Where does iMovie 10 save movie files?

Jim hi, I am using iMovie 10.1.2 on a MacBook Pro. I use my external hard disk to store and work with all my project files.. I always Consolidate Media while doing a project. My libraries seem to keep only the alias files in the folders projectname/Original Media as you can see in the pic attached. And it keeps the original movie files in the folders Final Cut Original Media which is located in the same place as the Library folder (also shown in the next pic attached). But in some of the previous libraries I used, the original movie files were located in the projectname/Original Media folders, not aliases.. Since I need to transfer libraries from my working hard disk to my permanent hard disk almost every month, I need to find out how I can always have the original movie files, not aliases, in the projectname/Original Media folders.. So that if I move the library, all the media files move with it and all the projects are a whole within eachother.. because if they are aliases, even if I move the Final Cut Original Media folder with the library, still the projects cannot find the original file since the route to the original file for the alias changes.. Hope you can give me a hand on this, otherwise my only way is to right click on Aliases in the projectname/Original Media folders, chose Show Original, copy/paste the originals to the folder and replace the Aliases, and then move the library.. Which takes a heck of a long time..:( thank you

Also one more thing.. I do not use events in my projects.. i simply open a new project and import media. then consolidate.. I do not open a new event in every project.. Maybe it might be a useful info to solve the problem..?

I see you posted your question in a new posting which was a good idea as it should get better attention than here, I must say I am confused by your issue. iMovie saves project media in the library original media folder in a folder titled for the project. It is always copied and does not use aliases. Final Cut Pro x can use hard links if you choose a reference Library when you create the Library. I am confused in looking at your screen shots. I don't understand Final Cut original media folder as Final Cut saves original media in its Library in the current version and in older versions in a Final Cut Events folder. Also in the first screen shot what is the parent folder for AUS 44xxxyaptik_2 folder?

Hi Jim, yes I made a new post just in case.. did not get an attention yet though:).. the parent folder for the AUS 44xxxyaptik_2 is the imovie library. So when you do Show Package Contents to the library that screen comes up.. I also thought that Consolidate Media Files means to keep all the original movie files in the projects own folders, but it keeps putting them in the Final Cut Original Media folders named mainly by dates (and i don't know why they are named Final Cut, since I am only using imovie)...

Well this is really a poser. Do you have or have you ever had Final Cut Pro or Final Cut Pro x on your computer even if you are not currently using it.As far as consolidate is concerned that simply brings into your library any media you have used in your project that resides outside of the library in which your project is located. So not a player in the current issue. If you have any such media and did not consolidate it would br in your library as an alias/hard link. That is not your problem here. I can find no other situations for having links in your original media folder. When you opened your library using show package contents did you change delete or move anything? When you consolidated did you select the projects tab and then select the project and choose consolidate from the file menu? I'll keep thinking about this.

Jim you see to be the man to answer the questions 🙂

i see the iMovie library in the 'movies - username file', where the file opens in iMovie when clicked. but i am wondering what if i want the option to try a different video editor at some point. or what if i want to save the raw files just as raw files without having anything to do with iMovie, so that i can go back to them later? does that mean i have to forever keep my sd card, even though i have already imported them onto my macbook? I appreciate any help.

Thanks Sounds easy but iMovie is the only way I have been able to import canon files to mac. Doesn't come with mac software and when I look at the raw files on the sd card they are broken up into a weird folder structure.

I am referring to the original media folder in your iMovie library as discussed in previous posts not your SD card. Perhaps your video on the card is AVCHD. To archive the original clips from the camera simply copy the card into a folder on your computer.

Your User Movies folder.

iMovie Library is probably the largest folder.

Type in Movies in the Spotlight search window. In the list of folders that appears you should see 'Movies - your user name". Double click that folder and look for iMovie Library.That is the package file that contains all the media you have imported into iMovie. You open it by right/control clicking and look for show package contents. Then you will see all your events etc. In each event there is a folder called original media which holds your media files. I strongly advise you be careful and not change anything as you can mess up the database and lose your projects and events. You can manage all your events and projects from within iMovie. There is seldom any reason to go into the iMovie Library.

Jim, thank you for your answer to christophkiel, it answered my question, too. It's odd not to have to save a work in progress; old habits die hard.

Related question:

Looking at a representative movie example, I see this folder structure:

Are the .mov files in the Original Media folder copies, or are they merely "pointers" to the original .mov file, which lives in a different folder? I'm wondering what happens if I edit/move/delete one of the original .mov files -- does the version in the Original Media folder change? Or does it stay as it was when imported into iMovie 10? If it's just a "pointer," can iMovie find it if it's in a different folder?

Thanks.

Generally speaking they are copies of the originals. If any are pointers you should see a small curved arrow on the icon. Some cases of pointers are media from Photos, iPhoto or where you have media used in more than one event. In iMovie media browser select a clip and in the main menu under file choose show in finder.