Exporting a Quicktime Movie

Create movies that can be edited with iMovie or Final Cut Pro

QuickTime Player displaying a 3D timeline

Exporting your Timeline to QuickTime allows you to make a movie of your 3D Timeline that can be edited with software such as iMovie or Final Cut Pro. For example, you may want use iMovie to add a timeline to a video production or add a soundtrack or titles to your timeline.

QuickTime Export provides a way to produce a high quality movie that is highly configurable. Please note that to export a movie that will be used simply for playback, Device Export is more efficient.

To export your 3D Timeline to QuickTime, choose File > Export 3D > QuickTime Movie…

Settings

QuickTime Export Settings

Use the Format menu to set the size of your QuickTime movie. If you are planning to combine your timeline movie with an existing video footage, you will get the best results if you choose a format that matches the size, frame rate, and compression of your existing footage. The Custom option can be used for precise control over the export format.

Include Alpha Channel to create a custom transparent background for your timeline. When this option is checked, the resulting movie file will be very large, so an Alpha Channel should not be used unless you plan to do video compositing with the resulting movie. For more information, watch the Alpha Channel tutorial movie.

Event Duration will set the amount of time the movie pauses on each event in your timeline. Keep in mind the length of your notes, and the amount of time your audience will need to read them.

Only Pause on Selected Events will cause your movies to fly over unselected events, and pause on the events you highlighted in your timeline.

Motion Blur smooths the transition between events. Using motion blur adds significant time to the rendering of the the movie. For most timelines, motion blur is not necessary and should be set to None. Wikipedia has an informative article explaining motion blur.

You can also create a QuickTime movie by selecting Apple Devices from the File menu. If you choose this option you can optimize your QuickTime Movie for the iPhone, Apple TV, or the iPod.

Tips

  • QuickTime movies can be viewed on both Mac and Windows computers that have QuickTime installed.

  • You can share your timeline movie with your friends and colleagues by publishing it online using a personal site (like me.com), or on a video sharing site like Vimeo or YouTube.

  • If you are not planning to edit your movie, we recommend using Device Export.

  • A concise timeline chart will be easier to render and view. You can maximize the impact of your images and notes by keeping them edited.