Recording Narration

If anyone ever belittles iMovie for being underpowered, point out an iMovie feature that isn’t even available in most of the expensive video editing programs: the ability to record narration while you watch your movie play. If your Mac has a microphone, you can easily create effects like reminiscences (“It was the year 2004. It was a time of innocence”), scene identification (“It’s Halloween 2003, and little Chrissie is going out for her very first trick-or-treating. Mommy made the costume out of some fishnet stockings and a melon”), additional information (“Built in 1869, this house was extensively renovated in 1880…”), and so on.

If your Mac doesn’t have a built-in microphone, you can plug in an external USB microphone (the Apple Products Guide at http://www.guide.apple.com offers a list) or an adapter (such as the iMic, http://www.griffintechnology.com) that accommodates a standard microphone.

Making the Recording

Here’s how you record narration:

  1. Click the clock icon so that you’re looking at the Timeline Viewer.

    You’ll do all your audio editing in Timeline view.

  2. Drag the Playhead to a spot just before you want the narration to begin.

    Also open the Audio panel, if it’s not already open. You do so by clicking the Audio button, shown in Figure 17-3.

  3. Click the round, red Record Voice button and begin to speak.

    You can watch the video play as you narrate.

    Note

    If the level meter isn’t dancing as you speak, the problem may be that your Mac is paying attention to the ...

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