How to Use iMovie: The Basics

Altering Text Boxes

Add a new Text Scene

  • Click on the “T” symbol on the right hand side of the screen and pick the type of text you would like to add.
  • Click the text style and drag the text up to your movie editing area to the spot you would like to insert it.
  • A screen will pop up to ask you to select a background

Adding Text to a video or picture that is already in your movie

  • Repeat same directions as above, except you will not have to pick a background

Moving Text Boxes

  • To shrink or lengthen the text box duration, just click on the end of the bar and stretch or shrink it

Editing Text

  • Double click the next in your preview window and you will be able to type in the text box.
  • To change font, color, size click “Show Fonts” or highlight text, and click on the “Text” tab in the menu bar.

Changing Style of a Text Box

  • Double click the BLUE Bar above the scene, and a menu bar will pop up that will allow you to Text Style

Altering Scene Length

Changing the duration/background of a scene

  • Double click the scene, a menu bar will pop up and give you the option to change time or background

Adding Music

Add a new Song Track

  • Click on the “iTunes” symbol on the right hand side of the screen and pick the song you want to add from iTunes
  • Click the song and drag the song up to your movie editing area to the spot you would like to insert it.
  • Click the GREEN Text Bar in your editing window and drag the GREEN bar left or right to move it.
  • To shrink or lengthen the song duration, just click on the end of the bar (either end of song or beginning based on what you want to cut out) and stretch or shrink it

Adding/Altering Video

Creating a Video File

  • Click on the Video Icon on the left side of the screen.
  • Click “Capture, click “Create New Event” and call it whatever section you are working on (ie- Introductionor Trial 1orPurpose), then click “Capture” again.
  • Recording will start, click “Stop” when done. If you need to record again, click “Capture” again.

Adding a Video to your Movie

  • Go to your videos ( in the bottom/middle of your screen) and highlight the section you want to use, and then drag it up into your movie editing section

Editing Video Properties

  • Double click on the video in the editing video, from here you can edit “Audio” or “Video” properties. Click which one you would like to alter.

Adding a Picture

Adding a Picture (2 Options)

  • Easiest: Save picture to desktop, and then drag it from the desktop right into your movie
  • Option 2: Save picture into iPhoto, and click iPhoto icon on right hand side of iMovie to open up all your photos. Click and drag!