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I have iMove 10.1.1 on my Mac Mini w/ el Capitan. I want to stop filling my internal HD with imported clips and have them stored on an external HD. I dont see anywhere in prefs etc to make a change like this.
Is this possible? If so, how do i do it.
Can I move prev imports for earlier projects as well?
Thx
DS
Mac mini, OS X 10.11
Hi,
If you are importing directly into iMovie using the import feature then you are limited to importing into iMovie, with no option to import to an external drive. iMovie will store the clips in the iMovie library in a Finder folder titled Original Media that can be displayed when you select an imported clip in iMovie and do a File/Reveal in Finder. Since the clips are in the Finder they would take up space on your computer's drive.
What you can do is copy your iMovie library to an external drive that is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). After verifying that everything is working properly with your library copy, you can delete the library on your computer's drive. Then when you import your video clips into iMovie they will be stored in the library that is on your external drive -- not on your computer. Before copying your library over to the external drive, do a File/Consolidate Library Media to make sure that you are carrying all of the media with it. Be aware that if you need to reformat your external drive to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) that procedure erases all data on the dirve. So you need first to remove elsewhere all data that you want to keep.
Here's a link that explains how to work with multiple libraries:
https://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.1/#/mov3fa25bae7
You also can use the Image Capture app on your Mac to import video clips to your Mac or to an external drive. If you use an external drive you can drag into iMovie only those clips that you intend to use in a project. and leave the rest on your external drive.
You asked whether you can move previous imports from earlier projects as well. If you are copying your library to an external drive this would not be an issue because it would carry all of the projects and media with it. However, if you move clips out of your iMovie library from the Original Media folder that contains them, and into an external drive, that procedure would also remove the clips from all projects that contain them. You would be disabling your projects. So you shouldn't do that.
As discussed, the best procedure is to move your library to an external drive formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and import your clips there. That keeps the clips off of your computer's drive.
As a last note, for safety you should keep a backup of your iMovie library, either with Time Machine or on a second external drive. Libraries can get corrupted and you wouldn't want to lose all of your projects.
-- Rich
Hi,
If you are importing directly into iMovie using the import feature then you are limited to importing into iMovie, with no option to import to an external drive. iMovie will store the clips in the iMovie library in a Finder folder titled Original Media that can be displayed when you select an imported clip in iMovie and do a File/Reveal in Finder. Since the clips are in the Finder they would take up space on your computer's drive.
What you can do is copy your iMovie library to an external drive that is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). After verifying that everything is working properly with your library copy, you can delete the library on your computer's drive. Then when you import your video clips into iMovie they will be stored in the library that is on your external drive -- not on your computer. Before copying your library over to the external drive, do a File/Consolidate Library Media to make sure that you are carrying all of the media with it. Be aware that if you need to reformat your external drive to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) that procedure erases all data on the dirve. So you need first to remove elsewhere all data that you want to keep.
Here's a link that explains how to work with multiple libraries:
https://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.1/#/mov3fa25bae7
You also can use the Image Capture app on your Mac to import video clips to your Mac or to an external drive. If you use an external drive you can drag into iMovie only those clips that you intend to use in a project. and leave the rest on your external drive.
You asked whether you can move previous imports from earlier projects as well. If you are copying your library to an external drive this would not be an issue because it would carry all of the projects and media with it. However, if you move clips out of your iMovie library from the Original Media folder that contains them, and into an external drive, that procedure would also remove the clips from all projects that contain them. You would be disabling your projects. So you shouldn't do that.
As discussed, the best procedure is to move your library to an external drive formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and import your clips there. That keeps the clips off of your computer's drive.
As a last note, for safety you should keep a backup of your iMovie library, either with Time Machine or on a second external drive. Libraries can get corrupted and you wouldn't want to lose all of your projects.
-- Rich
Thanks Rich,
It will be a couple of weeks before I can get back to this and do what you suggest.
I will post back if I have any probs
Much appreciated.
Duane
You are welcome. :)
-- Rich
Storing imported video clips for iMovie on an external drive
