User profile for user: smitty195
smitty195 Author
User level: Level 1
22 points

How to compress a video in iPhoto?

Hello,

I'm having a rough time here and could use some assistance. I took a video with my Canon camera, and then I transferred this video to my iPhoto program. The video size is 177 MB.

Now I need to upload this video to a website, but I am told that it is too large and needs to be compressed. I have searched through the Forum Discussions here on the Apple website, and now I'm even more confused than when I started.

Can someone please give me some hints as to how I can accomplish such a thing? Here are the specifics:

-I have the "Pro" version of QuickTime if that helps (version 7.5.5)
-I am using iPhoto version 7.1.5 (iPhoto '08)
-I am using a MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz Intel chip, with OS 10.5.5

If possible, I would really appreciate it if the explanation can be as non-techy as possible so that I can understand it. In searching the forum, I found some things that might be what I'm looking for but I did not understand a word of it. I've been a Mac user since 1985, but this is the first time I've done anything with video.

If it helps at all, here is what I did so far (without success):

-I took the video in iPhoto, and I dragged it to my desktop
-I then opened up QuickTime Pro
-Once in QuickTime Pro, I went to the "File" menu
-From here, I went to "Export"
-I then saw a bunch of things that I did not understand, so I just clicked "OK"
-I then saw a progress bar as they file might have compressed??
-A folder appeared on my desktop with 2 versions of my original video in it, and they were both for the iPhone? Not sure I understand this.
-When I get "Information" about the new files, the size was reduced from the original 177 MB size to a new size of 11.5 MB. However, this new size does not work when I upload it to the internet. Instead, a small QuickTime movie window appears with the QuickTime logo and a question mark.

I'm really lost and would appreciate some help.

Thank you!

MacBook Pro 15 inch 2.4 GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.4), Airport Express

Posted on Nov 14, 2008 5:51 PM

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9 replies
User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
215,748 points

Nov 15, 2008 11:33 AM in response to smitty195

Those two folder were two different compressions of you movie, both reduced in size down to 320 x 240 and at different frame rates, etc to make them more compatible with cell phones. In that folder will be a .mov file that is very small (it only points to the real movie file) and a .m4v file that is the actual movie file. That's the one you want to upload to wherever you're uploading to. You can delete the other files in that folder. Save only the .M4P file.

If you want to keep the video size at the 640 x 480 select Desktop in the File->Export for Web window and uncheck the other two iPhoto options.

If the resulting file size on any of these methods is too large post your question in the Quicktime forum with a call for QuicktimeKirk, i.e. make the topic of the post something like this: "Need help from QuicktimeKirk on reducing size of movie file". Anything with his name in it so it will draw his attention. He is absolutely amazing in what he can do with QT movie files. Some of his suggestions may be over you head as many are over mine but he's the person to go to on this subject.



User uploaded file

TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

Note: There's now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.
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User profile for user: smitty195
smitty195 Author
User level: Level 1
22 points

Nov 15, 2008 2:24 PM in response to Old Toad

Well, unfortunately, I am just getting more and more confused as we go along here. I posted the same question over in the QuickTime area, and the response so far has questions marks floating all around my head right now. šŸ™‚

I guess the thing that is really surprising me right now, is that I see videos on the internet all the time. There must be billions of them out there, and people upload them every single day to various websites. So does that mean everyone out there is a rocket scientist and I've been left in the dust? I mean, all I did was make a neat video of a train, and now I want to post it on the internet. I guess I'm not understanding why this is so difficult.

If a video needs to be compressed (something I've obviously never done), isn't there a way to do this somewhere within all of Apple's programs? Am I completely missing the point here? Maybe I am and for some reason I'm just not catching onto it. It just seems like I should be able to do something such as this:

1) Take a video of something
2) Transfer it to my computer
3) Open the movie in, for example, Quicktime...and then use an option called, "Compress Video"

Shouldn't it be something like this? I'm just lost and not understanding why something so common is beyond my grasp right now.
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User profile for user: smitty195
smitty195 Author
User level: Level 1
22 points

Nov 15, 2008 3:23 PM in response to Old Toad

Okay, thanks.

I just tried it again, and here is what is happening. First, let me tell you what it is that I did:

-I opened QuickTime (Pro)
-I went to the "File" menu
-I went to "Export For Web"
-I left all of the default settings as-is
-After it compressed the videos, it created a folder on my desktop
-I took the ".m4v" file, and looked at "Information" and found it to be 11.5 MB

The website that I am uploading to only accepts movie file formats of ".mov" or ".wmv". So I changed the ending of the ".m4v" file to ".wmv". Once I changed the ending, the movie still played perfectly fine.

So I uploaded this ".wmv" file (11.5 MB in size) to the website, and it successfully uploaded. However, when I go to the website to try to play it, nothing happens. At first, it tried to play the movie in my Safari window (using Flip4Mac). But now, all it does is bring up an error tab at the top of my Safari window that says:

"Windows Media Player may be able to play this movie. Would you like to disable Flip4Mac and use Windows Media Player instead?"

I've never seen this error message before. I AM SO LOST! Please help if you can. Thank you very much.
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User profile for user: Beth Winterburn
Beth Winterburn
User level: Level 1
20 points

Jan 28, 2009 2:32 PM in response to smitty195

I read through your discussion board..so frustrating!! When I read your question and then the restatement of your question, I could sense the exact same frustration in myself as you experienced!!..so I started fiddlin' with stuff and finally found a solution!! When downloading your videos to your computer:

Instead of using iPhoto, use Image Capture. It's located in Hard Drive > Applications > Image Capture. Your camera has to be plugged into your computer via the USB hook-up and turned On to the Viewing screen (mine is a blue square w/a blue arrow inside). iPhoto will still come up automatically, but close it..and use Image Capture instead. Once Image Capture is pulled up, you can choose what to download by highlighting each image (either one by one or highlight several at a time using the Command key..I assume you know how to do this?..). The downloaded movies go directly into 'Movies' - Pull up your Hard Drive again, and you should see it as an option on the left (may depend on the age of your computer..mine is a couple of years old).

Now, pull up iMovie. Begin a new project - name it whatever. Import your movie that you just downloaded. After importing, go to File then Export. In that window, you'll see "Compress Movie for"..then select 'Web' - Wah-lah!! That compression will be saved in 'Movies' as well (same location as where Image Capture puts them). I just uploaded one to my blog - It took WAY less time to upload and turned out working just perfectly!!

Hope that helps!! Let me know if you need more clarification on any of this.
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How to compress a video in iPhoto?

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