how to make top quality menus??

[joestaind]

hey if anyone could help that would be great i just want to know
if theres a program where you could make really good menus like the real dvds and then save it and open it up on movie factory cause thats where i like to burn my dvds

i can make the menus on movie factory but you cant do any background movies or anything i would like to have a menu that could look like the menu from the film "Ghost Ship" that has a movie in the background of the menu and links at the bottom like"Play Movie" in text not pictures like movie factory

thanks if anyone could help that would be cool
thanks joe

[andkiich]

Don't know of anythignthat will let you export the menu and then import it into MF.

I use DVD-Lab and burn with Nero. Seems to work well for me.

[joestaind]

allright cool thanks

[vhelp]

FWIW...
I'm experimenting w/ DVD-Lab now, and I did see a sample of this same
thing you want to do. And, FWIW, after you create the VOB(s) for this, it's
just a matter of burning them, w/ whatever software you prefer

JSYK, I'm a newbie w/ the above software, and I don't really use it much,
but I do like it so far, though it's a bit intimedating at first.

Good luck,
-vhelp

[Specialist]

if theres a program where you could make really good menus like the real dvds

It sounds as if you're ready to upgrade to ULEAD DVD Workshop...

http://www.ulead.com/dws/runme.htm

...which features support for dynamic motion menus.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Vejita-sama]

Here's the thing, you should not think of menus as being anything 'special'. They are really just another MPEG2 encoded file (still or motion) with a subpicture to define the buttons.

That is the best programs to create 'cool' menus are same programs you would use to create any MPEG2 file: eg Adobe Premiere. Then you can take a still from that motion menu and create a subpicture.

Transitions and motion buttons can be fined when you edit.

Example: I have three MPEGs (aka menus). A, B and C. A is the main menu and C is the chapter selection menu. But I want a transition between A and C. That's were B comes in. B contains part of menu A, a fade effect, then part of menu C.

So selecting a certain button on menu A actually selects MPEG B, which gives the appearance of a transition, into menu C.

You need to think ahead and story board everything to get a 'matrix' like menu going. It's not that hard, just takes some planning. You also need an authoring program that allows you to set the command lines correctly.

Most people are looking for an authoring program that can generate these menus. That's a mistake, a good authoring program only authors from the elementary streams you give it. The actually menus (and subpic) should be made in a 3rd program if you want to get that 'professional' look...

[lordsmurf]

My firm belief is that I can make a still menu with music look just as appealing as a motion menu.

In all cases, you should have a high understanding of Photoshop and some kind of graphic arts ability.

I find myself disinterested in the quality of most commercial DVDs. Making it move does nothing for me if the menu still looks like crap, only now being crap in motion.

I'd say master still menus, then move on to motion menus when you've accomplished all that you can given the limits of being still.

[Vejita-sama]

I make simple still menus (no sound) for most of my home authored discs. I made a super over kill motion menu with motion chapter menu selection (eg. matrix like), transitions, ester eggs, etc. But that was just for fun/as a project (this is a hobby after all).

Step 1.
Photoshop for stills
Premeire for motion

Step 2.
Encode

Step 3.
Author

I plan to get Adobe Encore around Xmas. Then I'll be a 100% adobe (save for encoding w/ CCE) production.