"Duplicate project" does not reflect latest changes

I have followed the threads regarding lost work using iMovie 11, and tried the following:

1) verify read/write permissions on all imovie (sub)folders

2) Re-enter text for titles, hitting the "Done" button, repeatedly...

3) Re-create titles, etc

I've given up on iMovie automatically saving the project - it is guaranteed to lose changes at random if I close/re-open. So I had been getting around the issue by using "Duplicate project".

However now even that does not work - no matter how heavily I edit things in order to make iMovie notice that something has changed, "Duplicate project" relentlessly ignores, say, the last 10 hours' worth of work.

I don't believe I have any corrupt projects as I only recenly began using iMovie - this is only my second project (and the first, small, project seems fine)

I there any way I can rescue what is ostensibly my current project version? I'm afraid to close iMovie since I know most of my work will be gone on re-open.

I'm on OSX 10.7.4 and iMovie '11 version 9.0.4 (1635)

Thanks for any help.