Welcome to the world of digital video editing.

iMovie 2 and iDVD 2 are the digital video programs used at FITS. Both programs are designed to run on a iMac computer, and there are 2 iMacs in the FITS lab that are available for your use. You can create your movie using video footage from a DVD, VHS tape, digital camcorder, or Hi-8 camcorder. When you are finished, you can burn your movie onto a DVD or compress it into a format that will play on the web or on a CD.

At first glance, creating a successful movie may seem like an overwhelming task. It is natural to feel overwhelmed by any new program before sitting down to use it. This guide is designed to lead you down the path of creating your digital video product with step-by-step instructions to help you along the way. In addition, we feel that iMovie is one of the best digital video programs for beginners, which will add to your success.

We realize that digital video editing can be a time consuming process, and you may not finish your movie in one session. If you have to leave but have not finished editing your movie, you are welcome to save what you have completed and come back at a later time.

In addition, we want to point out that when you are finished editing, the last phase of the project is the most time consuming part of the process. This phase involves converting your edited movie into a usable format, and can take from 2-4 times the length of your finished movie. For example, a 20 minute movie might take between 40-80 minutes to convert to a usable format. We do not mind if you leave the movie while it is exporting and return to pick it up later, as long as you let a FITS staff member know so that we can monitor its progress.

Please remember to always save your projects in the “SAVE HERE” folder on the desktop and delete your project when you are completely finished.

If at any time during the process, you run into problems or have questions, please feel free to consult a FITS staff member for assistance, and we will be more than happy to help you.

Enjoy!