iMovie '11: The Interface
The iMovie interface is divided into six areas for viewing, organizing, and editing video:
- The EVENT LIBRARY lists all the events you’ve recorded on video and imported into iMovie in order of date.
- The EVENT BROWSER shows the contents of the events you’ve selected in the Event Library. From here you can crop areas of footage to drag into your project window.
- The VIEWER is where your preview plays. To switch to full screen mode click the Play Project Full-Screen button beneath the project window.
- The TOOLBAR is where many of the tools and controls you need are located (see below for more info)
- The PROJECT LIBRARY lists all the iMovie projects you’ve created. While working on a project, this area becomes your TIMELINE where you put together pictures, video clips, music, and more to create your digital story.
- The MEDIA & EFFECTS BROWSER provides access to Sound, Picture, Text, Transition and Background effects.
The Toolbar
If your Toolbar looks different to the one below, go to iMovie > Preferences and tick "Show Advanced Tools".
- Import from connected camera or capture footage through the iMac's webcam
- Swap the positions of the Event and Project Libraries
- Drag to scale the preview thumbnails
- Selection Cursor (alternatively press return or escape)
- Edit Tool for adding footage to Timeline
- Mark footage for later use
- Unmark footage
- Reject Tool
- Keyword Tool for organising footage
- Record a Voiceover
- Crop Tool, Fit and Ken Burns effect
- Show the Inspector WIndow
- Turn audio skimming on/off
- Audio levels indicator
- Media/Effects browser (Sound/Photo/Text/Transitions/Background)