This newcomer needs some help! Using iMovie with issues....

Eternal_Senshi · Post by **Eternal_Senshi** » Sat May 03, 2008 8:33 am

Hi! I came here from the Otakon forums because I was told someone might be able to help me with my problem if I post here!

So as the subject mentions, I've been using iMovies for editing and it's been working really well for the most part. I've already pieced together about half a dozen different scenes from the series I'm using for my video and it's coming along great so far! The only problem is, for some reason, some of the clips aren't working. I'll select them and drag them up to the "project" window, just like I did with the working clips, and when I play the video to see if it's pieced together well, some of the clips simply won't play. It will just remain on the last clip that DID work until the video runs its course.

I gathered that most people took footage for their AMVs from DVDs they own, since downloading them online is illegal etc etc However, it was suggested to me that DVDs are copyrighted, therefore can't be pulled apart for such a thing. If THIS was the case, I'm even MORE confused because a ) most of the clips ARE working, so one would think either they would all work or none of them would and b ) am I to gather that people do indeed use series they illegally downloaded to make AMVs?

I take clips from my DVD and use a program I downloaded called "HandBrake" to turn them into MP4s for iMovie.

If you need any more info, please ask! Any help I could get would be appreciated so much! This is my first time making an AMV and I even want to try and submit it to the Otakon AMV contest this year, but I'll never make the deadline if I can't figure out what's wrong! Thanks everyone!

nifear4 · Post by **nifear4** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:24 pm

Nice nice, another MAC user besides me and a few others. Well the first thing, iMovie converts movies into DV format or MP4 format that is uncompressed. Its just how it goes. Another thing is that iMovie can't import anything longer than 9:54min long. I usually import like 2-5 minute clips and just cut them at every scene break. But thats how I do it. Another program you should try is MacTheRipper, a lot of people use this as well as handbrake.

The thing I do is rip DVD and put it into a .avi video format with DivX codec (iMovie should be able to import DivX, if you can't just download the codec from the DivX website)... then I import it into iMovie and start away.

But right now I'm using Final Cut Express 4.0.

hope this helped.

NS · Post by NS » Sat May 03, 2008 2:35 pm

I'm not familiar with imovie, but generally divx/xvid encoded clips are not good for it. You should probably convert then to uncompressed lag with vdub like the guides say to do for vegas and whatnot. But then again, like I said I'm not familiar with imovie so I could be wrong.

mirkosp · Post by **mirkosp** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:56 pm

Lagarith doesn't work on MAC to my knowledge... either use huffyuv or uncompressed. :\

JaddziaDax · Post by **JaddziaDax** » Sat May 03, 2008 8:27 pm

lagarith isn't uncompressed either, its lossless

Eternal_Senshi · Post by **Eternal_Senshi** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:24 pm

I'm afraid I'm completely lost here...I don't know any of the technical aspects of these kinda things...just the artistic aspects. What I don't understand is why some clips will play and others don't. That's the crux of my problem.

I have HandBrake to convert the files and that works fine for all the other clips...I converted an entire DVD with it and imported it onto iMovie. I'm just trying to understand why most of the clips work fine but others don't.

LivingFlame · Post by **LivingFlame** » Sat May 03, 2008 11:26 pm

MP4 is a distribution container that isn't actually meant for editing. Chances are, iMovie is getting pissy with whatever codec is being used on the video stream in your MP4.

Use uncompressed .mov files instead. The file sizes will be large, but that's why you don't convert whole episodes at a time.

And as for the DVD vs. D/L anime thing, everyone here will agree: use DVD footage.

NS · Post by NS » Sat May 03, 2008 11:59 pm

LivingFlame wrote:MP4 is a distribution container that isn't actually meant for editing. Chances are, iMovie is getting pissy with whatever codec is being used on the video stream in your MP4.

Use uncompressed .mov files instead. The file sizes will be large, but that's why you don't convert whole episodes at a time.

And as for the DVD vs. D/L anime thing, everyone here will agree: use DVD footage.

yes, they'll say that, but 80% of them will have used fandubs at some point >_>

LivingFlame · Post by **LivingFlame** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:13 am

LivingFlame wrote:MP4 is a distribution container that isn't actually meant for editing. Chances are, iMovie is getting pissy with whatever codec is being used on the video stream in your MP4.

Use uncompressed .mov files instead. The file sizes will be large, but that's why you don't convert whole episodes at a time.

And as for the DVD vs. D/L anime thing, everyone here will agree: using DVD footage is better.

There, I fix'd it to appease you. o.O

NS · Post by NS » Sun May 04, 2008 12:23 am