imovie not exporting video to file (error 10004)

After severe attempts I found a workaround that works for me flawlessly, even if it is not so elegant.

In my attempts I get the error every time, no matter of the number of clips that I've on my timeline. For instance, let's assume that I've two files (A and B) on my library, and I want to merge them. I place both on the timeline and I try to export them. The error may appear at the very beginning of the process, or during the transition between A and B. The simple workaround is just to cut/delete the first frames of the A and B clips. Doing so the export process runs smoothly.

In more detail, the issue appears every time you try to render the first frames of any video. If you remove them, the export process runs fine.

Hope this will help!

This render error means there is a problem with one or more clips in your project. First thing to try is to skim slowly through the project looking for any anomalies such as flashes or othr glitches and replace the clip having the issue. If you can not find anything obvious then I would duplicate the project, open the duplicate in the timeline and delete half of the clips. Then try to share. If it works then the problem is in the other half. If it fails then the problem is in the half you have and you can split it and repeat the process until you find the bad clip. Then replace that clip in the original project. Another option to try is to copy your timeline and paste it into a new project just in case the project is corrupted. Hope this helps solve your problem.

I'm having the exact same problem now after updating iMovie and upgrading to High Sierra 😒 Clips that worked well before and I had no problem exporting now encounter this problem. Some look damaged as seen on the image below:

When I remove this part, it exports fine. But this still wasn't a problem before the update and it's frustrating to lose that part of the clip.

I too wasted a day on this heinous iMovie bug. Here's my solution:

1. Select the first clip in the timeline.
2. Use the Select Previous Clip button |< to make sure the playhead is precisely at the start of the first clip. In my case, I noticed the preview showed a black screen when it should show the first exposed frame.
3. Advance forward precisely one time with the > cursor button on your keyboard. In my case, the frame then showed the image I expected.
4. In the Modify menu, select Trim to Playhead.

This apparently removes any subframe and aligns the start of the clip to an actual frame boundary.

Why iMovie can't detect this until failing to export is a question for iMovie's crack engineering staff.

For me, transitions caused that problem after installing the latest update.
After i removed all transitions from the video, everything was ok.

Hope they fix it quickly, i want to be able to use transitions again.

I have the same issue since the update - I can't even export movies I have previously exported - no matter what I do with settings, edits or duration it will not export my files - used to work fine before the update. Help - I use this for work, can't get anything done.

Same for me. Used old videos that worked fine before the update and now I can't do anything. Get this every time no matter what I do:

Video rendering error: 10004 (iMovie error 10004: renderVideoFrame failed)

I've performed a clean install of High Sierra. This evening (Italian time) I will try to export a video that gave me problems to check if this issue is related to the upgrade from Sierra to High Sierra, or if it is related to the App itself...

Same issue here. One video clip, accompanied by an mp3. the audio is placed in there 3 times with a small overlap. Exports about 10 seconds. Doesn't correlate with any transition what so ever. Those are further down the road. #iNomovie

Update: I performed a clean install of High Sierra. Up to now, the problem seems gone. I've exported (to file) 7 videos: 2 with clips coming from only one video, and 5 with clips coming from 2 different videos.

However, compared to my previous attempts when High Sierra was installed as an upgrade of Sierra, also the following things changed:

- I didn't test yet the files that gave me error in my "upgrade-installation" (sorry, I didn't have time).

- The menu bar is always shown. In the previous attempt the manu bar on the top was set to auto-hiding.

- I'm exporting keeping the lid of my MacBook open, otherwise the creation process become very slow and the machine starts to lag while opening folders, app, etc.

Someone could test the last two points of my list, please? If nothing work, I will try to export the files that gave me error in my previous installation, but I will do it during the week-end. During the week-end I will also try to export videos with clips coming from more than 2 files.

Anyway, I will keep you informed.

so what did you do with the ppt? I have a small project containing some video clips with moving text and images... exported from Powerpoint. Does it mean I can not use Videofiles from PowerPoint?

Thanks?

I am having a similar issue. The only thing that has changed in my process for editing is that iMovie was just updated to the newest version so I am convinced it is a bug with the new iMovie and not an actual file/clip issue. I am very frustrated because I've spent 6 months on this project and JUST NEED TO EXPORT IT to finalize things. SOMEONE FROM APPLE PLEASE HELP.

Things I've tried:

- MANUAL frame-by-frame check on all new edits

- New clips individual share attempt (they worked so they are not corrupt files)

- Share 1st half (failed), share 2nd half (failed)

- Apple Support, Facebook plea, Reddit plea

- Remove all transitions

Can someone from Apple please prioritize this? The support line is closed tonight so I will try again tomorrow.

feelingfrustrated, have you tried what the rest of us have found to work? Delete just the very first frame of your project? It has worked for me every single time. Yes, it's definitely something with the update, because it happens to clips I used before the update that worked fine. Frustrating.

Hi,

Yep. I've had this problem all week too. I thought it was a bug in the update but tried a few things to see if I could resolve the issue.

I shared the video to file on my desktop and waited for that lovely message to appear again telling me it had failed.

Then checked my desktop to find the file had been created but when played noticed the sound was there but no video and after 4 seconds this stopped all together.

Re watched the whole original video ini move and couldn't see any glitches but the problem must be within the first 4 seconds..right?

took out my intro video (the part that wasn't playing video but just sound) and then tried to share again to file.

IT SHARED THE WHOLE VIDEO TO FILE !!!! WOOHOO

So even though I couldn't see any glitch in the intro video something had gone wrong.

Tired to mix that file again to the video and guess what?......Failed message reappeared

So....(sorry I do go on)

imported an older video I had shared on you tube and split the intro out of that to finish my new video and .....

WOOHOO its uploading as we speak!

Hopefully thats the problem resolved but I have like the slowest upload connection so won't know for deaf for a good couple of hours.

hope this helps?

Don't give up !

Sorry but no solution. I filmed a musical and need to put all pieces together , cannot take 4 sec off and still have the sound sync. Severe problem I need to have this finished soon.

Next attempt is to go back to 10.0.7 which worked last week.... knock on wood