This document provides instructions for basic functions in iMovie, including: 1. Adding photos, titles, voiceovers, music, and video clips to an iMovie project. 2. Customizing a project with themes and editing clips by shortening, rearranging, or deleting elements. 3. Exporting a finished project as an uneditable movie file.

1. iMovie Basics
Faculty Forum offered by
iMovie expert:
Krissy Rankin

2. Before you Begin…
• Make sure you have the photos you want to
use already imported into you iPhoto library

3. To begin a new project, open iMovie and click
File>>New Project

4. Click on a theme (transitions) that you like for your
project (play around with them!). Also, choose a
name for your movie (can be changed later).
*to change your theme later, click on File>>Change Theme

5. To add pictures, click on the camera icon, then in
the long box, locate the pictures that you want to
use from your computer.

6. Drag the photos you want to use into the dashed boxes in the upper left
project building section. You can change the picture order by clicking and
dragging their icons to preferred spots within that section. Hover until you
see the green line for placement.

7. To add a title slide, click on the “T” icon, then select your
preferred text placement from the options provided. Drag your
preferred icon to the project building section. Again, hover until
you see the green line for placement.

8. To add a voiceover, click on the microphone
icon, then click on a clip where you want the
voiceover to begin. Click again anywhere to stop
recording.

9. Your voiceover recording (purple) and title slide text (blue)
will appear around the clip. To delete a voice or title slide
text, click to highlight the bar, then press “delete.”

10. To add music, click on the music note icon. To choose from
clips already provided, click on iLife Sound Effects and select
an option that pops up (play around with them!).

11. Click on a music clip that you like and drag it over to the project builder
box. A red line will appear, indicating where the clip will be dropped.
You can place the clip over a voice recording to have music playing in
the background of your voiceover.

12. To shorten a sound or music clip, click on the
appropriate purple sound bar or green music
bar to highlight it in yellow. Then, hover the
curser at the very beginning or end of the
clip until you see a “t,” click there and drag
the clip inward. If you delete too much, you
can follow the same steps above, only
dragging outward instead of inward.
You can also change the placement of music
or sound clips by clicking to highlight and
dragging it to a more preferred spot.

13. To add video clips, click on iPhoto Videos, select the
video you want to use, and drag it to the project
building box.

14. Once your project is refined and ready for
publishing, turn it into an un-editable movie! Click
on Share>>Export Movie

15. Create a name for your project and decide where you’d
like to save it. Then click “Export.” Your project can be
found wherever you saved it!