Baby steps to creating more 'complicated' menus..

[rbatty11]

Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong forum.. I'm using DVD Workshop2 and think I have the very basics down in authoring a simple dvd.. still menus, multiple page menus, motion thumbnails, chapters. I'm slowly trying to increase my learning curve and would like to try motion menus, transition clips and playlists..

I think I understand a playlist.. hit menu button/command-->short clip played-->reach desired page. That's a simple command but I'm sure they can get very elaborate and complicated. My question/s this:

How and where do I get the clips to use for the transitions/playlists?? Do I need to go into the source video and actually edit the clip out, strip the audio and add my own audio?? or.. is there a specific app I can use to create clips.. or.. ??

What I'm trying to do is basically get something like a commercial DVD where you hit 'Play' to watch the movie but in between you get a transition video clip with custom audio before the the main movie begins. Sometimes it's not even a 'real' video clip.. it could be some sore of animated motion effect. then main movie starts (well, actually, all those darned warnings and such).

[guns1inger]

You have to create them yourself in most cases. How is up to you and what tools you have available. If you have the original source footage and an editor (Premiere, Vegas etc) it is usually a simple job to find a good transition clip, add a fade or effect, then render this out for later use. I suggest that if you are going to go down this path, design your menu on paper first. make sure you are clear what menus you need, and how the user will move from menu to menu or menu to clip etc. It makes it easier to then find the parts you need.

If you are working from a compiled DVD (say, footage from a DVD recorder), then an mpeg editor might be a better bet for cutting out just the footage you want. Even Virtualdubmpeg2 can be used to open a VOB, find the footage you want, then save it in another format for editing and refining.

[rbatty11]

Thanks, gunslinger, that helps a lot.. I figured I'd need an editing application like Premiere or Vegas b/c I've been doing very simple edits and cuts with MPEGVCR, but can't do anything else, i.e., fade, effect... Are there mpeg editing apps that can do those things? (relatively inexpensive?).

Also, in DVDWS2, do you know how to save a menu template(s)?? I spent a couple of hours last night 'creating' about several menu pages/templates for a project. I'm trying to save them apart from the project to use in future projects.. I though it'd be as simple as clicking on the menu at the bottom grid on the menu page and dragging it into the image folder on the left.. Not working.. ?? Thanks again.

[guns1inger]

Sorry - I don't use DVDWS2, so I can't help you there. I create my 'templates' in photoshop and load them into DVD Lab Pro as needed.

I would look at VideoRedo Pro as an alternative mpeg editor, or convert the mpeg to a lossless compression avi and edit in your normal editor.

[rbatty11]

Will look at VideoRedo. But looks like i'm leaning for $$ for Vegas or Premiere. Thanks.. much appreciated.