Can't share/export movie in iMovie 10.1.12: "This item cannot be shared while it is still referencing media on the camera"

Question

Can't share/export movie in iMovie 10.1.12: "This item cannot be shared while it is still referencing media on the camera"

I edited and completed a video compilation from multiple clips (some from hard drive and some from camera SIM card) and now when I try to export it (or "share" it), I get the message "This item cannot be shared while it is still referencing media on the camera."

The movie shows up in the iMovie library and I can play it as project, but I want to export the file and cannot.

The older solution for this issue was to export in iMovie using the THEATER feature. In the current iMovie release, the Theater feature is no longer available (removed by Apple).

It seems now the only solution I see is to download all the clips which were edited from SIM card to the Mac, import and edit them again (I also have issue with the space on my Mac). This is so frustrating.... I spent a week to edit the video then I realise this big problem.

How can iMovie still allow me to edit clips on SIM card clips if I'm not allowed to export the video? They should stop me immediately, should not allow to edit video when not completing 100% import!!!

Any solution for exporting the video with the clips edited directly from SIM card, as they are already imported in the Media Library on my Mac?

Posted on Aug 8, 2019 6:52 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Rich839

Level 8

47,688 points

Aug 8, 2019 7:55 AM in response to dani_barbulescu

Hi, dani,

That message usually means that the import was not allowed to complete fully. Perhaps the SD card was prematurely removed.

Take a look at this link and see if anything in there helps you:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8516607

-- Rich

Reply

Answer 2

Aug 13, 2019 5:47 AM in response to Rich839

Hi Rich,

thank you for your reply. I've checked the suggested documentation. As mentioned, some of the clips are imported in the Media Library directly from the SD card. The final movie is played successfully locally.

When I go on one of the clips with has the "camera" icon on it and select "Consolidate Project Media", I get the warning "Consolidate Project Media will copy all files into the library." and then when I press OK, I get the message "There is no media to consolidate: The media already exists in library “iMovie Library”.

This means for me that the media was correctly imported into the library.

If I remove the SD card, some of the clips in the Media Library became unknown "Missing file". Not sure if this is expected, but anyway, I don't know how else to import them to the media library.

If possible, I want to avoid copying all the clips to the hard drive as I don't have enough space.

Thanks to advice.

Regards,

Daniel

Reply

Answer 3

Rich839

Level 8

47,688 points

Aug 13, 2019 7:16 AM in response to dani_barbulescu

Hi, dani,

I take it that you tried the things mentioned in the thread link that I sent. So I

won't go into those here.

How much space do you have on your computer's drive? And what is the size of

the imported clips? You mentioned a lack of space, so It is possible that you

don't have sufficient space to import all of the clips, which might explain why

some import but others don't. If that's the case you should clear some more

space on your drive and again try the import. You can easily clear some space

by opening iMovie, clicking on iMovie/Preferences, and deleting the render

files by clicking on the delete render files item in the preferences dialogue

box. If that doesn't clear enough space, see if there are other unwanted files

that you can delete or move to an external drive.

Another thing that you can try is to open iMovie while holding down the Option and

Command keys and selecting to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie

will open in a new library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects. Now

see if you can import your media.

-- Rich

Reply

Answer 4

Aug 13, 2019 8:31 AM in response to Rich839

Hi Rich,

I have 1.58 GB of free space.

I've also opened iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and selecting to delete preferences in the box that appeared. Still I could open my project which looks ok.

Not sure what you mean by "Now see if you can import your media". The media that was already imported I've edited, so I don't want to import again...

Any chance we can have a short GMeet session with screen sharing?

Many thanks for your patience, Rich.

Regards,

Dani

Reply

Answer 5

Rich839

Level 8

47,688 points

Aug 13, 2019 12:36 PM in response to dani_barbulescu

At 1.58GB you have way too little free space on your computer's drive. That low a number is hardly enough to run the operating system, and you are getting close to receiving a notification that your computer is dangerously low. The lack of space likely is what is causing the import problems. You should have at least 10 GB of free space and many on this forum will recommend 20-25GB.

What I meant by "now see if you can import your media" is to try again to import those videos where you are getting the "referencing media on the camera" notification.

-- Rich

Reply

Answer 6

Aug 21, 2019 1:00 AM in response to Rich839

The only solution which worked for me was to copy all the clips which had the camera icon on them from the SD card to the hard drive, import them again in to the iMovie project/library and edit the new clips again. Only after I've completed this, I could successfully save the project into a file.

iMovie should not allow the users to import the clips directly from SD card if they are not allowing you to save the project while clips are still on the card.

Rich, thank you for your support along the way.

Reply

Answer 7

Rich839

Level 8

47,688 points

Aug 21, 2019 6:50 AM in response to dani_barbulescu

You are welcome. Glad you were able to work it out.

-- Rich

Reply

Can't share/export movie in iMovie 10.1.12: "This item cannot be shared while it is still referencing media on the camera"

Similar questions