Make a movie

Making a Movie

Getting started:

1. Take time to review the components of iMovie.

2. Open the iMovie software.

3. Select New from the File Menu and in the dialog box field Name type in the title of your movie. If iMovie is being used for the first time the dialog field Name will automatically appear.

Importing Pictures

1. Select the Photo Icon located at the bottom of the Clip Shelf.

2. When the Photo Palette opens click on the up or down arrows to select the file (album) containing the photos that you want to use.

3. Click on one of the photos and use "Command A" to select all the photos.

4. Click on the button beside "Ken Burns Effect" to deselect it.

5. To select the duration for each picture either move the slider towards the "Rabbit" icon until the window directly below reads 0:03 or highlight the time in the duration window and type in the required time of 0:03.

8. When you click on Update the photos will be now be placed on the timeline.

Working on the Timeline

1. The photos on the timeline may be moved from one position to another by clicking and holding on the particular frame and then dragging the photo to a new position.. The photos on the timeline will separate allowing the photo will be inserted in the new location when the mouse is released.

2. Photos can be deleted from the timeline. Select the photo to be deleted and press the delete key. Deleting photos from the timeline does not delete them from the clip shelf.

3. When making a movie it is desirable to have two copies of each frame. This is accomplished by simply clicking on the particular picture and then dragging the picture from the clip shelf and placing it beside the corresponding picture on the timeline. Again, the pictures on the timeline will separate and when the mouse is released the picture will be inserted on the timeline.

4. If for some reason you want to delete all the photos from the timeline click on one picture and use "Command A"to select all the photos and then press delete. Remember that deleting the photos removes all the changes that you have made.

5. You can re-add all the photos to the timeline by selecting all the pictures from the clip shelf and dragging them to the timeline and then once again proceed with the moving and deleting of photos.

Adding New or Modify Original Photos

1. If additional photos are added to your album iMovie will automatically include them in the clip shelf. These photos will not have the duration, zoom or Ken Burns effect applied to them and therefore the entire file will have to be updated. This will place all the photos on the timeline resulting in a duplication of existing photos so it would be best to follow steps 4 and 5 from "Working on the Timeline" before an updating.

2. If additonal pictures are to be added and you do not want to disturb what you have done on the timeline place these photos in a new album and then select this folder and make the necessary changes to duration, zoom and Ken Burns effect. Updating these photos will place them on the timeline with the other photos so you will have to drag and drop them to the desired location.

3. When images are saved in your album after modifications were made to your photos (using Photoshop is used to remove certain elements (wire or lines) or crop pictures), iMovie retains the link to these photos. Even though they may not appear changed on the clip shelf, when they are placed on the timeline the modifications will be evident.

Adding Titles

1. Select the Titles palette at the bottom of the clip shelf

2. Select the title style you want applied. Type in appropriate information. With some styles additional fields can be added or removed by clicking on the + or -. Rearrange the fields by dragging them.

3. Use the Speed slider to change how fast the title fades in and out and the Pause slider to set the length of time you want the title to remain before fading out. The duration (how long the title remains on the screen) is determined by the Speed and Pause settings and is indicated in the lower-right hand corner of the preview screen.

4. Select font and color using the pop-up menus. Text can be made larger or smaller by using the Text Size slider.

5. Select Black Background if you do not want your title placed over any of your photos.

6. Some styles allow you to determine the direction from which the title enters the screen

6. Drag the title effect and place at the beginning of your movie.

7. Repeat the above procedure to create a credit page and place at the end of your movie.

Importing Audio

1. Take time to listen to various royalty free music in iTunes.

2. When you have chosen the music click on the Audio palette at the bottom of the clip shelf.

3. When the list of tracks appears select the one you want to use.

5. Click on the Clock Icon just below the scrubber bar on the left hand side. This allows you to see the video and audio (2 tracks) timelines.

6. Move the playhead to the beginning of your movie

7.. Drag you music selection to the start of your movie (title page) and drop the music selection on the first audio timeline. You could also select Place at Playhead as a quick way to insert music at required location on audio timeline

8. If you wish to add music at a location other than the beginning move the playhead to the appropriate place on the scrubber bar and use this as a guide when dragging and dropping your audio track. As mentioned above you could use the Place at Playhead command.

9. To lock the track to a particular part of the movie choose Advanced and select Lock Audio Clip at Playhead. This allows the audio clip to move witht he video clip.

10. To add a second music track follow the above procedure (steps 8 and 9) and use the second audio timeline.

11. If you wish to add Sound Effects select the appropriate effect from those provided and drag and drop the effect onto the timeline. These effects can be moved.

Exporting Your Movie

1. Select the Export as from the File Menu and then select Quicktime Movie.

2. It is not necessary to choose the Expert Settings but if you want to experiment with these choose Expert Settings from the Formats pop-up menu and click on the Expert Button. Take time to review the information on exporting files in iMovie.

3. Choose Movie to Quicktime Movie from the Export pop-up menu and then click on the Options Button.

4. Clicking on the Settings Button in the Video Panel will allow you to change the compression, frames per second (frame rate) and key frame settings.

5. Selecting the Size Button in the Video Panel will allow you to change the frame size.

Your movie is ready to be viwed on the Internet