Hi all,

I hope someone can help here - I didn't find a solution for the problem.

Setup:
Mac Book Air 2013, with SSD
iMovie 10.1.6
DJI Spark

I copy the original video files from the SD card to my mac.
That means: MP4, 1920 x 1080, FPS: 29,97, 24,54 MBit/s
--> If I watch this original files in the Macs Finder preview or in Quicktime there is no stuttering.

Then I import the original files into iMovie into a new project. If I select and preview this files, before I put them into the timeline in iMovie, there is still now stuttering.

But: If I put the video files now in the iMovie timeline and preview the videos in the timeline, the stuttering begins.

I don't get it where to solve that problem.
- I can't change the FPS of my iMovie project to 29,97, there is no setting for that. I even don't see which FPS my current project has.
- I read somewhere in the internet that the first movie you put into your iMovie project sets the FPS for the project. Either this is not right, because it is stuttering, or iMovie simply doesn't support a FPS of 29,97.
- If I put the videos together in Quicktime, the video is not stuttering. Even if I export it it looks fine. So my Mac seems to be able to do that hardware wise, and the problem seems to be iMovie, not the hardware.
- If I export the edited video I get a video with 60 FPS, but I would need 29,97 to get a video without stuttering, I guess, right? Would it maybe help if I convert the original videos from my Spark first to 60 FPS? If yes, which tool could help there?

Does someone have a solution or an idea what to do? Maybe iMovie is not the right tool for cutting and editing this drone videos without stuttering?

Thank you very much for your help!

Hm, there seems to be a workaround - https://forum.dji.com/thread-101788-1-1.html

I know iMovie has issues with the Spark framerate.
I don't know if the workarounds posted on this forum are convenient. but I've read about some workarounds. Including trimming some time of the beginning.  

You can't use iMovie with SPARK. SPARK record video at a variable frame rate . You need to convert SPARK clips to a constant 29.97 fps, using for example, Adobe Media Encoder or Wondershare, for example. You need to use or either Final Cut Pro X or DaVinci 14.0, for example . iMovie sucks for any more "professional" editing.

1st : Final Cut Pro with SPARK clips unchanged :

2nd: Final Cut Pro, SPARK clips processed on AdobeMediaEncoder , template 1080p 29.97 :

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-9-11 04:20
I know iMovie has issues with the Spark framerate.
I don't know if the workarounds posted on this forum are convenient. but I've read about some workarounds. Including trimming some time of the beginning.

I have the same issues, my .mp4 in Imovie is very stuttering, but in VLC a bit better.

I have to look on with 2.4 of 5.8 ghz i deed the recording and a also flew in a area (i did no know) that flying was limited (for dutch people it was laagvlieggebied around Exloo)

Gr33n13 Posted at 2017-9-11 05:06
I have the same issues, my .mp4 in Imovie is very stuttering, but in VLC a bit better.

I have to look on with 2.4 of 5.8 ghz i deed the recording and a also flew in a area (i did no know) that flying was limited (for dutch people it was laagvlieggebied around Exloo)

I don't use iMovie myself (other than editing my iPhone video's), but I know it is hard indeed with Spark footage.
Not sure what the second part has to do with this thread?

Looks like if you trip a few seconds off the beginning of your video clip, the issue goes away and iMovie will display the video without issues.

This problem seems solved now and I have never met it.  Aside from using iMovie to edit videos, I also additionally use video cutter Mac to make basic editing operations, such as cut, trim, merge, rotate, crop, watermark, subtitle, etc. It's a lossless tool and can be another good option to have on a computer.

Also, this ongoing Thanksgiving special event can offer many gifts and big discounts on sorts of practical video tools. Anyone who needs an alternative can have a look here.

Yiliayoung Posted at 2020-11-26 03:14
This problem seems solved now and I have never met it.  Aside from using iMovie to edit videos, I also additionally use video cutter Mac to make basic editing operations, such as cut, trim, merge, rotate, crop, watermark, subtitle, etc. It's a lossless tool and can be another good option to have on a computer.

Also, this ongoing Thanksgiving special event can offer many gifts and big discounts on sorts of practical video tools. Anyone who needs an alternative can have a look here.

I searched on every forum on internet and eventually end up fixing this by encountering an error while exporting in iMovie. Here are some steps you can try to fix it:-
1. Check File Name:- Make sure the file name you're exporting to doesn't have any special characters or symbols. These can sometimes cause issues during export.
2. Storage Space:- Ensure you have enough free space on your device to store the exported video.
3. Restart iMovie:- A simple restart can often clear up temporary glitches. Close iMovie and relaunch it, then try exporting again.
4. Update iMovie:- Make sure you're using the latest version of iMovie. Outdated versions might have bugs that have been fixed in newer updates.
5. Corrupted Clip:- If iMovie mentions a specific error code (like 10004), there might be a corrupted clip in your project. Try isolating the part of the timeline where the error occurs and remove that clip. Replace it with another clip and see if exporting works then.
6. Reset Preferences:- Resetting iMovie preferences can sometimes resolve export issues. Hold down Option and Command keys while opening iMovie. A window will pop up asking if you want to delete preferences. Select "Delete Preferences".
7. Export Settings:- Double-check your export settings. You might be trying to export a very high resolution video which your device might not be able to handle. Try exporting at a lower resolution or using a different format.
More effective assistance below.