by As you may recall, the last time we gathered we took three giant steps back and started over with the “How to Use iMovie” series. The idea was that we should be looking at the latest iteration of the application, and that iteration is iMovie 10. In the first lesson we took a stroll through iMovie’s interface. This time it’s all about importing media. Ready? Let’s begin.
The import business
In earlier versions of iMovie, import options were scattered about the interface. If you wanted to import movies stored on your Mac, you chose File > Import and then the appropriate command. To import clips from an attached camera, you chose File > Import From Camera. To record live video from a camera attached to your Mac, you’d issue that same command or click the Camera Import button in iMovie’s toolbar. iMovie 10 attempts to simplify matters by placing all these functions in a single window that you can access by clicking the Import button in the toolbar or by choosing File > Import Media.
With the Import window open, you’ll likely see three headings: Cameras, Devices, and Favorites. Any cameras and iOS devices attached to your Mac—compatible camcorders, still cameras (with or without the ability to shoot video), your Mac’s FaceTime camera, or an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch—appear under the Cameras heading. Below the Devices heading are any volumes attached to your Mac, such as your Mac’s hard drive. And under Favorites are Home and Desktop entries, by default. You can add more favorites by selecting a volume under Devices, digging down to a folder you’d like to add, and then Control-clicking (or right-clicking) that folder and choosing Add to Favorites.
iMovie 10’s Import window.
Importing digital assets
To import media from a connected digital camera, digital camcorder, or iOS device, select the device’s name under the Cameras heading. The top of the Import window will reveal an ‘Import to’ pop-up menu. From this menu you choose an existing event or, if you’d like to create a new event, choose New Event. On the far right of the window is another pop-up menu. Here you choose the kind of media you want to see in the preview area below—Videos, Photos, or Photos and Videos.
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