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DVD Authoring advice for the uninitiated?

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Batman Beyond

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Hello. I've just finished doing my first re-edit. Its a re-edit of the third Highlander movie, and I wanted to do a somewhat sophisticated authoring for it. However, I am not very much into the authoring gig, and given how much great help this specific forum presents for re-editors, I thought I could present my case and tell you exactly what I want, so that I can perhaps get can some help as to how to do them.


NOTE: Forgive me if you find my post not so much comprehensive, as I don't know the right terms in which to express my full idea. Also, forgive my long tongue. :D


I want the DVD menu to be like ADYWAN's REVISITED series, in short. I want a prologue to preceed the actual animated menu, and I want the menu to be static, except for one image in one part of that thing where it'll play a sample movie.

Like this:

Here's how the DVD menu for HIGHLANDER TV series is (this partciular one is from the season 3 set):
"]

Now, the menu doesn't have to be like that... I wouldn't even complain to have the sample movie just along, after the prologue thing.

BTW, here's my prologue:
"]

So basically, I want to have my above vid play before it goes to the menu, and I wanna have an animated menu that can show a sample clip (you know, clips with the PLAY, CHAPTERS, etc buttons bellow) that will continue from the prologue clip (in music and in footage), but at repeat, the menu should not repeat the prologue thingy.

So, what do you think? What program should I use, and basically, what should I do?

Thank you for your time, and I appreciate any comments that can help pull through this first re-edit gig for me.

Again, thanks for your time. :)
 
I do this with a combination of Sony Vegas / Sony DVd Architect / Adobe Photoshop

Intro video and background video and transitions are all made in Sony Vegas. I then create the menu I want (using a screenshot of the menu video as a temporary background) in photoshop (using the guidelines set in DVD Architect help).

In DVD Architect, I set the intro video as first play, and navigate it into the main menu (which I will have as the menu I created in Photoshop) I replace the background media of this menu with my menu video that I created in Vegas. Now I have an intro video that navigates to an animated menu. This is the basic description of the process.

I know other people use a combination of some video editor and DVD Lab Pro. The basic concept is similar, but whatever you use, its good to get yourself familiar with the software first.
 
ThrowgnCpr said:
I do this with a combination of Sony Vegas / Sony DVd Architect / Adobe Photoshop

Intro video and background video and transitions are all made in Sony Vegas. I then create the menu I want (using a screenshot of the menu video as a temporary background) in photoshop (using the guidelines set in DVD Architect help).

In DVD Architect, I set the intro video as first play, and navigate it into the main menu (which I will have as the menu I created in Photoshop) I replace the background media of this menu with my menu video that I created in Vegas. Now I have an intro video that navigates to an animated menu. This is the basic description of the process.

I know other people use a combination of some video editor and DVD Lab Pro. The basic concept is similar, but whatever you use, its good to get yourself familiar with the software first.
Click to expand...
Sounds challenging, I'll tackle on that process, as soon as I get those programs you used. :D

Anyhow, what do you do after you've created the menu? How do you burn the re-edit with the film and the menu? I am usually suggested Neo for that thing.

So, what do you do to burn everything into one single layered (4+GB) DVD?
 
Sony DVD Architect (and also DVD Lab Pro) is a complete DVD authoring program, so after you've got your menu setup, you will also add your fanedit (in elementary mpg streams: m2v and ac3) to the project and link it to the menu buttons where appropriate. When you output everything you will get the option to create the DVD folders on your hard drive (recommended so you can preview first before burning a disc) or burn to disc. If you tell it to create the DVD folders on your HDD, and it all tests out OK, you can burn with either Nero or ImgBurn (freeware).

And yes, what you are after is a rather challenging thing, but once you overcome the learning curve, it isnt that bad. Whatever softwares you decide to use, get familiar with them first. and there are always nice tutorials online. google can be a good friend there.
 
Hello, once again.

OK, since you've shown how to do this DVD, I've been doing stuff with it, and now that I want to export the DVD on the disc, it tells me that one or more file plug-ins necessary for the application are missing or corrupt, and that I should re-install the application.

This is killing me. I am about to do my dream DVD, and it tells me this. What do I do about it?
 
I am not sure what the problem would be. Is this a legit version of the software? could you post a screenshot of the error? You could always try to reinstall the program. just make sure you have your project file backed up somewhere.
 
Its a simple message that arrives when I hit Finish on the Prepare DVD folder and all.

And yes, I downloaded this from some place. However, its fully installed.

Does that make any difference?
 
Batman Beyond said:
And yes, I downloaded this from some place. However, its fully installed.

