Chapters on iMovie 10.0

Here is my story:

1) I used ScreenFlow to create a one hour MP4.

2) I want to have chapter markers so the viewer can zoom to whatever section they want to.

3) Screenflow actually allows this so I used it.

4) I ran the video on my iMac and to the right of the video controls is a drop down box with all my chapters which work.

5) I was excited and emailed the result to my PC since a lot of users will be viewing it on on a PC

6) Unfortunately Windows Media player does not recognize the chapter markers at all.

7) I thought I would import my MP4 to iMovie and try to use the chapter markers there but they have been removed. That's unfortunate because one would think killing a feature like that is not a good idea - you should make it better and not worse.

8) Now I don't know what to do. People say I could use annotations in YouTube but that *****. I don't yet see a 3rd party solution. Perhaps in something like final cut but that is too expensive for the simple thing I am trying to do.

Any suggestions?

Try putting your Mp4 movie into Garageband, and adding your chapter markers there by playing the video and tapping the letter p on your keyboard

wherever you want to place a marker. Then share the movie to disk, on your desktop. See if your Windows media player recognizes the

chapters. I know that Quicktime player does.

Thanks.

I think I found a solution just using YouTube annotations.

I will check out garageband too.

I am running Garageband 6.0.5, that has the chapters feature. I understand that Garageband 10 has eliminated chapters. If you have the later version, I have read about an app called MetaDoctor that you can get on the Mac app store. It costs $5.00 or $10.00, depending on whether you get the pro version. It purports to be able to add chapter markers to movies. Haven't used it myself, but for $10.00 it might be worth a try.

I developed MetaDoctor specifically to create chapters markers in .mp4/.m4v files easily. My motivation was in fact the lack (loss) of this capability in iMovie; I did not want to use Final Cut Pro.

MetaDoctor also allows editing of other metadata which is read by iTunes, including cover art.

The Pro version is aimed at adding metadata to purchased movies.

I apologize for the plug, I only intend to add some insights to the discussion.

Where can I see examples of iMovies that have had chapter titles added with MetaDoctor?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B__WfBszS5FOcjhUNTJ2MFI3RWs/view?usp=sharing

I created this video with iMovie, and added chapters and tags with MetaDoctor. If you add to iTunes, you will be able to see the tags.

Thanks! Most useful plug I've read in a year. A solution for two -- seemingly unrelated -- things I need.

I had successively, iMovie HD (6.0.3), iMovie 11 (9.0.4) and iMovie 10.0.5.

With OSX 10.9.5 (Mavericks) I can use all of then. I avoid upgrading my OSX, I could loose the compatibility. I loaded Yosemite on an external disc, but I didn't try it.

iMovie HD is by far the easiest one for building films and for adding chapters, but it is poor for video improvement.

Now, I import movies from my video camera with iMovie 10.0.5 and I build the film by small sections, with all the video effects and improvements. In particular, importation of JPG pictures with Ken burns effect, transitions etc.... is much better with iMovie 10.0.5.

Then I export mp4 files and drag them into iMovie HD, where they appear as video clips. The conversion is long, as the codec is different. Then it is possible to rebuild the film and to add chapters ..... and finally use iDVD.

Tried this, but garage band says mp4 is an unsupported format. ("The movie file “Library 2.16.16.mp4” cannot be played back in the native video engine. Please consider converting the movie using QuickTime Player 7 or similar tools to H.264 or other QuickTime Player X compatible formats.")

I bought the pro version of metadoctor, but I can't figure out the help. I don't know how to bring in my movie, add chapters, title chapters or export the movie back to iDVD. Searched online too.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, and I will try to be brief.

You can open a video file from the "File" menu, click "Open Source...", and navigate to and select the file. Drag and drop is also supported, so that you can drag your video file to the MetaDoctor window or icon to open it.

To add a chapter, use the video pane to move the playhead to the spot in the video where you want a chapter, and click on the "Add" button, use keyboard shortcut Command-I, or simply double click on the video. To edit chapter titles, click once on the chapter in the chapter table to select the chapter, then a second time on the title cell to select it for editing.

Click on the "Save Metadata" button or the "Save" menu item under the "File" menu. The chapters and any other tags you added are written directly to the video file.

iDVD will read the chapters.

You can contact me by email via the support page on the MetaDoctor web page if you need further assistance.

http://starwaresoftware.wix.com/metadoctor

Thanks for the link. I posted there too. I don't know that this is really hijacking, since I've tried everything else listed and nothing else worked for me -- to add chapters to a movie. So maybe this will help others who are trying to do the same thing.

Anyway, I did figure out how to do the basics in metadoctor; it's pretty intuitive. But, still, iDVD doesn't create buttons for scene selection when I bring in the movie.

Make sure the "Create chapter submenus" option is selected under the Movies tab in the preferences. Also, each chapter must have a title.

That seems to be marked by default. The key for me was creating .mov files. But, anyway, metadoctor works!