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User profile for user: Ron Guest
Ron Guest Author
User level: Level 1
15 points

Editing .mp4 and .m4v in iMovie

I have a number of family videos I ripped onto disk (a mix of .mp4 and .m4v files). I want to pick clips from these files and compile them into a new movie file. Can I do this in iMovie without having to convert and copy all of the clips?

If iMovie isn't the right tool please suggest what might do this most conveniently. The workflow I have in mind is to open one of the video files, copy a section, paste it onto the end of the new file. Some fades or other transitions is desirable but I don't need any fancy editing.

Thanks in advance!

iMac 24", 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.2), also iPhone 3G, iMac G5, TiPB

Posted on Sep 9, 2009 5:43 AM

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User profile for user: AppleMan1958
AppleMan1958
User level: Level 7
27,492 points

Posted on Sep 9, 2009 5:59 AM

In iMovie, you could import all these videos as Events. iMovie would leave them as mp4, but it would take some time to generate thumbnails.

You would start a new project. You can select clips from multiple events to add to the project.

If I were you, I would use iMovie's FILE/IMPORT(from file) command to bring in one of the m4v and one of the mp4 files. If this does not work, you may need some pre-processing or conversion.

If they work, go to the Movies/iMovie Events folder on your internal drive. If you prefer an external drive, you will need a drive that is formatted Mac OS Extended (journaled) (Not FAT32), and add a folder at the top level called iMovie Events.

Create a folder under this folder. The folder name should be the event name. Then, drag the files for this event into the folder. This is a way of rapidly importing multiple events. The next time you open iMovie, it will generate the thumbnails.
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User profile for user: AppleMan1958
AppleMan1958
User level: Level 7
27,492 points

Sep 9, 2009 5:59 AM in response to Ron Guest

In iMovie, you could import all these videos as Events. iMovie would leave them as mp4, but it would take some time to generate thumbnails.

You would start a new project. You can select clips from multiple events to add to the project.

If I were you, I would use iMovie's FILE/IMPORT(from file) command to bring in one of the m4v and one of the mp4 files. If this does not work, you may need some pre-processing or conversion.

If they work, go to the Movies/iMovie Events folder on your internal drive. If you prefer an external drive, you will need a drive that is formatted Mac OS Extended (journaled) (Not FAT32), and add a folder at the top level called iMovie Events.

Create a folder under this folder. The folder name should be the event name. Then, drag the files for this event into the folder. This is a way of rapidly importing multiple events. The next time you open iMovie, it will generate the thumbnails.
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Editing .mp4 and .m4v in iMovie

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