iMovie is a useful tool in both iOS and macOS that makes it easier to create videos. It has both basic features and some high-level editing tools; it’s possible to make a video that looks professional using this application alone.

It’s easy to use, as well, so it’s perfect for beginners. It’s well-optimized; it runs great on any platform.

If you’re migrating from Windows, though, you might not know how to use iMovie on Mac. Get yourself acquainted with the controls and features. Once you’re done with that, it’s then time to use these iMovie tips to make some awesome videos.

1. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

If you want to be able to work faster on iMovie, learn the most used keyboard shortcuts at the get-go. Sure, it may take some memorization in the beginning. But in time, you won’t even have to think about it.

The space bar, for example, plays the video from the beginning frame beneath the playhead. If you only want to play the selection, you can use the slash (/) key. Use the backslash (\) key to play the video from the start.

The up and down arrows take you to the start and end of the clip. The Command + Z keys, as expected, are for undoing an action, while Shift + Command + Z redoes the last action.

2. Use People Finder to Keep Track of Characters

Sifting through your clips to find the one with people in it can be a bit daunting if you’re working on a big project. The People Finder feature, though, takes a load off your back by doing it for you like all other iMovie tricks.

It analyzes all the clips and identifies which ones have people in it. This can take a while depending on how much footage you have and your machine.

After it’s done, you’ll see purple bars on the sections with people. You can even filter the results by the number of people.

3. Stabilize Your Shaky Clips

Most homemade clips come from mobile phones and handheld cameras, which can produce shaky videos if you don’t use a tripod. The iMovie offers a quick fix for such clips with its stabilization feature.

It lets you adjust the level of stabilization you need; if you’re using footage from mobile phones, you better set that to “High” or “Extra High.”

The way it works is that it scales, rotates, and crops the frames to align the elements between frames.

4. Import Photos From Facebook With Ease

Want to use photos from your Facebook account? iMovie is well-integrated with the social media app, allowing you to sync your account with iPhoto.

This then allows you to use your photos in all iLife tools, including iMovie.

This saves you the step of having to download all your photos from Facebook and then importing them to iMovie.

5. Detach the Audio

You don’t always have to line up the audio to a particular clip. For instance, you may want to use the audio from an interview clip to show another footage.

In that case, you’ll want to detach the audio so you can edit it separately from the video it’s attached to. It’s simple: you only need to right-click on the clip in the timeline and choose Detach Audio.

The audio then shows up as its own green clip below the actual clip in the timeline.

6. Crop the Videos to “Zoom In”

Ever wished that you had zoomed in while you were recording footage? Well, we can’t turn back time for you but we can teach you how to zoom in on iMovie.

The trick is to crop the video so it becomes bigger. You have to highlight the part of the clip you want to zoom in on and select “Crop to Fill.” The feature cuts away the parts not highlighted and then fills the frame with only the highlighted part, hence becoming bigger on the screen.

7. Use the Ken Burns Effect for Your Panorama Shots

Another one of the cool things to do in iMovie is to use the Ken Burns Effect on your panorama shots. You may know this effect as a type of zooming effect, but you can use it to pan through your panorama image.

The way to do that is by importing a panorama in the timeline and select the “Ken Burns” option next to “Crop.” You can then adjust the size and the start to end shots. 

8. Edit on Two Monitors

You can also learn how to use iMovie on Mac with two monitors too. You can edit the video on one display and then have the edited project play on the other. This way, you can view more details in the editing panel, making your job easier.

First, make sure you’ve connected the second monitor. Then, go to “Window” and choose “Viewer on Other Display.”

You must have the “Advanced Tools” turned on for this to work. If you want to work on one screen again, deselect “Viewer on Other Display.”

9. Match the Lighting and Feel Between Two Clips

For a video to look cohesive, the mood must be consistent even in different shots. At the least, the footages must not have jarring differences. However, that’s not always possible when you don’t have control over the lighting and other elements of the video.

iMovie provides a quick solution called Match Color. As its name suggests, it matches the colors between clips by duplicating the color palette.

You can find this option in the Color Balance panel.

10. Add Subtitles to Your Video

For the sake of inclusivity, any video can benefit from having subtitles. Even people with no hearing issues will appreciate it as it enables them to not miss a word while watching.

To add subtitles, highlight the parts of the video where you want it to appear. Find the “Titles” button, which shows you a bunch of menu of putting text anywhere on the screen. Then, drag your chosen option to the timeline.

The last step is to type in what the subtitles have to say.

Learn More iMovie Tips for Your Videos

These iMovie tips will help you make more creative videos, but there are more features in the app you can discover yourself! Don’t hesitate to explore and try everything when you find the time. If you need more tips, check out our other guides right here and we may be able to further help you.

The post Become a Movie Master: 10 iMovie Tips for Making Awesome Videos appeared first on Budget Gourmet Mom.