Video Making With iMovie: Moving Beyond Basics for Laptop/Desktop

In this four-hour (4 weeks, 1x a week) course, students with a very basic familiarity with iMovie will move on to intermediate and advanced skills, showing more finesse in editing by utilizing a wide range of iMovie's more robust tools such as color correction, audio layering, clip filters, well-timed transitions, finessed titles using Keynote, and more. 

The class will be hands-on, with live demonstration and then time for students to work with the tools themselves. Mini "exploration" assignments will be given between sessions to ensure students have explored the tools taught during the session.

Session 1: After initial assessment of student familiarity with iMovie program, Instructor will demonstrate advanced tools to alter video clips. These include cinematic color corrections; skin tone and white balance; thoughtful use of Ken Burns for camera movement and viewer focus; video effect filters. Allow students hands-on time to work through tools using a short, instructor-provided video clip. Homework: Students will practice and perfect using these tools on a short clip provided by instructor.

Session 2: Working with Keynote and titles: Using Keynote in tandem with iMovie, students will learn how to create more professional-looking titles than those in the iMovie platform. Instructor will demonstrate how text can be animated and all of the different style options. Students will then work in keynote to make their own titles. Homework: Students will create 3 different titles using Keynote and import into iMovie platform.

Session 3: The importance of audio: Instructor will discuss the importance of robust audio in film, with a discussion of different types of sound layers (ambient noise, sound effects/foley, music). Using a short video clip, students and teacher will talk through sound layering options, and all students will choose audio tracks to create a short finished film. Homework: students will explore YouTube free audio and other creative commons licensed music (CC0) to decide on 2-3 songs that would work on their final short film for class session #4.

Session 4: Bringing it all together. After a short discussion and demonstration of using transitions thoughtfully (when to add a transition, and when to jump cut, use an L or J cut. and other techniques), students will make their own mini-films that incorporate all skills taught in the four classes. Instructor will provide support, critique, and open discussion to all classmates for creative collaboration toward finished student projects.

Requirements for course: Very basic familiarity with iMovie: e.g. How to splice/cut video, how to add an audio file, how to import video/media. If unsure if existing knowledge base is enough, you can email instructor to confirm (chances are likely that it IS enough to benefit from this course and accelerate your skills!) Students should have iMovie for desktop/Macbook, as the iPad/iPhone iMovie app differs greatly and does not include many of the tools we will be covering in class.

iMovie can do more than ever before, and you should take advantage of all it has to offer! Ramp up your YouTube channel videos and personal movies and films! Take movie-making to the next level and impress your friends and family.