Before you can begin to edit your movie in iMovie, you must first import your video footage into the iMovie Event Library. To see a complete list of compatible cameras, choose Supported Cameras from the Help menu from within the iMovie application. To import video from a tapeless camera, you’ll need to connect your camera to your computer using the USB cable that came with it.

After connecting your camera turn, turn it on and set it to PC or Computer connect mode. Note that this mode may have a slightly different name on your camera. Once iMovie sees your camera that you’ve just connected, the Import Window should open automatically. If it doesn’t, go to the file menu and choose “Import Media” or just click on the import icon.

When the import window is open, look for your camera in the list along the left side of this window, and then click on it so that it’s selected. Be sure to click on the option that has a camera icon next to it in the list. The Import window should display all the video clips that are stored on your camera. Before importing, you’ll need to choose how you want to organize the imported video in your Event Library.

At the top of this window, click on the “Import to” pulldown menu. You can either choose an existing event to add your footage to, or you can create a new one. Choose “New Event” from the top of this pulldown menu, and either keep the default date name or give it a name of your own.

Next you’ll need to select the video clips from your camera that you want to import into iMovie. If you want to preview your clips before you import them, hover your mouse cursor over the clip that you want to preview and then press the space bar on your keyboard to play it. Press the Space Bar again to pause playback.

If you want to import all the clips from your camera, do nothing and then click the “Import All” button located in the lower right corner of the import window. If you only want to import specific clips, just click on the clips that you want. You can also check the Hide Imported box so that only new clips are displayed.

To select more than one clip, hold down the command key while you select the other clips. Then click “Import Selected.”

When the import process is complete, you’ll get a finder message that asks you if you want to eject your camera. Click Eject, unplug your camera from your computer and then turn it off. To see the clips that you’ve just imported, click on the name of the event that you created or chose in the event library to display your video.

© Michael Rosenblum & Lisa Lambden 2015