Does that make any difference?
Click to expand...

ha!! well, yes. I am not going to get into a discussion about pirated software, because we do not support that here, but yes, the programs (like you are currently using) are often cracked versions of trial software. Even full versions are modified in someway and often do not function properly. I would suggest getting another version of the software. Preferably a legal one...
 
ThrowgnCpr said:
Batman Beyond said:
And yes, I downloaded this from some place. However, its fully installed.

Does that make any difference?
Click to expand...

ha!! well, yes. I am not going to get into a discussion about pirated software, because we do not support that here, but yes, the programs (like you are currently using) are often cracked versions of trial software. Even full versions are modified in someway and often do not function properly. I would suggest getting another version of the software. Preferably a legal one...
Click to expand...
Fine. Say that I do - will my project still open with the legal version? I fear it may not, but you obviously know better.

And forgive me my sidestep, but low cash at the time being prevented me from obtaining the legal one. Still, the one I got is fully installed, no trial. But I guess the full thing is different huh?

Anyway, will the project that I have still work on the legal program?
 
alright I am going to sidestep the legal/non-legal copy stuff and just explain what you have. You have a DVD Architect project file, as long as you open it in any version of Architect (the same or newer) it should work fine.
 
ThrowgnCpr said:
alright I am going to sidestep the legal/non-legal copy stuff and just explain what you have. You have a DVD Architect project file, as long as you open it in any version of Architect (the same or newer) it should work fine.
Click to expand...
Another worry - what if the problem still exists if I have the legal version?

I'm not searching for excuses not to have it, of course.
 
Batman Beyond said:
ThrowgnCpr said:
alright I am going to sidestep the legal/non-legal copy stuff and just explain what you have. You have a DVD Architect project file, as long as you open it in any version of Architect (the same or newer) it should work fine.
Click to expand...
Another worry - what if the problem still exists if I have the legal version?

I'm not searching for excuses not to have it, of course.
Click to expand...


you'll never know until you try...
 
ThrowgnCpr said:
Batman Beyond said:
ThrowgnCpr said:
alright I am going to sidestep the legal/non-legal copy stuff and just explain what you have. You have a DVD Architect project file, as long as you open it in any version of Architect (the same or newer) it should work fine.
Click to expand...
Another worry - what if the problem still exists if I have the legal version?

I'm not searching for excuses not to have it, of course.
Click to expand...


you'll never know until you try...
Click to expand...
Do you think its because the final file was a divxed .avi file?

I hope not.


ALSO, I did not do anything with Sony Vegas, and the introductory vid, as well as the vid that I use for the menu, were created by Adobe Premiere.

Does it present a problem? Should I do things strictly through Vegas to allow for Architect to process?

What do you think?
 
ok. i see. I think the problem is that your video files are not DVD-ready. and therefore, DVD Architect needs to convert them. I assume this is where you are getting the problem. The best method is to add the video files as DVD-ready elementary streams. (you can convert your AVI using something like TMPGEnc) That way Architect does not need to convert anything, and it can just build the DVD using the already compliant files.
 
ThrowgnCpr said:
ok. i see. I think the problem is that your video files are not DVD-ready. and therefore, DVD Architect needs to convert them. I assume this is where you are getting the problem. The best method is to add the video files as DVD-ready elementary streams. (you can convert your AVI using something like TMPGEnc) That way Architect does not need to convert anything, and it can just build the DVD using the already compliant files.
Click to expand...
How do I do that using Architect? Of course I didn't do what you say I should do.

At this time, I must ask to forgive me for my blatant display of inexperience on this field. I appreciate all the help you give me (and will notify you once that DVD is done).
 
well, it looks like Architect (your version anyway) gets an error, or doesnt have a plugin installed to do this. I recommend converting the file elsewhere, and then bringing the DVD-ready elementary streams into Architect instead of the divx files
 
ThrowgnCpr said:
well, it looks like Architect (your version anyway) gets an error, or doesnt have a plugin installed to do this. I recommend converting the file elsewhere, and then bringing the DVD-ready elementary streams into Architect instead of the divx files
Click to expand...
So I should the files elsewhere, but to what? I'm not sure as to what format should it be translated to.

Again, forgive me if I make your life miserable with this overt questioning. :D
 
As I said. They need to be DVD-ready elementary streams. so:

Video: m2v or mpv
Audio: ac3

this is an MPG file in separate audio and video files
 
ThrowgnCpr said:
As I said. They need to be DVD-ready elementary streams. so:

Video: m2v or mpv
Audio: ac3

this is an MPG file in separate audio and video files
Click to expand...
What program would you recommend for that?

Vegas, maybe?
 
if your project file is from Vegas, yes thats fine. Vegas can output this format. Or TMPGEnc is a good converting tool.
 
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