How to create motion backgrounds?

[wheezer210]

I was looking on google and found this site which offers motion menu clips,

http://www.dvd-makers.com/products/item44.cfm (you need quicktime for the samples)

How do you create motion backgrounds for use on menus yourself?

I usually use stills, but would love to learn this trick to add a new dimension to my projects...thanks for any and all help

Edit: I guess a follow-up question to this would be what software supports motion backgrounds?

[canadateck]

Take a Look at After Effects.

[painkiller]

DVD-Lab also supports it.

It has a procedure where you basically import a short video clip into the background area of the menu screen you are building.

[painkiller]

Sorry for the additional post, but I took a look at that website (from first post).

Sony's website for the Sound Forge and Vegas 6 software also has such video clips that have regular prices (not sale) that are a little cheaper than what you point to. They look remarkably similar.....

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/visionseries/default.asp

[jimmalenko]

They're quite easy to make, as all you need is either a still or video, possibly audio, and then go from there. It's no different to creating an MPEG to go on a DVD. Different authoring softwares do it differently however, such as TMPGEnc DVD Author, which requires a DVD-compliant MPEG file with the audio contained within, whereas I'm led to believe that other programs can just take a JPEG still and/or an audio file and do the conversion/muxing for you.

[guns1inger]

If you want to make simple cycling backdrops, you will need a motion graphics package that supports animation - after effects is a good choice, although it is only one of many.

If you want to incorporate video clips and parts of the movie itself, any editor can do it.

[dipstick]

If you want to get fancy without spending any money, give Wax2 (free) a try. I created this interesting 3D effect Motion Menu in Wax2:

mm2.avi (1.13 mb)

[garry]

Very nice Dippy !

[dipstick]

Thanks,

I was playing around with the "Objects 3-D" plugin in Wax2, when I discovered I could wrap video around a sphere. I always liked the "Crystal Ball" effect, so I thought that this would work nicely for it.

[Bjs]

Dvdauthorgui can create motion menu scripts from titles .

Avisynth , and plugins should be aquired .

For some tricky stuff , the gimp can create png's with alpha channels , handy for creating hightech looking dvd motion menu's .

I have been doing this for quite a while now , both bbmpeg and quenc can encode avs scripts into mpeg2 .

Bbmpeg (aka avi2mpeg) has more settings available for that extra tinkering for required output .

Dosent cost you a cent either ... and is only limited by imagination ... so be creative .

[dipstick]

Here's another one I made using Wax2. I cheated a little on this one, because I used DvdLab Pro to make the Panaramic video clip. I then converted the m2v to avi in Virtualdub and extracted the 1st and last frames. I then edited the last frame in Photoshop (you can use Gimp) and also created the tittle. I imported all asssets into Wax2 and compiled it to what you can see here:

mm.wmv (2 mb)

[painkiller]

These are very good, Dipstick.
I've been meaning to get into playing with Wax ... you just gave me good reason.

How long did these take you to make?

[dipstick]

That would depend on your skill level.

I'm not an expert with Wax2 by any means, but I'm no novice either. The 1st time creating the 3-D sphere motion menu probably took 15-20 min. If I were to do one now, it would probably be more like 5 min. I pretty much just play with different settings as I go along until I find something I like. Most of the time, I learn something by accident.

If you've ever worked with AE before, Wax2 will come easy, if not, it will take some learning. The best part is it's free, so if you don't mind experimenting, it's worth the effort.

[thecoalman]

Easiest authoring software for creating motion backgrounds or chapter points from existing clips is DVDWS. Drag the chapter point to the menu, click the motion checkbox.... done. You can adjust length of motion clip, size etc.

[Craig Tucker]

Here's another one I made using Wax2. I cheated a little on this one, because I used DvdLab Pro to make the Panaramic video clip. I then converted the m2v to avi in Virtualdub and extracted the 1st and last frames. I then edited the last frame in Photoshop (you can use Gimp) and also created the tittle. I imported all asssets into Wax2 and compiled it to what you can see here:

mm.wmv (2 mb)

Excellent job, and nice sliding tackle

[dipstick]

Thanks,

Yeah, that's my boy sliding into 2nd base and taking the 2nd Baseman out. Hopefully he learned his lesson and not stand directly on top of 2nd base next time.

[The Linguist]

These are very good, Dipstick.
I've been meaning to get into playing with Wax ... you just gave me good reason.

How long did these take you to make?

Very Very cool