know why I'm having so much trouble with 3, when I could use 2 without any problems.

Thank you,
Bryan

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Answer 3

Jon Walker

Level 6

19,467 points

Sep 25, 2008 4:07 PM in response to Furi0us.Bee

So should I go back into QuickTime and convert/export/save as this .mov something else?
I don't know. Do you have an y extraneous non-AV tracks? What compression formats did you use in the file? iMovie '08 will edit DV, AIC, Motion-JPEG, Photo-JPEG, QT supported MPEG-4 and H.264 profiles. iMovie '08 will also import/edit but not export Apple Animation and/or Apple Video compression formats. As to audio, uncompressed, AIFF/Linear PCM (Big or Little Endian), Unsigned Integer, AAC, and I believe now supports DVI ADPCM and µ-Law 2:1 (both of which were not originally supported).

I know I can export it to .dv, but those files are large, and I don't really want to spend the time converting files when I should just be able to drop them in. Or maybe I'm not doing it right?
DV and ACI produce large files. Motion-JPEG and Photo-JPEG produce medium sized files. And MPEG4 and H.264 with limited video data rates produce small size files.

I start a new iMovie Project, then I see an area to "drag contents" on the top portion of the window. I can't drag anything there. There is also a bottom portion that I can't do anything with either.
Only Event clips (either in iMovie '08 or iPhoto) can be dragged/added to the Project window. Files must be imported to the Event window using the "Import from camera...", "Import from HD Project...", or "Import Movies..." or by drop importing to the Event Library list_name -- not to the Event window itself.

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