Working with iMovie

I don't find iMovie particularly hard, I've used it in both AS and A2 projects because I find it relatively simpler than using Final Cut Express, I feel iMovie offers me more options than Final Cut and therefore creates a better outcome. 
iMovie allows me to add in my own transitions, sounds, cut scenes, pace, etc. and therefore benefits me greatly. I feel it's my product look more professional, I want my project to be much better than my AS product therefore different tools need to be included to create a better outcome. Having the experience in the programme made me more confident with using iMovie, if I hadn't have used it previously it would mean I needed to develop the skills, as I already have them I can enhance my skills further. 
I believe my project will be more successful and professional using iMovie, even peers have asked for advice on how to use the programme because I have developed a good knowledge on how things work on this particular programme. 
Some would suggest using iMovie to be very basic and a 'cop out' however I do not believe the same, I don't feel Final Cut would offer me the same tools I would need to produce a trailer like the one I already have. Final Cut is obviously more advanced in the sense that it offers more professional and precise tools, this would obviously suggest a better outcome however because of my inexperience and instant disliking last year, as the editor I avoided using Final Cut. I feel it would develop a music video better than a film trailer because the programme, if used correctly, is able to eliminate backgrounds and provide lip-syncing easier. I believe the naming of the programme iMovie gives a pre-conception of being a more beneficial programme for developing films, this is what lured me in during my AS project. 
Before completing my A2 project I was determined to develop my skills and overall media products by using the more advanced, Final Cut Express, never-the-less I feel that it didn't offer the tools I already grew fond of that were readily available on trusting programme iMovie, tools such as; transitions and background effects. 
Having readily available tools that I was already aware of and experienced with instantly put my at a slight advantage into the completion of my media product as it meant I didn't have to spend additional time learning a new software/programme that was quite difficult and wasn't always reliable due saving re-writes and problems other peers in my class had experienced. The only time I've found Final Cut to be beneficial was when developing and editing a music video as a preliminary task as I was able to eliminate the green screen into a gif from the internet, paired with a real music song that lip-synced perfectly. The advanced tools weren't necessary in the production of the film trailer, I didn't need to eliminate any backgrounds from the shots Becka and I had filmed as that is what created the perfect mise-en-scene to fit in with thriller genre conventions. The tools that I found I needed were all found in iMovie, I had a pre-conceived idea of how I wanted to adapt and improve the original filming and found iMovie to successfully fit the expectation. 
Overall I believe that our media film trailer has benefited greatly from using iMovie, it's impacted the trailer into creating something that originally looked very mediocre and home-made into something of higher professionalism. 
The tools I've used within iMovie were as follows: 
Transitions; which effectively dissolved each scene into another, this made the trailer flow as each went into the other, this was very effective and meant we had followed the conventions of the high majority of thriller trailers. 
Effects: this allowed me to literally add an effect over the entire filmed scenes included in the film trailer I've produced, this enabled different accessible effects that made each of my scenes fit the narrative of the film. Luckily there was an effect that created an 'old time' look over the shot, as half of our trailer is supposed to look like it's in the past (90's) this effect was brilliant and ensured the viewers were able to understand that some parts were set in the past.