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iMovie freeze

I want to add a blurred background to a vertical video. Importing the blurred version of the video and adding it to the timeline is no problem. Playing the blurred video on its own is no issue either. The problem occurs when I add the original video on top of the blurred one in the timeline and want to play it.


I use vlc to convert the original video into a blurred version. These are the settings I use for the conversion.


No error notification or anything. Total freeze.


Codec: H.264

Bitrate: 100000

Frame rate: 30

Width: 64

File format: .mp4


I already did a full factory reset of my macbook pro.


Does anyone know how to resolve this issue?




MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Feb 16, 2023 11:21 AM

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Posted on Feb 16, 2023 1:38 PM

Re-rendering the original without blur didn't work.

Resetting preferences made it play once, then freeze.


Now it also freezes when I want to play the blurred video by itself...

Playing the original by itself is no issue.


I found another way around this issue. using the Pull Focus Title effect on the video then export the file and add the exported blurred video into a new project.


It explains it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDtN1K9MheI


Thanks anyways for the response!

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3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 16, 2023 1:38 PM in response to Rich839

Re-rendering the original without blur didn't work.

Resetting preferences made it play once, then freeze.


Now it also freezes when I want to play the blurred video by itself...

Playing the original by itself is no issue.


I found another way around this issue. using the Pull Focus Title effect on the video then export the file and add the exported blurred video into a new project.


It explains it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDtN1K9MheI


Thanks anyways for the response!

Feb 16, 2023 12:06 PM in response to GianniH

Hi, GianniH,


Your converted blur vid works. So try again converting your non-blurred original video, but just don't add the blur. In other words, re-render the codecs. Then import into iMovie and see if it plays when overlayed onto your blurred video.


Also, it could be that the freeze issue is caused by an iMovie preference gone awry. Try deleting/resetting preferences. To do that 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 library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects. Now see if the freezing issue is cured. Possibly you may need to reboot to set the changes.  Deleting preferences is a safe procedure that will not cause data loss or disruption to your project.


The conversion codecs that you list for your blur conversion are fine for iMovie, as indicated by the fact that they are working to play the blur video.


-- Rich



iMovie freeze

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