Simple iMovie questions

MacAndy · Sep 5th, 2008, 03:05 PM

Hi,

I created an iMovie of a live band video I shot with my DV camera.

I want to have two still frames at the beginning that fade in and out and then the video plays - no need for a menu [can't stand any of the Apple menu layouts they have anyways].

But... when I put these into iMovie they clip the first 5 secs of the first segment so I hear the audio but get the still image.

So I don't think I should be putting this in iMovie, maybe in iDVD but then how do I get around all those annoying default screens?

Anyone?

TIA

cap10subtext · Sep 5th, 2008, 04:39 PM

It think this is a little confusing. Do you mean you are trying to edit a movie in iMovie and then burn it to a DVD in iDVD? Only when you make the DVD you don't want the default menus?
Which versions of these programs are you using?

chas_m · Sep 5th, 2008, 05:10 PM

Agree with cap10.

First tell us what version of iMovie (and iDVD) you are using. Big changes happened between the current version and the previous version, so the answer for you might be different depending on what version you're using.

MacAndy · Sep 5th, 2008, 07:06 PM

Ah, right, sorry... it's iMovie 6.03.

I have created the movie from 60 mins of video I shot, editing it down into segments with fades in and fades out.

Just want to put these two still JPG images at the front so when the DVD is inserted into a player the first shows for 4-5 secs and then the second shows for 4-5 secs and then into the video.

Thanks.

chas_m · Sep 6th, 2008, 03:58 AM

Okay, so this is the older iMovie.

If the audio is separated from the video (ie on it's own track), you will need to move the audio over so that it matches up to the start of the first video segment.

When you drag in a photo into iMovie, I believe that by default it will make that photo five seconds "long." Make sure not to use any transition between it and the first video segment or you will get that audio "crossover" you're talking about.

As for making the video play without a menu, this is what I recall about how to do that:

Once you have the video the way you want it, send it to iDVD. In iDVD, select the most boring and generic menu you can find among the choices. I know you don't want a menu at all, but the DVD needs a menu structure and we'll bypass it in a minute. Just give it a menu.

When the menu's done, select the "Map" button in iDVD. You will be taken to an area that shows the layout of the disc in a kind of flowchart arrangement, and there will be a block in there that says "drag movie here to play upon insertion." Do it.

Then burn.

MacAndy · Sep 7th, 2008, 08:44 PM

Beauties Chas, greatly appreciate it... will give it a shot tomorrow.

Thanks.

G4Ever · Jun 13th, 2009, 07:54 AM

Imported 45 min. from DV camera. I click on Import movie from HD
Event title appears, I click the title, 3x but the menu does not highlight
the import button, just cancel appears.

Tried imovie help, but still not sure. (okay, stop laughing!..)

G4Ever

chas_m · Jun 13th, 2009, 04:52 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by G4Ever
	Imported 45 min. from DV camera. I click on Import movie from HD Event title appears, I click the title, 3x but the menu does not highlight the import button, just cancel appears.

This isn't very clear (could use a LOT more detail/grammar) but here goes:

1. First, how exactly did you import the 45minutes of footage? If you did this through iMovie, then the footage is already there and there's no reason to import it.

2. If you used some other method to bring the footage into your computer, chances are that it's in a format that iMovie doesn't recognise. You'll need to convert it to mpeg-4, avi, or DV format for iMovie to "see" it. I suggest a program like MPEG Streamclip (free), iVideo Converter ($7), VisualHub (if you can find it, discontinued), ffmpegX (free), etc.