Some Notifications that generates MKMoviePlayer: MPMoviePlayerPlaybackStateDidChangeNotification MPMoviePlayerLoadStateDidChangeNotification [[ NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter ] addObserver : self selector : @selector ( playBackStateChanged :) name : MPMoviePlayerLoadStateDidChangeNotification object : moviePlayerViewController . moviePlayer ]; -( void ) playBackStateChanged :( id ) sender { MPMoviePlaybackState playbackState = [ moviePlayerViewController . moviePlayer playbackState ]; switch ( playbackState ) { case MPMoviePlaybackStateStopped : break ; case MPMoviePlaybackStatePlaying : [ yourActivityIndicatorView stopAnimating ]; break ; case MPMoviePlaybackStateInterrupted : [ yourActivityIndicatorView startAnimat