Choosing an iMovie aspect ratio and size

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Panther2011 Author

Level 1

34 points

Choosing an iMovie aspect ratio and size

I'm importing old 640x480 (4:3) videos into iMovie. When I place these files into the Timeline, the Project window is 16:9 (cutting off top and bottom of videos) and the finalized project is saved at 1280x720.

How can I set the project aspect ratio (in this case we need 4:3), or the finalized project size, (in this case I'd like to keep at 640x480, but may later chose to go 960x720 or 1280x960, depending on quality of video.

It's important that I preserve the aspect ratio since these are old medical videos. I'd like to avoid pillarboxing if I can.

Posted on Jan 28, 2020 6:14 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Rich839

Level 8

47,802 points

Jan 28, 2020 1:37 PM in response to Panther2011

1) Select the clip. Click on the crop button (the one that looks like intersecting angles) in the tool bar at the upper right hand corner of your screen. A selection box will appear. Click on Fit. Here's a help link that explains it:

https://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.1/#/mova56757e7e

2) You should be getting a 480 option for a 480 project, but apparently iMovie does not have one. Others have reported the same thing. After exporting at 540, open the video in QuickTimePlayer and there you can export it at 480.

-- Rich

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Answer 2

Rich839

Level 8

47,802 points

Jan 28, 2020 9:05 AM in response to Panther2011

iMovie's 16:9 aspect ratio of its screen cannot be changed. You can display a 4:3 video in its original aspect ratio by setting the crop setting to"Fit". However, there will be black bars to make the display fit the 16:9 screen. No way to avoid that unless you crop the video to "Fill". That would mean losing some material. However, after you share out the movie to your desktop you can crop out the black bars in the shared out movie by opening it in QuickTimePlayer and doing a File/Screen Recording, where you can outline the dimensions of the video that you want to record, eliminating the black bars.

The resolution of a project (480, 720, etc.) will be set at the resolution of the very first clip placed into a newly created project. When you share out you will be given some resolution options that bracket the resolution of the project to be shared out. However, the resolution you see will be determined by the resolution of the display screen. Changing the dimensions would require cropping or there would be distortion.

-- Rich

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Answer 3

Panther2011 Author

Level 1

34 points

Jan 28, 2020 10:25 AM in response to Rich839

Thanks Rich.

1) How do I set the "crop setting to 'Fit?"

2) You noted that the "resolution of a project (480, 720, etc.) will be set at the resolution of the very first clip placed into a newly created project." The first clip—and only clip—I place is 480. Yet the minimum shared out resolution option choices are only 540 and 720. No 480 option. Does that sound like the expected options?

Again, thanks for the input. I appreciate your time.

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