<p>In my experience (2 years), there's not a great way to accomplish this. Here's how I would do it:</p>

<p>1) Make an additional "background image", in the dimensions of your typical video (16x9, I assume).</p>

<p>2) Drag your original image over that background image, at the top, leaving room for (later) the video clip at the bottom.</p>

<p>3) Save that image.</p>

<p>4) Bring that image into your iMovie timeline.</p>

<p>5) Drag your video clip onto it as a picture-in-picture.</p>

<p>:)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-07T00:10:42.873Z
2014-02-07T18:56:59.497Z
2014-02-07T18:56:59.497Z
BrettFromLA
<p>I tried imovie several times and found your problem can't be solved in imovie because your image inserted via PIP can't be changed to transparency, while transparent image can solve your problem here. Fortunately, the company I work with makes a piece of software called Wondershare Video Editor that can make it. But you may need to borrow a PC first. (This function only supports by Windows version right now). Here are the step by step:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>download and install the free trial version via cnet.com or their
official site, if you don't like watermark and won't pay for any
software, check the tricks to get 100% free lifetime codes here:
<a href="http://software-insight.quora.com/How-to-Get-100-Free-Wondershare-License" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://software-insight.quora.com/How-to-Get-100-Free-Wondershare-License</a></p></li>
<li><p>import your image and video and them drag to the timeline (image should be in PIP timeline)</p></li>
<li>move your image to the right place with right size you need, up to now, all of steps are similar with iMovie</li>
<li>then double click the image in timeline you will enter the PIP editing section with different transitions, choose the advanced mode.</li>
<li><p>click the "Effect" tab, you will see a window as below:
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/IIZZ6.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>Number 1 is the image you insert (i just used one of my colleague's avatar)
Number 2 is the Effect tab
Number 3 is the transparent function area, which can solve your problem</p></li>
<li>Pick up "Make parts of the clip transparet" in Effect tab, then your image will show like this:
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ogkfi.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></li>
<li>Click save, preview it in preview window, you can see your image won't overlay your video and only float above
Good luck for you!</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-20T15:14:52.333Z
Same comment here that you need to disclose your affiliation with Wondershare.  Posts that provide useful feedback are perfectly fine, but you must disclose your affiliation in the answer.
AJ Henderson
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-21T03:13:23.753Z
Yes, sorry about this~I won't make the same mistake~
Liza Brown
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-14T07:43:18.960Z
2014-02-20T15:15:40.650Z
2014-02-20T15:15:40.650Z
Liza Brown
<p>I need to add an image above a movie, i.e not overlaying the movie itself. I see this being broken down into two parts:</p>

<p>1) Change the canvas size to create a region at the top for the image to go.</p>

<p>2) Add the image</p>

<p>I've used picture-in-picture to add the image to the screen, which is fine, but that obviously overlays the video. I feel that if I can change the canvas size (I would prefer not to zoom) then I can use picture-in-picture. Is that the best way or is there a cleaner way to do this? How would you go about doing that?</p>

<p>As a sidenote, I have iMovie 10 and iMovie 9 so I can use either on this.</p>

<video-editor><editing><imovie>
Adding an image above a video in imovie
Niall Paterson
# Adding an image above a video in imovie

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-06)

I need to add an image above a movie, i.e not overlaying the movie itself. I see this being broken down into two parts:

1) Change the canvas size to create a region at the top for the image to go.

2) Add the image

I've used picture-in-picture to add the image to the screen, which is fine, but that obviously overlays the video. I feel that if I can change the canvas size (I would prefer not to zoom) then I can use picture-in-picture. Is that the best way or is there a cleaner way to do this? How would you go about doing that?

As a sidenote, I have iMovie 10 and iMovie 9 so I can use either on this.

**Tags:** video-editor, editing, imovie


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-02-07. Score: 1

In my experience (2 years), there's not a great way to accomplish this. Here's how I would do it:

1) Make an additional "background image", in the dimensions of your typical video (16x9, I assume).

2) Drag your original image over that background image, at the top, leaving room for (later) the video clip at the bottom.

3) Save that image.

4) Bring that image into your iMovie timeline.

5) Drag your video clip onto it as a picture-in-picture.

:)


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-02-14. Score: 0

I tried imovie several times and found your problem can't be solved in imovie because your image inserted via PIP can't be changed to transparency, while transparent image can solve your problem here. Fortunately, the company I work with makes a piece of software called Wondershare Video Editor that can make it. But you may need to borrow a PC first. (This function only supports by Windows version right now). Here are the step by step:

1. download and install the free trial version via cnet.com or their
   official site, if you don't like watermark and won't pay for any
   software, check the tricks to get 100% free lifetime codes here:
   <http://software-insight.quora.com/How-to-Get-100-Free-Wondershare-License>
2. import your image and video and them drag to the timeline (image should be in PIP timeline)
3. move your image to the right place with right size you need, up to now, all of steps are similar with iMovie
4. then double click the image in timeline you will enter the PIP editing section with different transitions, choose the advanced mode.
5. click the "Effect" tab, you will see a window as below:
   ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/IIZZ6.jpg)

   Number 1 is the image you insert (i just used one of my colleague's avatar)
   Number 2 is the Effect tab
   Number 3 is the transparent function area, which can solve your problem
6. Pick up "Make parts of the clip transparet" in Effect tab, then your image will show like this:
   ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ogkfi.jpg)
7. Click save, preview it in preview window, you can see your image won't overlay your video and only float above
   Good luck for you!

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Same comment here that you need to disclose your affiliation with Wondershare.  Posts that provide useful feedback are perfectly fine, but you must disclose your affiliation in the answer.  
> **username_2**: Yes, sorry about this~I won't make the same mistake~  

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