iMovie for iPad 2 hangs when I try to export to the Camera Roll

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iMovie for iPad 2 hangs when I try to export to the Camera Roll

Hi,

I spent like 2 days working on a project in iMovie on my ipad 2. Its a large project - about 11.5 mins long and the video clips in it are all 720p. I cant export it to the camera roll. Every time I try, the progress bar gets to one of three areas (either about 10%, 25%, or 40%) and then just hangs there. Forever. I have to reboot the iPad to get back any video functionality at all (this includes trying to watch unrelated video from the Camera roll).

Ive tried many things. I've cleared nearly everything off, thinking it might be a space issue (I have the 64 gig version). That didnt work. I tried setting the auto-lock feature to never. That didnt work either. I tried updating, syncing, rebooting, clearing out background apps, and plugging it in the wall for MOAR POWA. Ive even tried crazy things like tapping on the screen constantly while it was exporting, or flipping the thing back forth from regular to landscape! I'm going nuts.

And yes, the project DOES export to iTunes ok (as an unreadable, semi-useless project file thats only useful on another iOS device).

The good news is that after about 40 tries and 5 hours of starting, freezing, rebooting, and trying again, it actually went through once (***!). Too bad I wasnt done with the project yet :-( I havent been able to get it to export again since. Im wracking my mind to figure out what magical alchemy of circumstances mustve come together for that one single success, but I havent been able to reproduce it. Its about 900 megs mixed down; the iPad 2 has what, a gig of RAM? Maybe thats the problem? Does the iPad 2 simply lack the mechanical gusto to render an 11 minute HD video? That would be sad.

If theres a max-video-length that the iPad 2's version of iMovie can handle, it wouldve been nice to know ahead of time. Otherwise, please to be fixing eet.

HALP

- Jee

iMovie (iOS), iOS 4.3.3

Posted on Aug 17, 2011 11:27 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 18, 2011 10:52 AM in response to InspectorJee

I am super excited about this iMovie on iPad. So, I assembled a project with all the 720p content from my iPhone and made 25mins worth movie and iPad 2 encoded and exported all of that movie without a problem. The final output of the movie was 1.7 gigs. So, I am assuming that there will be a 2 GB filesize limit , because in the past, when I am recording using my iPhone 4, after about an hour when the file size becomes 2GB, the recording stops automatically. So, I am assuiming the same. If your export file can go over 2GB, there may be a chance that your videop would never be successfully exported. Thats just my opinon.

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Answer 2

InspectorJee Author

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Aug 18, 2011 11:31 AM in response to srini_hyd

My export file is < 900 megs. Not even a gig. You really managed to export a 720p version of your 25 minute movie? Thats amazing! Why isnt mine working?

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Answer 3

InspectorJee Author

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Aug 18, 2011 12:34 PM in response to InspectorJee

Update:

I tried backing up the project to iTunes, removing iMovie from the iPad, syncing, putting iMovie back on the iPad, syncing again, copying the project file back to the iPad, importing it from imovie there, and tried to export.

Still froze, still not working, still annoyed ><

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Answer 4

Aug 18, 2011 1:42 PM in response to InspectorJee

Pleasre remember - in my case - all the video clips were from the iPhone itself. If you are video clips are captured by any non-iOS devices like any other camera, then I heard lot of stories of not being able to export out of iMovie inspite of being able to edit them. So, I could go up to 25mins with 1.7Gigs file.

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Answer 5

InspectorJee Author

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Aug 18, 2011 2:01 PM in response to srini_hyd

All the video in this project was taking with my iphone and xfered to the ipad.

When I export the project to iTunes, the entire project file is 1.9 gigs. When I export to the camera roll at 720p (which did work, once), it was a little less than 900 megs. Either way, Im should be still in the clear.

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Answer 6

Aug 19, 2011 6:58 AM in response to InspectorJee

OK, one more workaround for you, in case if you are using a Mac. If you are not using a Mac, then ignore this reply.

1. On your iPad/iPhone, export the project by sending it to the iTunes.

2. COnnect iPad to your Mac, and in the iTunes "Applications" ==> Shared ==> xfer the "My Project" that you have exported to somewhere on your desktop.

3. Open iMovie'11 for Mac and click File ==> Import and import a iMovie iOS project, it takes a little while until it completly imports the whole video along with the cuts that you finished on your iPad.

4. Now , if you wish , further edit it or just export the movie out of it from iMovie'11 for Mac.

This way, all of the effort of carefull editing that you did on your iPad is no more futile.

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Answer 7

InspectorJee Author

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Aug 19, 2011 8:39 AM in response to srini_hyd

I wish I had a mac :-P

Sadly, this is Windows machine so I dont have a non-iOS version of iMovie. I have 2 ideas left. The first is xfering the project to my iPhone 4 and trying to export it there (if that works, awesome but geez apple the iPad 2 is way more powerful than the iphone 4.. youd think I wouldnt even have to attempt this). The 2nd idea is to start at the end of my movie and delete clips and sounds backwards, trying to export each time to find whatever clip is causing the issue (when the movie was 5 minutes it mixed no probem, so I only need to go that far).

Wish me luck?

Also, is anyone else besides me and the 5 dudes in the other threads having this issue?? Speak up, guys - Apple cant a fix a problem they dont know about.

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Answer 8

InspectorJee Author

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Aug 19, 2011 1:47 PM in response to InspectorJee

So!

My iPhone managed to render the movie, no problem. This is madness! My phone just ate my tablet for breakfast. Clearly, this is some kind of programming oversight. What happened Apple? You fixed the phone version iMovie but didnt get a chance to fix the iPad version? Arent they same program?

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Answer 9

Apr 2, 2016 4:58 AM in response to InspectorJee

I have the same problem ...

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