05-24-2008, 11:20 PM

How do you play a clip backwards in iMovie 08?

I have searched these forums and only found one thread dealing with this question and it had no replies. I have also searched the engines and other forums out there on the internet to no avail. Please help if you have the know how. Thanks so much.

05-25-2008, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by johumhum

How do you play a clip backwards in iMovie 08?

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AWESOME!!! This blows. Just found out though Apple support that the functionality to play clips backwards, slow them down, and speed them up have all been taken out! How is '08 an upgrade? I understand they wanted to streamline it and make it easier for new users to use it but they should have at least provide an "advance options" button. I mean how dumb is this?! I am, needles to say, ****** off!!!

05-25-2008, 12:03 PM

Download iMovie HD, export the clip(s) in question from iM08 to Apple Intermediate Codec format, import in iMovie HD, apply the Fast/Slow/Reverse video effect. Then reverse the process to get the fixed clip back into iM08.

05-26-2008, 01:30 AM

Originally Posted by xstep

Download iMovie HD, export the clip(s) in question from iM08 to Apple Intermediate Codec format, import in iMovie HD, apply the Fast/Slow/Reverse video effect. Then reverse the process to get the fixed clip back into iM08.

Thanks so much. This is exactly what I have done. However the audio sounds so horrible. It sounds as if the sound is playing frame by frame w/the slightest bit of nothing in between. I think I am just going to fall prey to the other reason apple dumb down iMovie08 and that is to buy Final Cut Studio. Thanks for the help in this matter xstep.

05-26-2008, 03:47 AM

Originally Posted by johumhum

I think I am just going to fall prey to the other reason apple dumb down iMovie08 and that is to buy Final Cut Studio.

Actually the argument was, to get iMovie users to upgrade to Final Cut Express. Studio is truly meant for professionals.

05-26-2008, 03:51 AM

Originally Posted by johumhum

However the audio sounds so horrible. It sounds as if the sound is playing frame by frame w/the slightest bit of nothing in between.

Perhaps some other software has better reversing of audio. That is out of my scope. But, what are really looking to get from reversed audio. The action isn't like flipping letters around in a sentence. I've never heard it sound good.

05-27-2008, 02:02 PM

Just took video of my kids dropping brooms to the ground and yelling "PU!" a few times and then walking away backwards. Effect was suposed to be them walking up to the brooms and saying "Up!" and the broom pops up into their hands. iMovie HD does the skipping thing with the audio and iMovie08 doesn't play video backwards. Finial Cut Express was what I meant I was going to up grade to. When scrubbing the video in iMovie08 backwards I can get the effect I want. Oh well.. thanks for the help Xstep. Going to get Express in a few days and from what I have read it should work fine in there. Mission accomplished Apple!

Again thanks for the help.

05-27-2008, 06:05 PM

While you could remove the audio while you have the clip in iMHD, reverse the video and then reapply the audio. I'm sure it can be done, but I'm not sure of the details off the top of my head.

05-28-2008, 09:55 AM

That is a good idea xstep. I did think about stripping the audio and reversing the video and audio separately then putting everything back together but in the end decided on just doing the upgrade to Final Cut Express. However, if some one wanted to do this the economical way and they had a sound program to reverse the audio then that would be the way to go. I don't know the exact steps to remove the audio but I do know it isn't hard. I think it is just a simple pull-down window option. I remember seeing the option some where while I was first looking for a way on how to revers the clips.

05-28-2008, 11:36 AM

Not that there is anything wrong with buying into FCE, but you don't know that is will make better reverse audio, so any trick for you goal could be useful.

I did the trick in iMovie yesterday and also realized out you have to figure out when to speak so the action makes sense. That was a fun little exercise.

How I did it was to place the track in timeline mode, drag the click to the timeline, click once on the video, select "Extract Audio" under the Advanced menu, deselect the blue check mark on the video track, go into the effects choices and choose reverse, line up the audio to the speach, trim both video and audio to same length, push the result to the left, then export the result.

I did have some weird issue with the video showing up more than once on the time line. Once I figured out which one I had edited, I deleted the odd one and all was fine.

06-03-2008, 12:08 AM

They removed the speed functions?
I WILL DESTROY THEM!
Even windows Movie maker was capable of that!!