lilysaffron
Level 1 (4 points)
Notebooks

Q: Movie can't play on my Mac?

For a school assignment, my friend and I made a movie and edited it on iMovie, on her Macbook Air. We put it on a USB to get it on my Macbook Air, but when I try to open it on my computer, it says that quicktime player can't open it. My friend downloaded an app called Smart Converter, which converts movies into a quicktime file that you can us on your mac, but that didn't work either. I really need to get this video on my mac, what can i do?

MacBook Air

Posted on Aug 22, 2014 6:09 PM

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lilysaffron

Q: Movie can't play on my Mac?

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  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 22, 2014 6:25 PM in response to lilysaffron
    Level 10 (208,000 points)
    Applications
    Aug 22, 2014 6:25 PM in response to lilysaffron

    Select it in the Finder and open the Info window. What is the Size?

  • by lilysaffron,

    lilysaffron lilysaffron Aug 22, 2014 6:29 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Aug 22, 2014 6:29 PM in response to Linc Davis

    It's an MPEG-4 movie

    Size is 49,487,580 bytes (49.5 MB on disk)

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 22, 2014 6:31 PM in response to lilysaffron
    Level 8 (49,654 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 22, 2014 6:31 PM in response to lilysaffron

    When you make an iMovie, you have several export options using the "Share" selection from iMovies "File" menu. One of those options is "File..." from which you can choose several resolutions.

     

    That's what you need to use when exporting it for a QuickTime movie. It creates a standalone file that will play on any Mac. You don't need to use a converter.

     

    Do that on her MacBook Air. If that's not convenient, perhaps there is a way to use the file you have on yours. To answer that question, select the file in the Finder, then choose File > Get Info...

     

    Click all the "reveal triangles" to expand what they contain, if they are not already shown.

     

    1. Under "General" what does it say next to "Kind"?
    2. Under "More Info" what does it say next to "Codec"?
    3. What is selected under "Open with"?

  • by lilysaffron,

    lilysaffron lilysaffron Aug 22, 2014 6:43 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Aug 22, 2014 6:43 PM in response to John Galt

    Kind: MPEG-4 movie

    It only says when it was last opened under more info

    It is selected QuickTime Player

  • by lilysaffron,

    lilysaffron lilysaffron Aug 22, 2014 6:46 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Aug 22, 2014 6:46 PM in response to John Galt

    By the way, we did export it the way u mentioned above, it still dozen't work though...

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 22, 2014 6:47 PM in response to lilysaffron
    Level 10 (208,000 points)
    Applications
    Aug 22, 2014 6:47 PM in response to lilysaffron

    See whether this will open it:

     

    VideoLAN - Download official VLC media player for Mac OS X

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 22, 2014 6:50 PM in response to lilysaffron
    Level 8 (49,654 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 22, 2014 6:50 PM in response to lilysaffron

    There ought to be more information than that, which leads me to believe the movie isn't in a QuickTime format.

     

    Unfortunately I don't know if the file you have will be readable with QuickTime, and you'll have to export it again from the iMovie project. Can you still do that?

     

    Another option is to use a third party video player such as VLC. That may be able to open it.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 22, 2014 7:05 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 8 (49,654 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 22, 2014 7:05 PM in response to John Galt

    Here is VLC's website http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html

     

    Choose the download button under "Download latest VLC for Mac OS X 10.6 and later"

     

    When it finishes downloading, expand the vlc-2.1.5.dmg file, drag the VLC icon to Applications or wherever else you would like it to reside, then launch VLC. Choose File > Open File... and choose the video you want to play.

     

    If VLC doesn't open it, there are other video players that may work but I'm less familiar with them.

     

    VLC does not require any installation procedure. To get rid of it just drag it to the Trash and authenticate if required.