# Lost iMovie 08 project



## iMike (Nov 28, 2002)

Hi fellow mac heads,

I was working on an iMovie project with all of my Christmas pics the other day and before I exported my project to the media browser, I shut down iMovie for the night. The next day when I re-oepned the program, there was a file folder with my project's name but no project was to be found. The only thing that was in the file was a "Quicklook" folder and it was empty. Is there a way to find my project and re-open it? I've searched my hard drive everywhere but can't find it. 
Thanks in advance for your help!

Mike

My set up Macbook 2.2 (4 megs ram) running Leopard and using iMovie 08.


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## airjuggernaut (Dec 5, 2007)

Open iMovie.

Look at the top tool bar (where the apple logo is).

Click File.

Then look for Open Recent, put your cursor over it, and look for the file.


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## iMike (Nov 28, 2002)

I thought of that too but there is no "open recent" option under the File Menu in iMovie 08.


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## airjuggernaut (Dec 5, 2007)

Hmm, alright try this then.

Click the Finder Icon in your Dock.

Once the window opens, on the Left hand side of the window under the the "Seach For" heading are a bunch of options.

Try, All Movies and Past Week, see if that brings up any files.


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## iMike (Nov 28, 2002)

Thanks, tried that and it doesn't show up. When I navigate to my iMovie project file via the finder there is a plaintext document called "Project" but it can't be open by iMovie.


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## airjuggernaut (Dec 5, 2007)

Well I'm assuming you've already tried Spotlight and you've checked your trash.

I guess the only thing you could now do is start over 

I'm sorry this happened. Unfortunately iMovie isn't the most stable program Apple has. Last year, when I would edit my movies in iMovie 06 for my Communication Tech class, I had it crash or mess up numerous times. One time it randomly crashed after 5 hours of editing (and me being an idiot and not saving). I was not happy to say the least.

If you really want, you could try calling AppleCare (if you still happen to have it on your MacBook) and see what they can tell you.


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## SoyMac (Apr 16, 2005)

Did you look in the generic folder called "Movies"?

If your project isn't showing up with a Spotlight search, seems a stretch to think you'd find it in the "Movies" folder, but maybe it saved under a default name that you haven't seen yet.


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## iMike (Nov 28, 2002)

Yes, I've used Spotlight and looked in the "Movies" and "All Movies" folders. I can't believe the progam would trash a project without warning you. Especially when there is no save option under the file menu.


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## jonn46 (Dec 8, 2008)

I have been working on a project in Imovie on my old Macbook without any problems. I just purchased a Macbook Pro (Refurb) and I switched my project over to it. I am using the same version of Imovie but it is so buggy it is not usable!
That is very frustrating because I bought this Pro so I could burn it onto a DVD.

John


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## Orion (Apr 16, 2004)

Hi iMike,

This may sound like a dumb question, but is the folder you mentioned in iMovie in the Project Library pane? If so, is there a small triangle next to it?

iMovie '08 (or "iMovie 7" depending on your preference) auto saves all changes to any movie, or should if it's working properly. Is there anything in your "Movies" folder that claims to be an iMovie project?

The only other thing I can think of is that the original files in iMovie itself have been "rejected" in which case they wouldn't show up by default. This would only occur in the Event Library pane, though.


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## iMike (Nov 28, 2002)

Orion,

Thanks for your input. 

Yes, the folder is in the Project Library Pane. There is a small traingle and when I click on it there is another sub folder called "Quicklook" which is empty. 

I've searched everywhere but can't find the project file. Maybe iMovie doesn't save teh project until you've exported it. If this is true, then there should be a warning that comes up before you quit the program. 

Looks like I'll have to start over and this time I'll make sure I don't shut the program dwon until I'm finished with my edits and the movie has been exported.

Mike


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## Orion (Apr 16, 2004)

Hmm... That's definitely strange. Any project is supposed to auto-save no matter what. The fact that it completely disappeared is very odd indeed. That there is nothing in the Finder either makes me wonder if anything else happened in the meantime. Any OS updates? Any maintenance utilities?

Try the following only if you are comfortable doing this:

If you enable viewing of hidden files (either via the command line or via Tinkertool or any other utility you're comfortable with) do you see anything that looks familiar in the Finder?


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## iMike (Nov 28, 2002)

I'll try the hidden file thing when I'm back in front of my Macbook tonight. I did back up my computer before I shut it down so I'll try to boot from the external to see if the project shows up then.

I'll keep you posted on what happens.

Thanks again for the input.t


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## jonn46 (Dec 8, 2008)

Sorry I am not meaning to highjack your thread but I am frustrated with Imovie as well. Does anybody know what the little yellow caution triangles mean on my videos?


Tks
John


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## iMike (Nov 28, 2002)

AppleCare saves the day! The reason the project appeared as a folder was somehow the file lost the .rcproject extension. Once I added the extension, the project re-appeared! 

Thanks for those of you that offered their time to help me out!

Mike


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