iMovie HD makes things just about as easy as can be with Magic iMovie, which you can use to create your movie automatically from the settings you choose from just one dialog box. If you're in a hurry or you want to produce something immediately after an event, a Magic iMovie is the perfect option.
In fact, the close integration of iMovie HD and iDVD 6 can automate the process of downloading video from your DV camcorder and producing a finished DVD. iDVD has a similar feature, called OneStep DVD, that can create a DVD video from your Magic iMovie!
Follow these steps to let iMovie HD take care of moviemaking automatically:
1. Connect your DV camcorder to your laptop using a FireWire cable.
2. Turn the camcorder on.
3. Set it to VCR (or VTR) mode.
4. Launch iMovie HD, then:
• If you see the opening top-level dialog box, click Make a Magic iMovie.
• If you had a project open and that project appears instead, choose File --> Make a Magic iMovie.
5. Type a project name, and choose a location.
6. Choose a video format.
Typically, you'll want to use DV, DV widescreen, or the proper HDV resolution format. (Of course, you can always use the iSight format, if your laptop has a built-in iSight camera.)
7. Click Create.
iMovie HD displays the Magic iMovie dialog box.
8. In the Movie Title box, type a name for your movie.
9. If your tape needs to be rewound before the capture starts, select the Rewind the Tape before Capturing the Movie check box.
10. If you want transitions between scenes, select the Use Transitions check box, and then choose the transition you want from the pop-up menu.
11. If you want a soundtrack, select the Play a Music Soundtrack check box, and then click the Choose Music button to browse your iTunes music library or to select an audio CD that you've loaded.
12. Select the Send to iDVD check box.
This ships your finished movie directly to iDVD, which launches automatically.
13. Click Create.
