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Old 10-04-2013, 04:56 PM   #1
shafe
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Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

Did a lot of reading and still can't figure this out.

Trying to figure out the quickest way to shoot on a GoPro, save the footage on my hard drive, then get it into iMovie for editing.

I have a GoPro Hero 3 Black, an iMac, and I library all of my photos/videos in Mac's Aperture not iPhoto. I shoot 1080 at 60 FPS and my first step is always to download the unedited footage into Aperture for storage.

What workflow do you use?

Some specific questions:

1) It takes an incredibly long time to import video from my library into iMovie. Maybe 2 minutes for a 2 minute video. I want to be able to turn my GoPro on when I start spearfishing and leave it on continuously until the battery dies (which with the battery pack is like 2.5 hours). So how do you speed up import and how do you import such a huge file for editing? Do I have to chop it up with GoPro's editing software first then import, or just keep the camera plugged into my iMac while I work in iMovie or what??

2) I want to be able to take out the fisheye effect. You can do that with GoPro's editing software but I haven't seen that option with iMovie. Is this possible?

3) Video playback from Aperture is choppy. I can't tell, does the choppiness go totally away in iMovie?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Last edited by shafe; 10-04-2013 at 06:46 PM.
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Old 10-04-2013, 10:02 PM   #2
kwtony
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

Gotta conver the go pro files first. Mpeg stream clip it into prores422. 1080 @ 60 is a huuuuge file. Consider 720 instead, the difference between the two isnt that much. You should break the video up over the day tho, no sense in making 1 long one, when its a lot easier on the computer to split them into multiple files.
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Old 10-05-2013, 12:35 AM   #3
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

The main machine I edit on lately is an Samsung gaming super fast notebook with Windows 8 running Adobe Premiere and using a Drobo 20 terrabyte Raid 5 array storage device. Since this is not a Mac, my suggestions may or may not work for your situation.

I pull the micro card out of the GoPro Hero3 and insert it into a carrier into the SDXC port on the computer and then drag and drop the files to the Drobo device which is a very fast transfer. If you don't have such a port, please disregard, but there may be an external device that would do the same.

I agree with KWTony that smaller files created by stopping and starting the record function on the camera is wise, but not critical.

Choppiness on playback may relate to the speed of your hard drive. It may improve after editing and rendering to an exported file type for your end use.
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Old 10-05-2013, 04:08 AM   #4
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

if you are doing this on imovie, do yourself a favor and convert the files to something more manageable. We arent all as lucky as Tony to have such a nice laptop and massive hd, although, im not sure id use a win8 comuter even if i were paid to use it. Im using a macbook circa 2006, my friends laugh at me...it works perfectly tho. This is of course after files have been converted properly...mpeg stream clip, batch out the files you want and convert them all at once.

Last edited by kwtony; 10-05-2013 at 04:42 AM.
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Old 10-05-2013, 08:00 AM   #5
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

thanks guys. i have a SDXC port and will use that. the GoPro also has an HDMI to USB cord. I'm wondering which is faster. anyone know?

one remaining problem is that damn fish eye effect. GoPro's editing software (now called GoPro Studio) allows you to remove it but imovie doesnt. if I have to convert the files no matter what, I guess i could use Studio and remove the fisheye at the same time.

kwtony - have you tried GoPro Studio to convert? wondering if you tried that first and then switched to mpeg streamclip or if there are any advantages to mpeg streamclip vs Studio.

thanks!
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Old 10-05-2013, 01:56 PM   #6
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

the newest (like version released yesterday) is apparently a good converter, but im a creature of habit and have been using mpeg stream clip, for a few years now. I dont think the cord will matter. Put the files in a folder on your computer, then just convert the folder in the next step.
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Old 10-05-2013, 02:01 PM   #7
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

got it. thanks Tony. i'll give it a shot with the Gopro softwareat first bc of the redeye thing.
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Old 10-05-2013, 03:38 PM   #8
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

Do you have a problem with a lot of redeye under water??
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Old 10-05-2013, 03:43 PM   #9
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

i meant FISHEYE. sorry. i like the superwide lens but then i want to straighten it out. GoPro has a correction to do that
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Old 10-05-2013, 03:55 PM   #10
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

hahaha, i think i know what you meant. I shoot on Med FOV and it seems to treat me pretty well. I tried putting the go pro stuff on my crapple, but i dont think it worked properly. Ill give it another try tho
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Old 10-06-2013, 08:59 AM   #11
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Re: Mac iMovie/GoPro Workflow questions

I'lll screw around with the FOV settings. maybe the is overkill. makes the fish look shorter too!
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