# The error "Could not load movie file Fish.mp4" occurs

**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/the-error-could-not-load-movie-file-fish-mp4-occurs/46169
**Category:** Libraries
**Created:** [April 7, 2025, 5:27am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/the-error-could-not-load-movie-file-fish-mp4-occurs/46169 "2025-04-07T05:27:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Morphine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Morphine](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Morphine)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2025, 5:27am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/the-error-could-not-load-movie-file-fish-mp4-occurs/46169/1 "2025-04-07T05:27:05Z")

</div>

The error “Could not load movie file Fish.mp4” occurs. The “Fish.mp4” file is played in other video players, this file is located in the same folder as the sketch.

 ![v9Pi3OPoZmI](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/9/0/9033a46a002b61e0e61f1c63591f020939defa6b.jpeg)  
 ![d4dIvq1vlYI](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/6/f/6f90c1709542838c79f7b138a13e71136c160f67.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2025, 11:15am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/the-error-could-not-load-movie-file-fish-mp4-occurs/46169/2 "2025-04-07T11:15:40Z")

</div>

wild guess:

the loading is case-sensitive

try Fish.mp4

in your Win file explorer you can switch the display of File Extensions to ON

Chrisir

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Morphine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Morphine](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Morphine)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/the-error-could-not-load-movie-file-fish-mp4-occurs/46169/3 "2025-04-07T13:26:51Z")

</div>

This file is definitely a .mov file. I’ve tried many different formats (.mov; .mp4; .avi), but the error still occurs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![svan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@svan](https://discourse.processing.org/u/svan)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2025, 2:13pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/the-error-could-not-load-movie-file-fish-mp4-occurs/46169/4 "2025-04-07T14:13:02Z")

</div>

Is your movie in a folder entitled “data”?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2025, 10:51am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/the-error-could-not-load-movie-file-fish-mp4-occurs/46169/5 "2025-04-08T10:51:00Z")

</div>

> [@Morphine](#):
>
> This file is definitely a .mov file

Did you try `..... new Movie(this, "Fish.mov");`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/the-error-could-not-load-movie-file-fish-mp4-occurs/46169/6 "2025-04-15T17:59:56Z")

</div>

Hello @Morphine ,

> [@Morphine](#):
>
> The “Fish.mp4” file is played in other video players, this file is located in the same folder as the sketch.

There is a working example here to examine:

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/5/f/5f4d08fb8c259b2160160b0bb0c369a95517ef73.png)

You can open it, save it as a different name and then examine it.

The video will play if it is the _data folder_.

It will NOT play if it is moved to the _sketch folder_:

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/7/e/7ea7e34e699a098cf0df4277eb577e7d923d06ab.png)

See the _Environment (IDE)_ documentation:

> **[Environment](https://processing.org/environment/)**
>
> The Processing Environment includes a text editor, a compiler, and a display window. It enables the creation of software within a carefully designed set of constraints.

There is some information about adding files to the _data folder_ in the reference.

Look for:

- _Add File…_
- _Sketches and Sketchbook_ section
- Also read the entire document. Lots of useful information in there! `:)`

Have fun!

`:)`