Adding srt captions to an iMovie file

Yes, that's unfortunate. I think that Final Cut Pro supports .srt captions. At least, the rev.com website has instructions for it. Final Cut Pro costs about $299 for the professional capability that it provides.

You still can use your .srt captions to manually insert the captions into iMovie. When you open them in TextEdit they should look something like this:

What I did is create some transparency screens using the Preview App on my Mac. Then I copy and pasted each caption (minus the numbers) into a text box in the transparency screen. That way there was no retyping. It looks like this:

Then I saved and dragged each transparency screen into iMovie. When dragged in they look black like this:

But, when you copy them and paste them into your project, and place them above the timeline, select each one, click on the Overlay button in the toolbar above your screen, and choose Picture in Picture . . . they look like this in the preview screen:

So, it can be done. Takes a little work, though.

In case you want to try it: To create a transparency screen, take any random photo on your desktop and click on it to open it in Preview. Then do Edit/Select All, Edit/Delete. A pop-up will ask if you want to convert it to a transparency. Click convert. You will now have a blank gray transparency screen. Save it. Then go to Tools/Annotate/Text Box. A text box will appear in the screen. Type in your caption, adjusting its size and position on the bottom of the screen. Save. Drag into iMovie. Use as a Picture in Picture as described above.

Good luck with your captions.

-- Rich

No, unfortunately I've never worked with .srt files.

A user on this forum was able to add .srt captions to his iMovie video using the free download, Handbrake. He didn't explain exactly how, but here's a copy of the thread:

SRT files in iMovie

You can download Handbrake here:

https://handbrake.fr/

You could try dragging one of your .srt files into iMovie to see if it reads it, but I don't think it will. You may have to convert it. Also, I have read that .srt files can be read as a text file with the Mac's Preview application. The free download VLC supposedly can read .srt files, and from there you might be able to convert them to Mp4 or something that iMovie can read. While you are experimenting, work with duplicates of your original .srt file so that you don't ruin your originals.

As I mentioned earlier, you might want to call rev.com and ask them how you insert the .srt captions into an iMovie video. In the frequently asked questions section on their website they gave instructions for Apple's Final Cut, but nothing for iMovie.

Good luck with this.

-- Rich

Hi,

I have never used rev.com srt services, so can't be of help from personal experience. You might contact rev.com and ask for their guidance.

Hopefully others who have experience with the program will chime in.

-- Rich

You are welcome. Please post back if rev.com gives you the answer, as it may help others with this problem.

I downloaded an .srt captions file sample but so far have not been able to figure out how to insert the captions into a movie. I have opened the .srt file as a text edit file, and copy-pasted the captions into tranparancies, that I then inserted into the movie with the Picture-in-Picture feature. It works, but pretty laborious for a long movie. Right now I am thinking that iMovie does not support .srt captions, but don't know that for sure yet.

-- Rich

Your are welcome. Glad I could be of help. 🙂

-- Rich