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Preparing a movie created in iMovie HD to work with iDVD

If you’ve created a movie using iMovie HD, you can export the movie from iMovie HD directly to an iDVD project. Using iMovie HD, you can also export your movie as a QuickTime movie for later use in an iDVD project.

Here are ways to prepare your iMovie for iDVD:

To export your iMovie directly to an iDVD project, within iMovie HD choose Share > iDVD. The iDVD application opens, with your project in the iDVD window. If you’ve added chapter markers to your iMovie, iDVD uses them to create a scene selection menu automatically.

When iDVD opens, it selects a default theme, which appears in the iDVD window. If the iMovie you shared has chapter markers, you see two buttons on the iDVD menu, one that says “Play Movie” and another that says “Scene Selection.” If the movie does not have chapter markers, you see one button with the name of the movie you added. From here, you can begin editing your iDVD project, including selecting a different theme if you want.

To save your iMovie as a QuickTime movie that you can import into an iDVD project later, choose File > Export in iMovie HD. Click QuickTime, choose Full Quality from the pop-up menu, and then click Share.

Your movie is saved as a QuickTime movie in your Movies folder, making it available in the Media pane of iDVD. The movie is self-contained (it includes all the source files). Chapter markers are not preserved, so iDVD cannot create a scene selection menu for a QuickTime movie.

Important: If you add an iMovie HD movie with chapter markers to your iDVD project, be sure that all chapter markers are placed at least two seconds before or after a transition. (You should verify this in iMovie HD before adding the movie to your project in iDVD.) Otherwise, when you use the movie in an iDVD project, you may get an error message that says, Burning Complete

Related Topics

Preparing a movie created in iMovie to work with iDVD

About preparing QuickTime movies to work with iDVD

Preparing your Final Cut Express or Final Cut Pro movie to work with iDVD

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