Step 1: Your First Filter

If you haven't dabbled with iMovie's built-in effects filters, you're in for a treat. The basic controls and real-time preview in the main window add up to a learning curve of zero. Plus, some of iMovie's filters are incredibly cool. To get started, drag a clip (or several) from the Clips drawer into the Timeline, click the Editing tab, and select Video FX. To apply a filter to an entire clip, click the film-frame icon to enter Clip view, select a clip (Shift-click to select multiple ones), choose an effect from the list, and click Apply. To apply effects to only specific parts of a clip, switch to Timeline view (click the clock icon), drag the crop markers around the part you want affected, select your effect, and click Apply.

Click and drag your mouse in the preview window to reposition distortion and spot effects, such as Electricity.