iMovie for iPhone & iPad — 15 Advanced Editing Tips & Tricks 2019
iMovie for iOS is Apple’s free mobile editing app available on the iPhone & iPad (it even comes pre-installed on devices with 64GB or more in storage), and due to its apparent simplicity, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a toy app for mum or dad to quickly cut a holiday highlight reel, and not much more than that.
Whilst it is the simplest and most intuitive mobile video editing app available, it is also surprisingly powerful, and can be used to achieve high-end results suitable for the web, and even broadcast! I first realised that iMovie for iOS was a serious tool for filmmakers back in 2013 when I cut a feature length training series (on how to shoot a movie entirely on an iOS device) in my final semester at film school.
That was over three years ago, and iMovie has come a long way since then and now cuts 4k DSLR footage shot at 100Mbps from camera’s like the Panasonic GH4 (and soon, GH5!) with ease!
Here are my top 15 power features that will help you get more our of iMovie for iOS in 2017. Enjoy! If you find them helpful, and want to master iMovie for iOS from beginning to end, you can get 25% off my Udemy Course The Epic Guide to iMovie for iOS with this link, or download it on the iBookstore for offline viewing.
15. Quick Scrub your Clips
In the Video pane of the Media Library, you can tap and hold on any video — then drag, to quickly scrub through and preview it. Very useful for quickly previewing clips before adding them to your project.
14. Quick Snap to Project Start/End
To snap the Playhead to the beginning of the timeline, tap and hold on the left hand side of interface — and to move the Playhead to the end of the sequence, tap and hold on the right hand side.
13. Use the Split Gesture
To quickly split a clip in the timeline, position the playhead over the frame you want to split, tap once to select it, and swipe down. This is probably one of the most perfect and intuitive gestures ever!
12. Quick Add a Freeze Frame
Swipe up over a selected clip to create a freeze frame which lasts for 2 seconds by default. To change the length of the freeze frame, tap the SPEED icon and the freeze-frame will become highlighted allowing you to drag the start and end points. To remove a freeze frame, tap RESET.
11. Import Video from iTunes
If you have video files on your computer that you want to quickly transfer to iMovie for editing, launch iTunes, and drag and drop your video clips to iMovie under the File Sharing pane. Launch iMovie, tap the Import Icon, then iTunes, and tap to import your clips. You can add them to an existing project or copy them to a new one.
10. Apply Project Filters for Hollywood looks
If you want a constant look across all clips in your project tap the Settings Cog, and select a Project Filter which will instantly be applied to all current and future clips added to your timeline.
9. Rotate Clips in the Viewer
You can quickly rotate a clip in the viewer in increments of 90 degrees by twisting with two fingers — clockwise or counter clockwise. Perfect for videos shot upside down by mistake.
8. Use 3D Touch in iMovie for iPhone
iMovie for iPhone supports 3D touch on compatible iPhones. Hard press on the iMovie icon to quickly open a project or create a new one, and in the Projects Browser you can hard press on a Project to preview it and then swipe up to Edit, Share or Delete it. Not revolutionary, but a definite time saver.
7. Apply Audio Fades
To fade your audio in and out in iMovie for iPhone & iPad, tap to select a clip, then tap Detach to seperate the clips audio on to its own track. Now tap the Audio Button and select Fade to reveal the fade handles which can be dragged in to adjust the length of the fade.
6. Reframe your Shots
You can reframe a clip selecting it in the timeline, then tapping the Magnifying glass in the Viewer. Pinch in and out to zoom, and drag to reframe. This technique can be used to make vertically shot video fill the frame.
5. Import DSLR Footage
Did you know that iMovie running on an iPhone 6s or later can easily edit 4k DSLR footage? There are two ways to import your DSLR video into iMovie. Either with Apple’s SD Card reader which will automatically launch the Photos import window when inserted. Or using Apple’s Camera Connection Kit which allows you to attach your camera via its USB cable, as well as ethernet adaptors, wired keyboards, mics and MIDI keyboards. Once your import is complete, your clips are ready to be imported into iMovie for editing.
4. Use iMovie in the Photos App
Once you have iMovie downloaded on your iOS device, you can make powerful non-destructive edits from right from within your Photos app using the iMovie extension.
Simply select a video and then tap Edit in the upper right > then tap MORE OPTIONS > and if iMovie doesn’t appear, just tap MORE and add it along with any other available Video Editing Extensions and tap DONE. Now tap the iMovie icon. You can MUTE the clip audio, make trims, add FILTERS and animated titles as well as music from either iMovie’s royalty free Theme Music Library, or from your Music library. To accept all changes tap DONE in the upper right. As any edits performed using the iMovie extension are non-destructive, you can revert to your original clip by tapping EDIT, then REVERT in the lower right, and select REVERT TO ORIGINAL.
3. Use Theme Transitions
By default iMovie applies a cross dissolve transition between clips which can be changed by tapping to select the transition. If you select the Theme transition, the transition associated with your currently selected theme will be applied, however you can choose between 7 different themes under Settings. After tapping Done, the transition is automatically updated.
2. Be More Productive with Keyboard Shortcuts
iMovie supports both wireless and wired keyboards via the camera connection kit. Hold the Command Key down on the iPad to reveal a shortcut list, and these will work on the iPhone as well. Some handy shortcuts include pressing C to select the clip under the playhead. Pressing Command-B to split it. And using the left and right arrows to progress one frame at a time for making super fine edits.
1. Enable 60fps Export
iMovie for iOS does allow you to export video at 60FPS, however by default this option isn’t enabled. To turn it on, open Settings and navigate to iMovie and tap to open. Enable 60fps export, and now if you open a Project that includes video recorded at 60 frames per second, when you tap Share and Save Video, your native frame rate will be preserved upon export.
So there you have it! 15 advanced editing techniques and tips to help you edit it like a pro on iMovie for iPhone and iPad. If you really want to master mobile editing using iMovie for iOS, then check out The Epic Guide to iMovie for iOS 2017 on Udemy. It is the most comprehensive and easy to follow course available with 48 video tutorials that will take you from beginner to advanced mobile editor. Use this special link to receive 25% off your course enrolment and master mobile editing.
Originally published at epictutorials.com on December 26, 2016.
