Modify functions greyed out

To have these functions available you have to have a project open in the timeline and a clip selected (yellow border). Depending on the type of clip only those functions that are relevant will be available and the others will be greyed out. For example, if a still is selected, stabilisation, volume, noise reduction, speed and video& audio effects will be greyed out whereas color balance, color correction and cropping will be available.

Geoff.

Geoff,

Thank you for replying to my query. As far as I can see all the conditions you mention for using Slow Motion are met but the function is not available. Nor are Fast Forward, Instant Replay and Rewind. I have attached a screenshot to show this. Or am I missing the point?

Regards,

Nick

OK, sorry, I was thinking that you were referring to the icons above the viewer. It appears that you want to modify just the selected part of a clip. These Modify functions only operate if a complete clip is selected. To modify only a part of a clip you need first to split the clip at the beginning and end of the part you want to modify so as to create 3 clips. If you now select the middle one the Modify options should be active.

Geoff.

Yes you are right - its strange - I tried it out on one of my videos and when I made a selection the Modify controls were greyed out. - hence my conclusion. I've just tried again and this they remained active for the selected part of the clip as indicated in Apple help.

So I tried some other things. I notice that you have a wrapping timeline. I didn't have wrapping timeline selected. When I went to View - Wrapping Timeline the Modify controls were always greyed out whatever I did. After more messing about it seems that the Modify controls are only active if:

- View - Wrapping Timeline is not selected

- One has last clicked in the timeline pane (i.e. the timeline pane is 'active')

I discovered the second condition because I saw that your project icon in the Event pane was outlined in yellow. You must therefore have last clicked in the event pane. If you click in the timeline pane the border around your project icon in the event pane will turn white.

I'd be interested to learn if you find the same behaviour.

Geoff.

I too have been playing around a bit more and you can get what you have in your screen shot if you select your project icon then move the cursor somewhere else in the event pane.

I had a quick look in the help files at http://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.0/#

and could not find any reference to wrapping timeline at all. Indeed there appears to be no reason why the Modify menu actions are greyed out. The icons above the viewer are still active when in wrapping timeline. It would seem that this is a bug.

Geoff.

All including speed are active in wrapping mode in my case. I've just been able to slow down part of a clip while in wrapping timeline.

Geoff.

Geoff,

I am having the same problem except that I don't have wrapping timeline enabled (it is actually greyed out itself and don't know how to toggle it). The speed icon is greyed out but if I select a clip or portion of it with the white border, then in the Modify menu, only Slow Motion is available yet choosing one of the three options 50%, 25% or 10% does not do anything and the speed icon remains grey. The other menus (FF, Rewind and Instant replay are all greyed out)

iMovie 10.0.9

OS X 10.10.5

iMac 27"

Any ideas?

Cachi

If Wrapping Timeline is greyed out this suggests that you don't have a project loaded.

Geoff.