How to separate iMovie projects for backup and sharing

backupimovie

Whenever I create a movie in iMovie, it seems to lump it all into a single iMovie Library file.

This means I can't easily backup or share individual projects.

I realize I can "Show Package Contents" on iMovie Library and try copying individual projects that way, but that is problematic… If I duplicate a project, for example, it doesn't copy Original Media. So I may think that I copied out the project when in fact it doesn't have all the files that are actually necessary to export/backup the project.

For example, if I have a single project, the structure might look like:

  • iMovie Library
    • Project A
      • CurrentVersion.imovieevent
      • Original Media

If I copy Project A through the iMovie interface, it would generate:

  • iMovie Library
    • Project A
      • CurrentVersion.imovieevent
      • Original Media
    • Project B
      • CurrentVersion.imovieevent

Notice how there is no "Original Media" folder under Project B. Probably because we don't want to copy gigabytes of data.

Problem is I might open up the iMovie Library, attempt to backup all of Project B's file by copying the Project B folder, and then end up only later on noticing that it didn't actually backup all the Original Media for the project.

Is there a safer/more reliable way to use iMovie Libraries such that separate projects can be backed up or shared reliably?

Best Answer

iMovie does support multiple libraries.

How to create a new library:

  1. Launch iMovie
  2. Click on "File"
  3. Hover on "Open library"
  4. Click on "New…"
  5. Select where you want that library to be stored.

Now you got an extra library to which you can move any iMovie project, and then you'll be able to share what need to...

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