iMovie – An Intro, An Experience, A Group Project

An Intro

iMovie is a video editing software application that is solely available on Apple products. Meaning Macs, iPhones, IPads, IPad Minis, and iPod Touches. On October 5, 1999, it was originally released as a Mac application and by 2003 it has become standard and it is available for free for all the aforementioned Apple products.

To use iMovie, a user imports their videos to the software. Before importing videos to the software application one then has the option to create a trailer or a movie. After selecting the movie option, the user can import videos to begin the editing process. While editing, users also have the options to import photos and music. Understanding iMovie for a first-time user is relatively simple. There is literally a YouTube tutorial for everything. This stands true for both life and iMovie. So do what you would like with that advice in mind. Also in iMovie, the user can do pretty much anything any other decent video editing software can do. Split videos into clips, stabilize shaky videos, add filters and effects, and create opening titles and closing credits. Creating a video project does not require being pigeonholed into utilizing Apple products or its exclusive software applications.

An Experience

Using iMovie itself was relatively easy—again iMovie in terms of video editing software is just as basic as most decent video editing software applications for PCs, Macs, iPhones, Androids, etc. However, the challenges one may face in the process of creating anything via iMovie are real and do exist. 

The major hurdle of this and any project that utilizes Imovie is having consistent (or any) access to iMovie at all. If one is assigned a project for a college class that requires the use of iMovie, good luck. While college students at Buffalo State College (and any/every other college) are billed a technology fee it does not mean that one may reap the benefits of having access to 1.) Mac computers and 2.) Mac computers that have iMovie installed on them. This is true for the entire campus of Buffalo State College as well as the room in Buckham Hall that COM 366 is held in. Multiple students were at workstations were iMovie had yet to be installed, and because students do not have permissions to download and install things to Buffalo State College’s computers a waiting game to get iMovie ensued. The next part of the challenge of gaining access to iMovie is actually using it outside of the class located in the B Wing of Buckham Hall. Once leaving those doors, Mac computers are not as prevalent. The kicker? The number of Macs available didn’t have iMovie on them. So let’s say one is a student that balances a full-time job and a full-time course load that does not own a Mac. Getting access to iMovie to edit anything on one’s own schedule is going to be difficult to say the absolute least. Think trying a location in the Butler Library on Campus will help? It won’t. The Quiet Study Zone in the library has a few Macs but does not have any editing software on it. Remember that technology fee referenced earlier? All computer and software access clearly isn’t created equal because of it. One may question why they are even paying for it. However, that is another question and answer session for another time.

Owning an iPhone helps. Owning an iPhone is not a requirement, but it does help in terms of having iMovie available wherever you are whenever you want. Why? As mentioned earlier in this post, iMovie is available free of charge on all Apple iPhones. There are some setbacks and limitations to what iMovie can offer via an iPhone versus what iMovie can offer via a Mac desktop or laptop though. The biggest setback is having to edit on a smaller screen. After getting used to editing in iMovie directly on an iPhone, the smaller screen itself was not the biggest deal anymore. However, the setup and the way one is able to split clips, apply transitions, and music, credits, etc are completely different. If one cannot figure it out simply remember the quote, “YouTube is your friend!” Again reiterating an earlier part of this blog post. There is quite literally a YouTube tutorial for everything. If one is already using iMovie on an iPhone; then, closing the app to search YouTube for help is already well within one's reach.

Another challenge in shooting (but not exclusive to using iMovie) is filming one’s self in a scene when no one is available, also known as the self-portrait experience. This is where the use of a tripod is a huge aid in service. Tripods range in price, but that should not be seen as a deterrent from purchasing a cheap tripod if that is what one’s budget allows. To save money on a tripod while simultaneously viewing a large selection of options, online is the way to go. Amazon not only offers tripods, but they offer cell phone attachments that can be used on existing tripods if one already owns a tripod for a camera. Even better? If one is a college student, they are eligible for Amazon Prime’s free two-day shipping option.

For the self-portrait aspect, life is generally monotonous, slow-moving, uninteresting. This can be helpful if using it in contrast to the group video. However, that statement is also contingent upon what the group video subject is.

As for the concept of sharing the video online, it is important to keep in mind that there is truly no such thing as anonymity on the internet and that even when content is deleted nothing is ever really deleted. With that in mind, knowing this project would be posted online, nothing was made that could be deemed as too inappropriate. The only thing that generally kept this in mind was knowing this was a class project so content was created with that in mind, specifically. Posting it online may be considered more of an afterthought in this scenario.

A Group Project

Oh, group projects. They have been and will continue to be loathed by students in grade school and all the up to the collegiate level. Announcements from teachers about group projects are always met with moans and groans. Whether those moans and groans be internal screaming or external sighs, they happen. The process of any group project requires equal time and work from all involved parties. Even if the work requirement is met, with a project that requires filming scenes on at a location time is a huge factor. Having to coordinate the schedules of individuals is hard. It may seem almost impossible.  College students have more than one class that they are focusing on, often have full or part-time jobs, and extracurricular activities like sports, clubs, and organizations. Even when one is placed with a group where every member pulls all their respective weight, schedule coordination will always remain a huge factor in production.

Interested in an example of a self-video? Click HERE.