Adding video clips to slideshow

Gee Gee

I'm no expert on either iMovie or iDVD (and this is the iPhoto forum) but here's a way of doing it:

Create your Slide show in PhotoToMovie ( http://http://lqgraphics.com/software/phototomovie.php)

This is a slideshow software with much more control and potential than iPhoto. Then export it to a Quicktime Movie.

A more traditional slideshow app is PhotoPresenter:
http://www.arizona-software.ch/applications/photopresenter/en/

It also exports to Quicktime.

Then, with iMovie or QuickTime Pro, splice the Slideshow and the Movie together.

IF you want the Video in the middle, then obviously make the slideshow in two parts.

Another slideshow application, Apimac Slide Show, can use stills and movie clips in a slideshow according to the web site.

Do you Twango?

TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.

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O.T.

The Apimac app is a proven one, but it won't export to other formats, such as quicktime movie. I don't see how you'ld get something playable on a DVD as the OP wishes. Am I missing something?

Regards

TD

Have only used it to view slideshows and haven't tried to save one. Just went thru the entire process and you're right. Thanks for the heads up. I usually use PhotoPresenter as it has terrific animated themes and will save to QT in 3 standard sizes plus a custom size option.

Although I suspect it won't be as slick as things produced by the products mentioned by other posters, I think the easiest way to do this is with iMovie. Just start a new project and select 'Media' then 'Photos' at the top to browse your iPhoto pictures and place them on the timeline. You can get fancy and do custom 'Ken Burns Effect' on each one if you wish. Then import the video (you may need to process it first depending on type of video) right on the same timeline. Slideshow part will transition seamlessly to videos and back to more slides if you wish. I hope this helps.
-Bob

Robert:

Good suggestion. iMovie is a very good choice to merge both stills and video clips. It has some interesting themes which I haven't tried yet but will give produce a more "fancy" slideshow.

If you're going to use the resulting slideshow in and iDVD project one way to get better image quality in the final product is the following:

1 - quit iMovie after you've completed your slideshow/movie project.
2 - go into the iMovie application package (Control-click and select Show Package Contents) and find the Shared Movied/iDVD folder.
3 - drag the movie file from that folder into the open iDVD menu window.

This lets iDVD do the encoding of the assets and avoids iMovie encoding before exporting into iDVD. That will produce a little sharper image quality in the final product.