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I cannot figure out how to simply reposition a title in iMovie 10.2.3 on my Mac. Is this possible? Is there something I am missing? I can't imagine this oversight not to make this possible, but then again there's also no basic or "custom" title like there is in FCP X.
Well, basically iMovie titles are not able to be repositioned. There are titles that have the text displayed in different parts of the screen, but you are stuck with the template that determines the position.
Here's what I do for a workaround: Take a duplicate of any random photo and open it in the Preview app on your Mac. Do an Edit/Select All, Edit/Delete. That will leave you with a blank transparency screen. Then, in Preview, go to Tools/Annotate/Text. You then can type text into a text box onto the transparency screen. You can create as many text boxes as you want. In the toolbar at the top of the Preview screen you can select your text font, size, and color. After typing your text title save it to your desktop. Then import it into iMovie. Place it in the upper timeline, and overlay it onto whatever clip or background in which you want to insert your title. Select the title clip by clicking on it. Then go to the toolbar in the upper right of your screen and click on the overlay icon (the one that looks like overlapping squares). Choose Picture in Picture from the selection box that appears. The title clip will appear on the preview screen overlaid onto the clip below. Adjust the size and position of the text on the preview screen by dragging. To set the size you can drag a corner completely off of the screen. Then click on the blue reset button to apply your PiP settings. That will overlay a title onto the clip below it in any position and size that you want.
Sounds complicated but actually is very easy once you have done if for the first time. Also, creating a transparency screen can be very helpful for inserting logos or other clips onto the main clip below.
-- Rich
Well, basically iMovie titles are not able to be repositioned. There are titles that have the text displayed in different parts of the screen, but you are stuck with the template that determines the position.
Here's what I do for a workaround: Take a duplicate of any random photo and open it in the Preview app on your Mac. Do an Edit/Select All, Edit/Delete. That will leave you with a blank transparency screen. Then, in Preview, go to Tools/Annotate/Text. You then can type text into a text box onto the transparency screen. You can create as many text boxes as you want. In the toolbar at the top of the Preview screen you can select your text font, size, and color. After typing your text title save it to your desktop. Then import it into iMovie. Place it in the upper timeline, and overlay it onto whatever clip or background in which you want to insert your title. Select the title clip by clicking on it. Then go to the toolbar in the upper right of your screen and click on the overlay icon (the one that looks like overlapping squares). Choose Picture in Picture from the selection box that appears. The title clip will appear on the preview screen overlaid onto the clip below. Adjust the size and position of the text on the preview screen by dragging. To set the size you can drag a corner completely off of the screen. Then click on the blue reset button to apply your PiP settings. That will overlay a title onto the clip below it in any position and size that you want.
Sounds complicated but actually is very easy once you have done if for the first time. Also, creating a transparency screen can be very helpful for inserting logos or other clips onto the main clip below.
-- Rich
Thanks rich. I'll just use FCP X which I use professionally anyway. I as trying to help someone make sense of some features in iMovie which I never use and was astounded that the titles could not be repositioned. It's such a basic necessity (in my opinion) that I couldn't fathom that this feature was missing, and instead thought there must be something I am doing wrong; perhaps a preference not enable or a contextual menu I'm not aware of.
I am still in amazement over this. I don't know if it was done to steer people toward Final Cut Pro (no longer with the "X") just to be able to do that. Maybe I just take for granted these simple features in other systems. I would never have thought of this as a "pro" or premium feature; especially the lack of a basic title.
Interesting that with the old iMovie 6 one could adjust the position of titles. For some reason Apple eliminated that feature in later iMovie versions. However, almost anything can be done with workarounds, and I personally enjoy innovating to make the software do what I need. That said, iMovie is a consumer app, not a professional app. To me, having a feature for repositioning a title is convenient but not very important for my consumer needs, since I can easily work around it in the relatively few situations that I might need it. But I fully understand that others may differ, particularly if they are doing professional work.
If you are skilled enough to use FCP, then by all means you are wise to avail yourself of it.
— Rich
Alright, then I am not crazy. I thought for sure in an older version that I was able to reposition titles. I've been in post-production for almost 19 years; primarily on AVID, FCP legacy, FCP X and Premiere Pro. From time to time I get ask a question about iMovie. I guess it's just a matter of perspective. Even the pro apps require some workarounds too at times.
Hopefully, neither one of us is crazy. 😊
Godspeed, as they used to say in the olden days.
-- Rich
How do you reposition titles in iMovie 10?
