How do I split a clip in iMovie 09?

common misunderstanding. You can split a clip in a project, but not an event. To split a clip in an event, you would need to process it in another application first to separate the big clip into littler clips. Then re-import as a new event.

You can split events, but not clips within an event.

If you want to split an event in iMovie, you can do it, but you will lose one frame of your video in the process. This is probably OK, because you probably have some unusable frames at the beginning or end of the split.
Select a single frame at the point you want to split, and use the reject tool to reject it. Then show the rejected clips and select "Move rejected clips to trash". It will take a while, but this will give you two clips.

I personally prefer to do this in MPEG Streamclip. I can split the clip without losing any frames. Just drag the clip into MPEG Streamclip, set the in and out points for the new clip, and export it in the same dimensions and format. Repeat until you have all the clips.

Thank you for your suggestion on using MPEG Streamclip, it work great.

Lee

Paul Horne wrote:
When I'm in a clip within an event, there is no option to SPLIT CLIP

Appleman gave you a nice & excellent workaround..
but..
just to feed my curiosity: _why do you want to do so?_

the concept of iM is: Events are split by date, clips from one day are 'grouped'; if you didn't hit 'pause' while recording, obviously the recording was meant as 'one'.
in the process of EDITING you select parts.. drop unwanted parts .. re-arrange the end to the beginning... use parts twice/3/4/.. times.. no need to split a recording in the Event window.. (for me)

but splitting the raw data.. ? I miss the use of that..

Because my older VCR tapes have to be ran through Eye TV, and it doesn't catch anything automatically. So, I either catch them before I export out of EyeTV, or use something like this after the fact before I import the clips into iMove.

Lee

Lee Smith wrote:
Because my older VCR tapes have to be ran through Eye TV, ..

ahh, non-camcorder-imports .. missed that! thanks for clarifying ..

Yes that's how I use it. I get 1 2 hour clip from an analog import. It is much easier to split it up in Streamclip before I start creating projects in iMovie.

I'm using EyeTV to import VHS tapes as well - just want to clarify that these steps would be the most efficient:

1. Import VHS, 8MM, and/or Hi8 through EyeTV
2. Then use Toast to convert to DV file format (I don't have a mini-dv camcorder, so I assume this is the next best option?)
3. Use Streamclip to "cut" the dv file into the proper clips

After this, all I want to do is put a series of clips on a DVD with chapters for each clip. The content on each VHS tapes varies quite a bit from year to year, thus the need to edit each tape into a series of clips to order properly.

Do I even need to import to iMovie to do this or should I just use IDVD or Toast to create the DVD chapters?

TIA for helping the newbie.

No need to use Toast. Just find the EyeTV file in the finder (right-click/reveal in Finder).
Then, right-click on Finder file and select "Show Package Contents".
Drag the .mpg file into MPEG Streamclip
From Streamclip, I usually export as Apple Intermediate Codec. It is slightly smaller than a DV file, and iMovie seems to work better with AIC than DV. But DV is OK too if you prefer DV.

Note: I usually deinterlace as I export from Streamclip into AIC.

Also, in MPEG Streamclip, when you export the clip, give it a name like clip-yyyy-mm-dd hh;mm;ss.ext (where ext is the extension such as MOV or DV or MP4 - streamclip should apply the extension automatically based on your export codec.)

iMovie will automatically place it in an event in the correct month and year, and the date metadata will work.

Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

You can export DV files directly from Eye TV by using the Export feature.
You can also split up the file up, and export parts of the file, by using the Edit Info, and the Edit when you have the movie selected.

It takes a little getting used to, and you end up with multiple files, so be sure you make folders for each movie.

HTH

Lee

Message was edited by: Lee Smith

Thanks for the quick feedback - I don't have a preference, I'll try out the AIC format.

Once I have the clips exported to AIC format, do I even need to use iMovie if I'm not going to be editing the clips? All I'd be doing at that point is creating a DVD with multiple clips with some menu options.

Would I use iDVD or Toast to create the DVD at that point and bypass iMovie? Preferences between iDVD and Toast?

That may be easiest if I'm already in EyeTV when the video gets imported. Thx for the tip 🙂

I had to delete the Clip, and then put it into MPEG Streamclip as suggested to me above.

Lee

Yeah I plan on editing the files in EyeTV or Streamclip as was suggested. What I don't understand is what I do next...lol excuse my noobness.

It seems like I have everything I need to author the dvd once the initial large dv/aic file is separated into individual clips. Just put the clips into idvd, create the menu with chapters for each clip, etc. and burn?

I anticipated using iMovie for this vhs conversion project, but from what was described, it doesn't sound like it wouldn't be needed.

Message was edited by: jshuff23