iMovie clips are copied over incomplete/with different properties from one project to the next

As a workaround, you might try making a duplicate of your project and then deleting from the duplicate project any clips that you don't want, leaving you with the clips that you want to keep.

I am wondering if the project that you are trying to paste into might have a different frame rate than the master project. Try pasting into a newly created project that never has had a clip in it. See if the clip is copied over correctly.

-- Rich

Hi,

I've not noticed your findings on my setup.

When iMovie acts other than as expected sometimes deleting/resetting preferences will solve the issue.

To delete/reset preferences, open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and select to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new empty library. Reopen your old library to get back to

your projects. (To reopen your old library close iMovie and go to your Movie folder or wherever you have your old iMovie library stored. Double click on the library’s icon.  iMovie will open in that library.) Possibly you may need to reboot to set the changes.  Now see if you can copy/paste edited media accurately from one project to another. Deleting preferences is a safe procedure that will not cause data loss or disruption to your project.

--Rich

The frame rate is set by the very first video clip ( not photo) that is inserted into a newly created project. So, depending on the frame rate of your first clip different projects can have different frame rates. If the clips in the project have different frame rates then sometimes that can cause issues.

You can determine the frame rate by expanding out your timeline and then, while holding down the r key, press- drag your cursor slowly over a clip in the timeline. A yellow outline will appear and a frame counter box will appear that records the number of frames as you drag. If it is a 30 fps project, when the frame counter box reaches 00:29 frames the next tik will show 01:00 second, indicating 30 frames in one second for a 30 fps project.

Likewise, if the counter box reaches 00:59 frames and the next tik is 01:00 seconds, that would show a 60 fps project.

You can adjust the frame rate (speed) of a clip by control-clicking on the clip in the timeline. That will cause a speed adjustment handle to appear in the upper right corner of the clip. Drag the handle to the left to speed up the clip. Drag to the right to slow down the clip.

-- Rich