1hr imovie = 28 GB How do I make a dvd?

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1hr imovie = 28 GB How do I make a dvd?

I just made my first iMovie. Beautiful. Total running time is ~ 1hr 6min. It is video, transitions, titles, and mp3's from iTunes. Yet the file size is 28GB. Is it possible to get this compressed to fit on a DVD so I can send them off as Christmas gifts? iDVD tells me to use a dual layer DVD but very expensive and how many will I need per video? I appreciate anyone's input.

iMac G5 2.0, Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Nov 25, 2005 1:26 PM

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Answer 1

catspaw

Level 5

4,344 points

Nov 25, 2005 1:39 PM in response to Jeffrey D.

Hi Jeffrey - firstly, keep in mind that the file is that large because iMovie HD does not destroy the edited-out portions of clips, even if you have trashed them. It will only clear a clip completely if you used NO part of it.

iDVD should be able to accept the length of movie you have created, but check in iDVD Preferences that you have chosen 'Best Quality' and not 'Best Performance'.

Your DVD burner will most likely not be compatible with double-layer disks, anyway.

G5 Dual 2.0 ghz Mac OS X (10.4.3) 1.5 GB RAM; VidCam: Sony DCR TRV80E

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Answer 2

Nov 25, 2005 2:57 PM in response to Jeffrey D.

iDVD compresses the iMovie file to fit on to the DVD.

It will always make the movie fit onto one disc.

Design your DVD in iDVD and in the status area you will see how much of the DVD is being used.

Remember the iMovie data is still in DV (Digital Video) format, once iDVD gets hold of it, it will be compressed into MPEG-2 which needs far less space.

Ian

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Answer 3

Jeffrey D. Author

Level 1

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Nov 25, 2005 3:03 PM in response to Ian Parkinson

That's what I thought, too. Unless I missed a step somewhere. After all the editing was completed and I did a trial run through iMovie, I clicked the button for iDVD. It pauses a few seconds to load the program. I placed the chapter locations and clicked 'burn'. It tells me that the file is too large and that I must use a DVD DL. I was suprised because the movie is roughly an hour. I did buy some DVD DL's but at $24 for 3, I did not want to crack them open unless I couldn't use the regular DVD R's. I did see some things about Roxio Toast but their tech support was closed for the holiday. Could this compress the file even more so that I could use a regular DVD. Thanks for taking the time to brainstorm for this.

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Answer 4

Nov 25, 2005 3:17 PM in response to Jeffrey D.

It tells me that the file is too large and that I must use a DVD DL

Set iDVD to "Best Quality".

iDVD 5 can hold up to 60/120 minutes with Best Performance and up to 120/240 minutes with Best Quality setting with SL/DL DVD.

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Answer 5

catspaw

Level 5

4,344 points

Nov 25, 2005 3:25 PM in response to Jeffrey D.

Hi Jeffrey - the file does not need further compression. It is the length of the movie that matters, not its size in GBs. Your movie is well within the length that iDVD can handle (120 minute max.).
Actually, your description seems odd. You cannot click 'burn' in the sequence you describe. You CAN click 'Create iDVD Project', but that is a long way from actually burning. You have to set a theme etc......

Try this method instead:
1. Open iDVD and create a theme.
2. Make sure that in Preferences you have enable background encoding ticked.
3. Drag the iMovie Project 'package' into the iDVD window - you will see the movie loading in the Status window.
Hope that helps.

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Answer 6

Jeffrey D. Author

Level 1

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Nov 25, 2005 4:09 PM in response to catspaw

You are probably right about the sequence of my description. At whatever point I had to 'click' to move ahead with the project I got the warning message. I did go back after and change the performance/quality setting and it appears to be moving forward without any other error messages. We'll see. Thanks again for your willingness to help.

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Answer 7

Kjolner

Level 2

354 points

Nov 25, 2005 8:37 PM in response to catspaw

Hi Jeffrey - firstly, keep in mind that the file is
that large because iMovie HD does not destroy the
edited-out portions of clips, even if you have
trashed them. It will only clear a clip completely
if you used NO part of it.

Helloi there Catspaw!
Just a(nother )small Q? You seem to know alot about time and space, I wonder if the encoding and rendering of a dvd will take LESS time if trash is moved back to the shelf before sending project to Idvd. My Large video some 44 gb 1h45min took nearly 5 hours to finish the other day! Just curios??
Gwt! Ivar........

Helloi Catspaw!
Just a (nother) small Q?

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Answer 8

catspaw

Level 5

4,344 points

Nov 25, 2005 9:18 PM in response to Kjolner

Hi Kjoiner (from the other side of the planet!) - it should make no difference.
My only other comment would be that you must have trashed a large amount of footage to reach 44GB. Normally iMovie uses about 13 GB per hour. If you know before importing that there is a lot of footage you do not intend to use, it is better to toggle the import button to avoid unnecessary waste footage.

It possibly took so long because using 'Best Quality' as you had to do because of the length, background encoding was not possible. Therefore once you had established how you wanted the DVD to look, and hit 'Burn', the encoding then had to take place before the burn could start.

Does that make sense?

G5 Dual 2.0 ghz Mac OS X (10.4.3) 1.5 GB RAM; VidCam: Sony DCR TRV80E

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Answer 9

Kjolner

Level 2

354 points

Nov 25, 2005 9:50 PM in response to catspaw

Helloi again!
The huge gap was not intendet!! I did indid trash alot,The 44gb is what my archived projec say? I will save my movie as a disc image next .
next time I´ll send my finished movie back to tape and reexport into a new prjct thereby saving time.
I am not realy shure what quality I used? I thought it was best perfomance? It all makes sense to me.....In the end less is more.
By the way I do believe you live on the exakt opposite of me 😉 When we can use Google earth on MAC we can figure it out.
Have a nice weekend, gwtiger! Ivar....

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Answer 10

catspaw

Level 5

4,344 points

Nov 25, 2005 10:09 PM in response to Kjolner

Hi kjoiner -

…When we can use Google earth on MAC we can figure it out…………

Apparently Google has been advertising for Mac developers, so hopefully we won't have to wait too long!

G5 Dual 2.0 ghz Mac OS X (10.4.3) 1.5 GB RAM; VidCam: Sony DCR TRV80E

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Answer 11

Jeffrey D. Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 26, 2005 9:28 AM in response to catspaw

I appreciate everyone's help. The movie did complete and was compressed from 28G down to 3.5G. (after the long spinning pinwheel at 'Encoding Audio' - I found a post that said to wait a while for it to finish) It 'looks' very good. But I did notice that the sound took a major reduction in quality. It doesn't appear to be in stereo. Is there anyway to resolve this to restore the quality of sound back?

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Answer 12

Jeffrey D. Author

Level 1

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Nov 26, 2005 1:13 PM in response to Jeffrey D.

-

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Answer 13

Nov 27, 2005 9:14 AM in response to Jeffrey D.

This is a test reply to an Answered message. Please disregard.

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