Workflow: Projects vs Movie Library

Hi,

I suggest that you post the import issue as a separate post, so that the forum knows your issue and you can get maximum response.

When you imported from your card, the media should have gone directly to your iMovie library. Sometimes glitches happen. Here's a link to the Help menu item that deals with Memory Cards and Cables, that might be of some help.

http://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.1/#/mov50a336efa

Instead of importing directly into iMovie, you might try importing directly to your Mac using the Image Capture app on your Mac.

-- Rich

Media imported into iMovie is stored in your iMovie library in a finder folder titled Original Media. When you create a project, a project folder is created that contains the project media that you have placed in your project, in a folder called Original media, that is located in your project folder. The project folder also contains the editing codes that you have applied to your project. You can share out a final movie as many times as you want from a project. The shared out movies are independent of iMovie and all iMovie libraries. Movies shared to Theater are independent as well, and are stored in the Theater folder in your Movie folder, not in the iMovie library.

Hope this helps.

-- Rich

HI,

1. When you import a new video into iMovie, it goes into the iMovie library, in a folder titled Original Media, not an Event folder. You can see the Original Media folder by selecting any clip in the timeline of a project, or in the media Browser, and then doing a File/Reveal in finder. A pop-up will show the Original Media folder with your clip highlighted. Also, if you Control-click on the iMovie Library folder located in the Movies folder in Finder, and click on Show Package Contents, you will see a list of your projects. The projects cannot be played there, but if you click on one you will see its Original Media folder in the folder that opens, and its Original Media folder contains the media that is used in that project. DO NOT change, move, rename or otherwise tamper with any of the files and folders in the Show Package Contents folder or any of its contents. Doing so could corrupt your iMovie library.

2. Yes, the empty project will be displayed in the project window as soon as you close it.

3. Once you have finished editing a project, you can share it out form your project window (File/Share, or use the little share button in the upper right hand corner of your project window) to any number of options that you will see listed. So, for example, you can share your project to File, and designate its location on your desktop. Sharing to theater is another option, but you have to choose that option -- the movie won't automatically share there. Also, if you are sharing to File, for example, in the share pop-up box, there will be a little box that you can check to share to Theater, otherwise it won't go there. Finally, in your iMovie preferences, there is an option to share all movies to Theater in iCloud, if you have that activated in your Mac's system preferences.

You can share a project to a movie as many times as you want. The project will remain intact for further editing or sharing until it is deleted.

4. As far as I can tell, the "Events" folders in the Media screen sidebar only show the media for projects that you have deleted, and they bear the same title as the project. The project is not fully deleted until the events file specific to that project is deleted.

-- Rich