Digital Equipment at the ERC

How to Upload a Video

1. To upload a video from a camcorder, plug in the camcorder (with a USB cable) and open iMovie.
2. Turn on the camcorder and select the Camera/Play button on the camcorder.  Select All (for PC only) even if you are using a Mac.  This will allow you to import all videos or movie clips saved to the camcorder.

   

3. Once iMovie recognizes the camcorder, a new window will appear.  If iMovie does not recognize the camcorder, select the camcorder icon found in the middle bar of iMovie.
4. The clips on the camcorder will appear on the bottom half of the window.  Select Import All to import all clips OR change the setting from Automatic to Manual and select the clips you would like to import and select Import Checked.
5. Select a location for the clips to be saved to and alter any settings, for example, the size of the video.  Select Import.

How to Add Video Clips to a Movie

1. All imported clips will appear on the bottom (edit) section of iMovie.
2. To select a clip or portion of a clip to insert in your movie, place the cursor over the section of the clip you would like to select.  A red line will appear.  Hold down the mouse and move the mouse to the end of the clip you would like to import.  A yellow box will appear to represent the clip you have selected.
3. Move the cursor over the yellow box and drag and drop this selection to the top section of iMovie.  The top section of the iMovie program is the actual video that you will be exporting.
4. Continue to select, drag, and drop clips to create your movie.
5. In order to shorten a clip, move the cursor to the end of the clip and press down to create a orange line.  Move the box back to the desired length release the cursor.

How to Add Themes to a Movie

1. Select Window in the top menu bar to edit the movie and add music or sound effects, photos, titles, transitions, maps, and backgrounds.
2. Select the theme you would like to add, for example, Titles.
3. A new window will appear in the bottom right-hand side of the screen.
4. Drag and drop the Title you would like to use in the movie and place the Title in the location you would like it to play.
5. Select the background color you would like for the new clip.
6. Run the cursor to the newly added Title clip.  On the top right hand side of the screen, double click on the Title Text Here and rename the title of the movie.
7. If you change your mind about a clip you have added, select the clip in the top section of iMovie and select Delete.
8. In order to lengthen a special effects clip, move the cursor to the clip and select the Move to Fine Tune Clip End box (found on the bottom right hand corner of clip) until an orange line appears.  Move the orange line to where you would like to extend the clip to.
9. To add music or a voice over to the video, select the Microphone icon found in the middle bar of iMovie.
10. Move the cursor to where you would like the movie or voice over to begin.  Push down on the mouse and iMovie will give you a 3 second countdown to begin/ready your music.
11. Click the mouse to stop recording music or a voice over.  Below your movie clips, you will notice a purple bar that indicates where the voice over clip has been added.

How to Export a Movie

1. When your movie has been completed, you may export the movie to YouTube, QuickTime, a DVD, or save the movie as a movie file (i.e., avi or mpeg-4).  Please be aware that exporting a movie is often a lengthy process.  Please give yourself enough time for the whole process to complete.
2. Select Share from the top menu bar.
3. Select Export Movie to adjust the size and location of the movie.
4. Select Export and iMovie will begin compressing files to create a movie.
5. When the movie has been exported, you are able to open it in iTunes, QuickTime, a DVD, or other programs depending on how you have saved the video.

If you are using iMovie at the Educational Resource Center to import, edit, and export your movies, please be aware that iMovie files are very large.  iMovie movies cannot be saved to MyFiles or to a USB flashdrive, even if the video is under a minute long.  

Because movies cannot be saved to the ERC computers, please give yourself enough time to complete your movie project.