iMovie to Final Cut Pro

Question

Level 1

4 points

iMovie to Final Cut Pro

I would like to copy my iMovie library/project to Final Cut Pro and finalize the editing there.

Questions:

1) Will I be able to change/delete any video and audio effects applied in iMovie when I edit in FCP?

2) My iMovie library is on an external hard drive. When I make the copy, will the new FCP library automatically go to the external drive, or will it go to the iMac drive and will I then have to copy it to the external drive?

3) Will I be able to enter project settings (resolution, frame rate) in the new FCP library, or will they revert to the iMovie settings?

All feedback is greatly appreciated.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Feb 28, 2022 7:49 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 1, 2022 2:24 AM in response to larenzod

You should be able to delete or alter the iMovie parameters of titles, effects and transitions in FCP X.

I am not sure, off the top of my head about the other 2 questions but a simple test will give you the answers.

These may help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asn8OKWA8Qc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1HbFSkzEK4

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Answer 2

Mar 1, 2022 9:55 AM in response to larenzod

As Tom told you in the other thread, all the clips in the project (timeline) will be copied.

If you have the unused clips you can access them by going to your iMovie project and Control-clicking it. From the menu that pops up select "Show Package Contents".

Then navigate to the "My Media" folder, open the "Original Media" folder and inside you will find all the clips . . . there are only 2 in mine.

You could then copy them to a folder on your desktop and import them into Final Cut Pro. Finally you could delete that folder (on the desktop) and the files it contains.

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Answer 3

Mar 1, 2022 2:40 AM in response to larenzod

I don't think the iMovie Library is sent to FCP X. It is just the Project which is sent as a tiny XML file.

To give an idea of how small the XML file is, a 20 minute project of mine was only 250KB

This file simply references your iMovie Library.

So Libraries stay in place.

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Answer 4

Rich839

Level 8

47,742 points

Mar 1, 2022 9:46 AM in response to larenzod

Yes, as Ian says, do a test. Make a duplicate of your project and try with the duplicate the procedures that you described. If things mess up, you still will have the original project intact.

-- Rich

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