iMovie - 10.1.10

Hi, Booberoi,

To review some basics, creating a new project and using the already imported media will not use up much additional space. The project does not make a duplicate copy of the imported media, but rather contains thumbnails that consume virtually no space, and which refer to the original media that you imported. The original media is located in the Original Media folder that in turn is located in the iMovie library. The only way that creating a new project would consume significant new space is if you imported new media into iMovie for the purpose of creating the project. So, if you intend to drag in new .mov files, then that would take up additional space on your drive. But if the .mov files had already been imported, then using them in a new project will not consume significant additional space. However, if you want to delete the media that you have imported into iMovie, then you can use one of the methods below.

Deleting an iMovie Event that contains media will delete all the media in it. Select the Event and do a File/Delete Event. You must delete the event itself, not just the media contained in the event in order to free up space.

Another way is to select a clip and then do a File/Reveal in Finder. A folder will pop up entitled Original Media. It is a Finder folder. All clips deleted from the Original Media folder will be deleted from the iMovie library.

Be aware that deleting media from the iMovie library by either method above will delete it from all projects that may be using that media.

An easier way might be to movie your iMovie Library to an external drive with sufficient space to contain your media and new media added for new projects. First do a File/Consolidate Media to make sure that all the media goes with the library and you have no broken links. The external drive must be formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Be aware that if you reformat a drive that will delete all media that is stored on it, so first back up any data that you want to keep.

Deleting media from your iMovie library will not affect your photo albums and videos that are stored in the Photos program. Photos has its own library.

-- Rich

Can you post a screen shot of what you are seeing and explain what steps you are taking to get there?

If you are looking at the Photos albums by clicking on the Photos item in the iMovie sidebar, those albums are not in the iMovie app. The albums are in the Photos app and iMovie is just referring to them. When you drag a photo into iMovie, then it is in the iMovie app.

Nothing you do in iMovie is going to affect the media that is stored in your Photos library. As I explained, the Photos app has its own library. Nothing can be deleted from the Photos app except through the Photos library.

-- Rich

First, check your disk space. Click on Apple Logo>About this Mac>Storage and see how much disk space you have. If you don't have enough space then you would need to remove some unwanted files from your computer's internal drive.

If you do in fact have enough disk space, then redownload iMovie and that should cure the problem. Follow this procedure:

To update/redownload iMovie 10, drag your iMovie 10 app from the Applications folder into the trash, but do not empty the trash. Sign in to the app store and open your purchases folder by clicking on your name at the bottom of the app store side bar. You will see your purchases displayed, including iMovie 10. Redownload/update iMovie from there. If not successful, drag your present iMovie app out of the trash (if you moved it there) and return it to the Applications folder.

-- Rich

Correction: The file path to the Applications folder is; Go>Computer>MacIntosh HD>Applications.

Sorry for the error in my previous post.

You can also reach it by clicking on the Finder icon (the blue and white square with the smiling face) located on your dock.

-- Rich

Go to your desktop and, from the Finder menu, click on Go>Home>Applications. Drag iMovie to the Trash, but don't empty the trash.

-- Rich

The photos displayed in your screen shot are in the Photos app, not iMovie. iMovie is just referring to them. They are not taking up space.

-- Rich

Perfect. Glad you got it working.

-- Rich