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iMovie is video digitizing software developed
by Apple. Using iMovie, you can grab video clips from VHS
cassettes, laserdiscs, DVDs, VCDs, and digital video camcorders.
iMovie will allow you to edit these clips and then export
them as a Quicktime movie that can be used on PCs or Macs
and, at some locations, output them to VHS, digital
tape, and DVD.
It is extremely important
to read through all of the documentation because not
all features are available at all of Wellesley's digitizing
stations and some may work differently in different
locations.
If you have read these
instructions before, jump to another section of our
documentation! If not, please read this page first.
Where to find this software
iMovie HD is installed on the video digitizing stations
in Knapp (#24-38 and PR 111).
Getting Started
Before using iMovie, please read through the documentation
carefully. Make sure iMovie is capable of doing everything
you want to do. Please consult the Knapp
Center Project Planning and Support page for
tips on planning your project.
Here are a few tips that you should be aware of
before you begin:
- You will need to be able to create your iMovie in
one sitting. This means digitizing, editing, and exporting
all in one single sitting. Knapp is not open 24 hours
a day. You will need to complete your project before
Knapp closes for the night. You will not be able to
save your files for another day.
The hours for the Knapp Center can be found at http://www.wellesley.edu/Library/hours.html
- Uncompressed digital video files are VERY large.
You will not be able to back up the raw files for your
project into FirstClass or the 24 hour drop folder.
In most cases your raw files will not fit on a zip
disk and in many you will not be able to fit them on
to a CD. Some iMovie projects can now be saved onto
a data DVD. You must purchase a DVD-R in
order to save your project onto a data DVD. Note:
The Mac's in Knapp will only read DVD-R's not DVD+R's.
It's important to purchase the correct format. The
bookstore has DVD-R's.
An empty 250MB zip disk will only hold about 1 minute of uncompressed digital
video clips.
An empty CD-R will hold only about 2 and 1/2 minutes of uncompressed digital
video clips.
An empty data DVD-R will hold only about 15 minutes of uncompressed digital
video clips.
Backing up your uncompressed clips to a disk, CD or data DVD can be very time-consuming
because of the size of the files.
The best plan is to finish your project in one sitting. Exporting your
movie to either a QuickTime movie, back out to a VHS cassette, DV tape
or onto a video DVD before you leave the lab.
- Plan how you will use your finished movie before
you begin. QuickTime movies can be played on the web,
sent through email, and posted to a FirstClass conference. Exported
QuickTime movies should be small enough to save to
a zip disk or to attach to a FirstClass message.VHS
cassettes will be able to play in any NTSC VCR. Video
DVD-R's will play in a wide range of DVD players, but
not all. To determine whether your DVD player will
play DVD-R check with your DVD player's manufacturer.
- Practice first! Play with iMovie a bit before you
work on your major project to try out any techniques
that you might want to use, and to find any questions
you may have. Remember the longer the clip, the longer
it will take for each transition or title to generate,
and the longer it will take to export your final movie.
- Remember that the videos that you are digitizing
are probably copyright protected! To learn more, see
Wellesley's Copyright
Policy.
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