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Cannot save iMovie file to desktop -- M1 Mac Mini OS 11.5

M1 Mac Mini OS 11.5 -- cannot save iMovie file to desktop. Every time I try I get an incomprehensible error message, after saving a small part of the file...


Exporting “My Movie 1” has failed.

Error: RenderFrameAt returned: 4 for absolute frame: 578


Mac mini, macOS 11.5

Posted on Jul 23, 2021 1:45 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 23, 2021 4:26 PM

The error message is saying that there is corruption at frame No. 578 that caused the export to fail. It is probably a black frame. Expand your timeline full out and slowly scroll through it in the area of frame No. 578. Look for black frames, white flashes, artifacts and any other indications of corruption. Cut out any that you find and export again.


You can find where frame No. 578 is located by dividing the frame rate of your project into 578. That will tell you the time point in seconds at which the frame appears.


If you want to preserve your original project, you can duplicate the project and work with the duplicate.


Another thing that you can try is deleting preferences. Open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and select to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new blank library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects. It is a safe procedure. Now see if you can export.


-- Rich

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3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 23, 2021 4:26 PM in response to Kapakahi

The error message is saying that there is corruption at frame No. 578 that caused the export to fail. It is probably a black frame. Expand your timeline full out and slowly scroll through it in the area of frame No. 578. Look for black frames, white flashes, artifacts and any other indications of corruption. Cut out any that you find and export again.


You can find where frame No. 578 is located by dividing the frame rate of your project into 578. That will tell you the time point in seconds at which the frame appears.


If you want to preserve your original project, you can duplicate the project and work with the duplicate.


Another thing that you can try is deleting preferences. Open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and select to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new blank library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects. It is a safe procedure. Now see if you can export.


-- Rich

Cannot save iMovie file to desktop -- M1 Mac Mini OS 11.5

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