WHY can't I just drag hard drive content into the project area on iMovie?

Question

Level 1

8 points

WHY can't I just drag hard drive content into the project area on iMovie?

Why does it have to be from my camera?

I've got 500 videos in .mpg format that I want to make into different movies in iMovie. I just bought this Mac thinking this would be easy. All content from iTunes, iPhoto, and any normal folder should be draggable into iMovie without question. The videos were originally on an external hard drive - I could drag all of it into iMovie no problem right off of the external drive.. once I put the videos into my actual Videos folder in Finder ON the Mac the videos are no longer usable in iMovie. I converted a few to .mov format - still nothing. What gives Apple? What kind of crap is this? If I can import movies from my camera - why can't I import files and videos I already have saved on my hard drive into iMovie? Do I need to put everything back into my camera so I can put it in iMovie? This is garbage!

On a PC - you drag and drop - done deal.

MacBook White, Mac OS X (10.5.6), I kept the receipt.

Posted on Mar 19, 2009 2:31 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 19, 2009 2:47 AM in response to eightyf0ur

eightyf0ur wrote:
.. On a PC - you drag and drop - done deal.

so, use your PC.... -

iM is _by concept_ for camcorder-material editing.
not 'every' codec, esp. mpegs, is meant for editing.
so, for your convenience, the intended workflow adds an automatic conversion of those codecs into something editable in iM.

if you 'override' this workflow, iM is of no use, or, perhaps the wrong tool for your purposes.

that easy...-

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Answer 2

eightyf0ur Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 19, 2009 3:22 AM in response to Karsten Schlüter

Well -

I figured it out myself by using Answers @ Yahoo because apparently our German friend Karsten is too concerned with giving Mac lectures instead of providing answers.

THE ANSWER TO THE MAGICAL QUESTION:

Create a project in iMovie.
Close iMovie.
Re-Open iMovie.
Your new project appears in the event library pane at the bottom left.
Download and use MPEG StreamClip to convert your billions of files into .mov format.
DRAG the files into the EVENT NAME in the library pane.

Your movies are now in iMovie.

iMovie formats the videos when they are pulled directly from your camera. For pre-existing files that are already stored on your computer you must format them manually.

THAT is how you answer a question.

"that easy...."

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Answer 3

Mar 19, 2009 3:42 AM in response to eightyf0ur

Glad you figured it out.

..At the risk of receiving another rant; you say "..All formats are meant for editing.." ..er, not so.

Many formats are meant for the convenience of recording or delivering the material in small files ..e.g; the MPEG-2 format, used for delivering large movies on small-capacity DVDs ..or for encoding lots of hi-definition data onto relatively slow bit-rate HDV tapes.

Just because the data can be thus recorded or played does not necessarily mean that it can be edited in that format. The "missing" frames of MPEG-2/HDV have to be reconstituted in order for the material to be edited ..so on input into an editing program the MPEG-2 may have to be converted to AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec) or CineForm or some other format, in order to put back into the video stream the frames which were compressed out and into being simply jottings which refer to the content of surrounding frames.

So, just a small comment and explanation there. No need to get on your high horse..

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Answer 4

Ricktoronto

Level 6

11,560 points

Mar 19, 2009 10:24 AM in response to eightyf0ur

eightyf0ur wrote:
Well -

I figured it out myself by using Answers @ Yahoo because apparently our German friend Karsten is too concerned with giving Mac lectures instead of providing answers.> iMovie formats the videos when they are pulled directly from your camera. For pre-existing files that are already stored on your computer you must format them manually.

THAT is how you answer a question.

"that easy...."

You could also search here, or read the instructions, and then not ask the question at all.

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Answer 5

eightyf0ur Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 19, 2009 8:47 PM in response to Ricktoronto

OR he could have just given me the right answer the first time.

I didnt want to have to search around the internet - I expected the answer to be found on an Apple Support Forum. Since it wasn't completely answered anywhere - I asked.

Wasn't difficult. He didnt need to throw the "stick with your PC" card. I'm not the only one who was on a high horse.

I work in electronics retail and it's an absolute MUST to explain everything to people as if they have never done it before - make it easier for them to do - and find a complete solution so the customer goes home less confused than they came in. I dropped $1000 on this thing - I expect it to work the way it's advertised.

He wasn't aware of how much I knew or didn't know - he just told me to go back to my PC after everything. I didnt want the technical terms, I wanted an answer that solved my problem. What if this was my first computer? How did his answer help me?

My apologies if I became overly defensive, I'm just used to everyone I know that has a mac becoming immediately defensive when someone references the ease of use on a PC for specific programs and blowing up at me. Which basically he did.

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Answer 6

eightyf0ur Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 19, 2009 8:43 PM in response to David Babsky

Thank you!

I understand the concept of that - I was puzzled as to why something so highly regarded was unable to just take a format - edit it (which it does automatically from camera but not from pre-existing files on my drive) and make it into a movie. iMovie is said to be the easiest - I can only imagine what those who dont have years of PC experience must be thinking at home when they can't drag their movies into iMovie.

I got it to work - my movie looks great.

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Answer 7

Mar 20, 2009 1:55 AM in response to eightyf0ur

eightyf0ur wrote:
What gives Apple? What kind of crap is this?

eightyf0ur wrote:
This is garbage!

eightyf0ur wrote:
You mac freaks…

eightyf0ur wrote:
Garbage in - garbage out.

eightyf0ur wrote:
This topic was not directed towards you - so your response was unnecessary.

Mine, too, but here goes, anyway.

eightyf0ur wrote:
…had I said that to my customer - I would have LOST a customer…
…I came to the SUPPORT forums and expected support…

You do realize that this forum is populated by Mac user-volunteers, not Apple, per se? I ask, because in your initial post, you have addressed Apple directly, and we are not them. You are not a customer of any of us here, so your analogy is meaningless.

eightyf0ur wrote:
I'm just used to everyone I know that has a mac becoming immediately defensive when someone references the ease of use on a PC for specific programs and blowing up at me.

