how do i prevent cropping in imovie

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Level 1

4 points

how do i prevent cropping in imovie

OVERVIEW:

iMovie seems to be auto-cropping my footage, but only when a video clip is moved from my Project Media area down to the movie timeline. How do I get around this?

DETAILED EXAMPLE:

In the two attached images, I want to direct your attention primarily to the payback area (right of the screen). You will notice in the first image that I am playing the clip from my project media area, on the left.

In the second image, I am playing the same clip, this time from my movie timeline, at the bottom. In the playback area, you will see the scene is zoomed, cropped and stretched vertically.

One additional note: I'm getting the same undesirable zoom/stretch effect in the exported mp4 file.

DESIRED OUTCOME:

My target outcome is for the final file not to be zoomed, cropped and stretched, with a supporting outcome of the same when I play it from my timeline.

WHAT I HAVE TRIED:

Adjusting the crop type (Fit, Crop to Fill, Ken Burns)

Installing the latest version of macOS

Rebooting the computer

Uninstalling and reinstalling iMove

Searching settings, menus and online forums for functions or answers

Please advise on a solution!

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.0

Posted on Feb 6, 2022 3:34 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Rich839

Level 8

47,676 points

Feb 11, 2022 2:06 PM in response to greenbuns

At this point we need to rule out the video format as an issue. The iMovie timeline often is more sensitive to formats than is the media browser or Finder.

As a test, try using the free download handbrake to convert one of your MOD and MOI files to Mp4/AAC that Handbrake will do by default. Then import the converted file into iMovie and see if the zoom issue is resolved.

You can get Handbrake here:

https://handbrake.fr/

A simple way to do it is to open Handbrake and do a File/Open Source. Navigate to your video and choose it as the source from the resulting screen. Then do File/Start Encoding. Wait a couple of minutes for the conversion to complete. Then save and import the converted clip into iMovie.

-- Rich

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Answer 2

greenbuns Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 11, 2022 12:20 PM in response to Rich839

Hi Rich, sorry for the late reply but it took me a while to track down the original files so I could import from the original source into a new project with the specified preferences, as you suggested. That solution did not work.

Image 1: this is the image played from the project media section. Looks great.

Image 2: when I put the media on the timeline, then view in the playback window, this is how it looks when crop style is set to "Crop to Fill." Not good.

Image 3: this is how it looks when crop style is set to "Fit." Better than crop to fill, but still cropping out about 2/3 of the original image. Not good.

There doesn't appear to be an issue with my files, as I can preview them in project media and the look fine (refer to image 1). It also doesn't appear to be an issue with my settings. This seems to be something that iMovie is processing on the backend that doesn't work properly in my situation.

Any additional suggestions or advice is appreciated. Are there professionals who can help with this? I've been unsuccessful getting help from Apple.

Thanks.

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Answer 3

greenbuns Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 11, 2022 1:13 PM in response to Rich839

Here is one more data point, getting towards a solution here. The video files I'm using are .MOI or .MOD. I did find an image file (.JPG) taken on the same camera and held in the same data source. This image appears the same in the preview regardless of whether I'm playing from project media or the timeline.

IMAGE: Desired frame achieved with .jpg file:

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Answer 4

greenbuns Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 7, 2022 8:45 AM in response to Rich839

Hi Rich, this didn't work. I went into preferences and changed photo placement from Ken Burns to Fit, as you suggested. I created an empty test project and imported a clip from the original project. Same result...it's fine when viewing it from the media area, but still zooms when playing from the movie editing area.

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Answer 5

Rich839

Level 8

47,676 points

Feb 7, 2022 10:10 AM in response to greenbuns

If you import the clip from the iMovie project timeline, the edits will carry over and it will still zoom in the new project. Did you import the actual original clip from its original source? If not, try that.

Also, you should be able to select the clip in the timeline and click on the crop tool (the one that looks like intersecting angles) in the tool bar at the top right of your screen. An option box will appear that will let you change the setting to Fit. You probably already did that, but just wanted to cover the bases.

If the above doesn't work then iMovie is acting in an unexpected way. Try deleting preferences and see if that cures it. To delete preferences open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and select to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects. Deleting preferences is a safe procedure that will not cause data loss or disruption to your project.

-- Rich

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Answer 6

greenbuns Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 7, 2022 1:32 PM in response to Rich839

Hi Rich, sorry for the delay and thank you for your continued responses. The file conversion seems to have solved my problem. I converted a .MOD file from its original source to .MP4 using Handbrake as you suggested. I dragged it into my iMovie library with no issues, and added it to the timeline with no issues. I cropped to "Fit" and playback seems normal.

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