Choosing an iMovie aspect ratio and size

[Neuro-Panther]

I'm importing old 640x480 (4:3) videos into iMovie (10.1.14). When I place these files into the Timeline, the Project window is 16:9 (cutting off top and bottom of videos) and the finalized project is saved at 1280x720.

How can I set the project aspect ratio (in this case we need 4:3), or the finalized project size, (in this case I'd like to keep at 640x480, but may later chose to go 960x720 or 1280x960, depending on quality of video, if possible).

It's important that I preserve the aspect ratio since these are old medical videos. I'd like to avoid pillarboxing if I can.

 

[Dave Braine]

Select your clip(s) in the Timeline. Then click on the Crop tool above the viewer, and then select "Fit". That will show the entire clip, but with vertical black bars on either side.

You won't be able to avoid pillar boxing, as iMovie only does 16:9 videos.

 

[Neuro-Panther]

Thanks Dave.

 

[claybo89]

I tried most free video cropping software on Mac including iMovie, Quicktime, and Photos app. With no luck, I found no free cropping features or you can say customize the aspect ratio.

But there is always a way out.
Besides the solution that Dave mentioned above, I found more in an article:
1. Change aspect ratio in KeyNote, but only workable for Catalina and later
2. Use Quicktime Pro and Photoshop mask. But Apple stops selling QT Pro since 2017. It only works for who have already installed it.
3. Change aspect ratio in the Photos app on your iPhone, then airdrop it back to your mac.

If you'd like to try these solutions, I'll put the article that helped me a lot here in case you need detailed instructions:
https://www.videoproc.com/video-editor/how-to-crop-a-video-mac.htm

 

[claybo89]

I tried most free video cropping software on Mac including iMovie, Quicktime, and Photos app. With no luck, I found no free cropping features or you can say customize the aspect ratio.

But there is always a way out.
Besides the solution that Dave mentioned above, I found more in an article:
1. Change aspect ratio in KeyNote, but only workable for Catalina and later
2. Use Quicktime Pro and Photoshop mask. But Apple stops selling QT Pro since 2017. It only works for who have already installed it.
3. Change aspect ratio in the Photos app on your iPhone, then airdrop it back to your mac.

If you'd like to try these solutions, I'll put the article that helped me a lot here in case you need detailed instructions:
https://www.videoproc.com/video-editor/how-to-crop-a-video-mac.htm

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Update
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In Mac Big Sur, the Photos app is equipped with a versatile video editor that presets multiple aspect ratio options (4:3, 16:9, 1:1, etc) as well as a custom option.

Big Sur public beta has been released, while the official version is expected to be launched this fall.