If you speak as angrily to "everyone" you know who has a Mac about your Mac (and theirs) as you have done here, then I can understand why you receive angry answers in response. (Garbage in — garbage out, remember?) Maybe you should try a different attitude? We try to be friendly here, and, actually, Karsten was suggesting that if you are happier with your PC and you are saying, "What kind of crap is this" about your Mac (which you did), and are saying that PCs are so much easier (which you did), why would you think that it would be unreasonable to suggest that you stick with the PC? If you had asked the question and left out the "attitude," you'd have had a better chance of getting the type of answer you evidently wanted.

P.S. Karsten is one of THE go-to guys about iMovie. English is not his mother tongue, and we are very fortunate to have him here.

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Answer 8

dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Mar 20, 2009 3:44 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

Well said and more tactfully than I would have.

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Answer 9

eightyf0ur Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 20, 2009 7:02 PM in response to Ronda Wilson

I am fully aware of this, Ronda. I asked for help, and I was negative - this is true. However his answer (since text conveys no emotion) seemed snide and condescending. Had I known he doesnt speak english very well I probably would have eased up. To better explain, I work in a shop near the Apple store in my mall where hundreds of unhappy Mac users visit me every month with their problems - I was on a negative about my Apple product mainly because of everything I had heard AFTER I bought the device from people who come in looking to throw their MacBooks against the wall.

I referenced my employment in the electronics industry to try to make a point - what if I didnt know about this product or device? Isnt the idea of the support forum to create a learning environment and experience for others who are interested in becoming as skilled and knowledgeable as the "go-to-guy"? I'm eager to share my knowledge as politely and efficiently possible to those who encounter me with questions simply so I can show them how to enjoy their product as much as I have.

I assumed that Karsten would be more than eager to show me the ways of iMovie in a simple, easy to use manner that I could understand. If he's an expert in iMovie, why was he not able to answer the question - or even provide anything more than just a technical answer telling me what could or couldnt be edited? All I wanted to know was what I could do to get the movies into iMovie. (Which crashed and froze 3 times last night as well as Safari in the middle of this post. ... sigh...)

I guess I was looking for a more helpful answer to help me justify my purchase and continue to learn about this device and its capabilities instead of being shoved into the direction of 'give up' and regret my choice to try Mac again. When the thought enters my mind that I might have just wasted $1k on something that I cant return.. I tend to get upset.

To conclude this long-running debate - We're beating a dead horse here - I'm - no matter what - going to be wrong because there are too many cliques here in Karston's defense. Maybe I should have brought along some of the other unsatisfied users into this topic and we could have had a discussion that was more than 20 on 1.

Just kidding.

I'm done with this topic. I made my movie. The results were to my liking. When people start counting and sorting my responses by type I think it's time to leave.

Thanks to those who responded. I'm off to cause trouble somewhere else. 🙂

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Answer 10

Mar 20, 2009 7:22 PM in response to eightyf0ur

eightyf0ur wrote:
I assumed that Karsten would be more than eager to show me the ways of iMovie in a simple, easy to use manner that I could understand.

Karsten was having a hard time slogging through the negativity to get to the question, really. None of is particularly anxious to help someone who posts in such a manner. Mama always said you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. What you've attracted with your vinegar is more like a swarm of hornets.

Take a look back at your posts and see if you think that you, as a friendly and experienced poster, would care to respond to someone with such vitriol in his posts? I am here because Karsten asked several Level 4 posters to evaluate his posts. He was a bit confused by your ill-mannered posts.

eightyf0ur wrote:
When the thought enters my mind that I might have just wasted $1k on something that I cant return.. I tend to get upset.

Well, don't take it out on your fellow Mac users, please!

eightyf0ur wrote:
I'm - no matter what - going to be wrong because there are too many cliques here in Karston's defense.

No, you are "going to be wrong" because you ARE wrong.

eightyf0ur wrote:
I'm off to cause trouble somewhere else.

Of that, I have little doubt. 😟

Here's hoping that you have a better day tomorrow. Good luck.

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Answer 11

Mar 20, 2009 7:51 PM in response to eightyf0ur

Hey,

Can someone actually get on topic and please explain to me how to get this to work? I can't seem to get it to work... I downloaded a video, converted it to .mov using the MPEG steamclip program (Although, I am not sure how to use that program...). Anyway, now when I try to drag the clip into iMovie it says "The file is not compatible with iMovie"

Anyone know how to fix this?

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Answer 12

zyfert

Level 3

610 points

Mar 20, 2009 11:03 PM in response to Kevin8998

Kevin8998 wrote:
Can someone actually get on topic and please explain to me how to get this to work? I can't seem to get it to work... I downloaded a video, converted it to .mov using the MPEG steamclip program (Although, I am not sure how to use that program...). Anyway, now when I try to drag the clip into iMovie it says "The file is not compatible with iMovie"

Anyone know how to fix this?

Try this.
Open MPEG Streamclip and drag your movie in.
Click on File > Export to QuickTime.
Use 'Apple Intermediate Codec'.
Convert the movie and save to a folder on your desktop.
Open iMovie and click File > Import Movies...
Navigate to the folder.
Create a new event, name it and import.
That should work.

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Answer 13

Mar 21, 2009 12:06 AM in response to zyfert

Wow, that worked perfectly for me. Thanks a ton, dude. 🙂

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Answer 14

Mar 21, 2009 1:48 AM in response to Kevin8998

Congratulations on a successful resolution to your problem, Kevin!

That's the way this is supposed to work!

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