With iMovie version 10.0.6, Apple’s free editing program now gets official support for ProRes, new custom H.264 export, and audio only export. Although previously there have been unofficial ways to use ProRes with iMovie, it is finally official. Also, learn how to set an iMovie 10.x project framerate to 23.976p, 25p, or 29.97p despite no official settings to do so in this version.

New in iMovie 10.0.6

• Updated look for OS X Yosemite
• New file export options including Custom H.264, ProRes, and Audio Only
• Share any video frame as an image
• Email HD video with Mail Drop when signed in to iCloud (if you use Apple Mail)
• Select a portion of a clip in the timeline by dragging across the bottom of the clip
• Adjustments Bar is always open for easy access to audio and video tools
• Improves performance on older Mac computers
• Addresses reliability issues with copying and pasting certain adjustments
• Support for Indonesian, Malaysian, and Vietnamese, in addition to previously supported languages, which already included many, including Castilian (aka “Spanish”), Catalán, English, Italian, and Portuguese.

In the rest of this article, I’ll be covering the few details that caught my attention.

ProRes 422 in iMovie, before and now

Previously, some versions of iMovie were able to read and even export ProRes if the códec had been installed independently. In order to export it previously, the version of the códec needed to be the one that included write privileges, which officially came only when installing Final Cut Pro or the standalone purchase of Compressor (or perhaps the standalone purchase of Motion). Even after being installed, to export ProRes 422 from previously iMovie required more steps, i.e. exporting to a file, a QuickTime Movie and later selecting the ProRes códec within the QuickTime window.

Starting with iMovie 10.0.6, Apple specifically offers ProRes export among the new features. ProRes is directly available from File>Share>File and then ProRes (without any suffix) is one of the quality pulldown menu options. The only issue: We don’t get to choose the type of ProRes flavor. Without specifying, iMovie 10.0.6 exports to ProRes 422 (the medium quality) as I observed with my test. iMovie 10.0.6 does not offer the option to export the higher ProRes 422(HQ) nor any of the lighter ProRes 422 (LT), etc. However, even being able to export to the ProRes 422 (medium quality) may be attractive for many who can’t yet afford FCP X. In my simple test, I was also able to confirm that (at least when initially fed with a video clip with a proper 48 kHz audio sampling rate), iMovie 10.0.6 delivered a ProRes 422 file with a proper 48 kHz audio sampling rate.

Exporting audio only from iMovie 10.0.6

If you choose File>Export>Format>Audio only, you’ll get the following options: AAC (compressed audio), MP3 (compressed audio), AIFF (uncompressed audio), or WAVE (uncompressed audio).

How to select 23.976p, 25p, or 29.97p in 10.0.6 (unofficial method)

There was some prior version of iMovie that offered official support to choose among 23.976p, 25p, or 29.97p, although in that version, Apple unfortunately rounded those numbers to “24” and “30”, which did not reflect what was actually happening. Later, Apple removed that direct option within iMovie. However, thanks to the YetAnother Solution blog, we have an indirect solution, as the explain in this video:

You can see their post here.

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My latest book (paperback + ebook)

My most recent book is available in two languages, and in paperback as well as an ebook. The ebook format is Kindle, but even if you don’t have a Kindle device, you can read Kindle books on many other devices using a free Kindle app. That includes iPad, Android tablets, Mac computers, and Windows computers. Although generally speaking, Kindle books are readable on smartphones like Androids and iPhones, I don’t recommend it for this particular book since it contains both color photos and color comparison charts. The ebook is also DRM-free.

In English:

In English, it is currently available in the following Amazon stores, depending upon your region:

• Amazon.com, for the US and other countries in the Americas that don’t currently have their own Amazon store, or anywhere if you simply prefer it
• Amazon.br for Brazil
• Amazon.ca for Canada
• Amazon.de for Germany
• Amazon.es for Spain pero a lo mejor lo preferirás en castellano, a continuación)
• Amazon.fr for France
• Amazon.in for India
• Amazon.it for Italy
• Amazon.co.jp for Japan
• Amazon.com.mx for México
• Amazon.co.uk for the United Kingdom

Or in your favorite bookstore by requesting ISBN–10: 1456310232 or ISBN–13: 978–1456310233.

En castellano:

En castellano, está disponible actualmente en las siguientes tiendas Amazon, según tu región:

• Amazon.com para EE.UU. y todas las Américas donde no existe ninguna tienda particular… o en cualquier parte si simplemente lo prefieres
• Amazon.com.br para Brasil
• Amazon.co.jp para Japón
• Amazon.de para Alemania
• Amazon.es para España
• Amazon.fr (Francia)
• Amazon.in para India
• Amazon.it para Italia
• Amazon.com.mx para México
• Amazon.co.uk para el Reino Unido

o en tu librería preferida al solicitar el ISBN–10: 1492783390 ó el ISBN–13: 978–1492783398.

FTC disclosure

No manufacturer is specifically paying Allan Tépper or TecnoTur LLC to write this article or the mentioned books. Some of the other manufacturers listed above have contracted Tépper and/or TecnoTur LLC to carry out consulting and/or translations/localizations/transcreations. Many of the manufacturers listed above have sent Allan Tépper review units. So far, none of the manufacturers listed above is/are sponsors of the TecnoTur programs, although they are welcome to do so, and some are, may be (or may have been) sponsors of ProVideo Coalition magazine. Some links to third parties listed in this article and/or on this web page may indirectly benefit TecnoTur LLC via affiliate programs.

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