Extracting subtitles from DVD & adding in iMovie. Possible or not?

[saintdrew]

Hello everyone, I'm new here so glad I found this place!

First let me explain my problem and hopefully someone can assist me with my problem:

My friend made a documentary and had someone edit the film on FCP, and then that person added subtitles in DVD Studio Pro. None of those programs I have on my iMac. My friend wanted to change some things and asked me if I could assist and I accepted.

What I did was download a DVD converter to my computer that worked fine. Once I imported the DVD into iMovie we made such changes.

However the problem I'm having is trying to extract subtitles from the actual DVD CD.

So here are my questions if anyone is so nice to help me:

1. Can anyone offer any legit online, free programs to extract the subtitles?
2. Should I add the subtitles manually in iMovie?
3. Can iDVD able me to add a page where you will have the option to watch film with or without subtitles?

Thank You.

[Baldrick]

It's easy in windows with subextractor, subrip, etc. If the dvd contains real subtitle tracks.

But I haven't seen anything for mac. Maybe you can burn in the subtitles using handbrake and output a mp4 that you can import in imovie.

[saintdrew]

ok so what if i manually add the subtitles in imovie,

then how do you recommend exporting the file so i can make the option on the dvd to have subtitles or no subtitles???

[smrpix]

ok so what if i manually add the subtitles in imovie,

then how do you recommend exporting the file so i can make the option on the dvd to have subtitles or no subtitles???

Your best bet is to download the free trials of multiple DVD authoring programs for mac and see what works for you. Apple has been whittling away these features to the point where it's almost impossible anymore. They are discouraging the use of disc media completely.

When you ask about iMovie, you should always mention which version, as there are huge differences between them. The later ones are often more crippled than the earlier ones, but the earlier ones won't run on later versions of OSX.

The only software I can guarantee will work as you wish is Adobe Encore CS6.

[saintdrew]

sorry about that, i'm using imovie 09, version 8.0.6

i just read where idvd is not going with subtitles. it's unfortunate that i don't have dvd studio pro because apparently all my problems would go away with that.

actually could dvd studio pro solve my problems? if i'm editing the dvd in imovie? or is studio pro only compatible with fcp?

should i download a free version if i can find one?

[saintdrew]

and this imac is os x, snow leopard

[smrpix]

You are going to have to do backflips to make this work on a mac.

Studio Pro was not sold as a standalone after (I think) version 4. If you can find a free one try it, but it's always a crapshoot if it's going to be compatible with your OS.

I'm not really anti-Apple, but they keep tight control of their universe and you're trying to do something they don't think you should need to do anymore.

[saintdrew]

i'm wondering if i'll have to export one film without subtitles, then another with the subtitles. maybe try and merge them.

someone said doing that on idvd will mess it up, causing the film without subtitles to have black lines across the bottom where they usually go.

[smrpix]

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4441537?start=0&tstart=0

But honestly, you're getting into a rat's nest of versions and OSs. The pieces you are going to have to juggle to make this work are mind-numbing.

Do you have access to a PC? You can use AVStoDVD, DVD Architect (free trial) or TMPGEnc Authoring Works (free trial) and get this done in no time.

[Cornucopia]

@saintdrew, IIWY, I'd get back to your friend and tell him you really cannot do this correctly with your current setup, then ask if he has someone with a PC you could use. You'd be done by now...

Scott

[saintdrew]

Can I not just manually insert the subtitles in iMovie? Then have one project in iMovie that has subtitles and the other project worhouth subtitles?

Then from there I can export to DVD Studio Pro and add my menus?

Someone else told me I would really need FCP for this.

[saintdrew]

And I'm sorry to keep asking questions but I really want to understand this:

Can y'all briefly explain why you recommend PC over Mac in this situation?

[Cornucopia]

iMovie and FCP are movie editors.

iDVD and DVDStudioPro are DVD-Video authoring apps.

Most movie editors, particularly simplified ones (like iMovie) only work with 2 kinds of tracks: Video & Audio. It may LOOK like it's using a Text track as well, but it is just temporarily text (while designing it). Once it get fixed, or has FX/transitions applied to it, it is basically just another piece/layer of video. And that video (and the audio, too) will get FLATTENED on export. When you export, you are only sending out 1 video layer/stream and 1 audio layer/stream (which might be mono, stereo or possibly 5.1). But no text.

And the kind of text you work with in video editors is normally NOT "subtitles", but rather "titles".

True subtitles are a separate, selectable stream type (either text-based or graphics-based) that remains independent from the audio & video streams. And subs are only created/edited in either dedicated CC/Sub apps, a few Pro NLEs, and (mainly) DVD-Video (and BD) authoring apps.

When you export from iMovie, you would be creating a piece of video with text burned into it. And maybe another piece of video without text burned into it. Both of these are now just pieces of video, just like if you shot some video while driving by a billboard - it doesn't mean the text on the billboard is "separate" and editable/selectable.
If you go this route and provide iDVD or DVDSP with 2 different video titles of basically the same thing (but with only the menu option to see text or not), you are doing the movie, your friend, and yourself a huge quality disservice. It will mean you are using up TWICE as much space on disc and will have to accommodate both by lowering your bitrate on both (which means lowering your quality).

There are a few subs tools for Mac, but none are integrated with iMovie that I know of (FCP probably has either plugins or some kind of integration, IIRC). And it doesn't look like there are any ways to integrate subs AT ALL into iDVD, either. DVDSP, we already know, has subs capability, but you have already ruled out using both FCP and DVDSP (as per the OP). It could also be done in Adobe Encore (there are some gotchas there, though, due to end-of-life and subscription deals).
However, you still have issues with whether iMovie will export a form that is completely compatible with the authoring app (it tends to be a closed system).

PCs have a multitude of apps in ALL those categories, and most of them are built to allow import & export from other apps (they tend to be open systems).

Scott

[saintdrew]

Ok this is starting to make sense now. Btw thank everyone for assisting

So I will not try and manually type the text on iMovie. That explantion makes sense now because I recently created a video in iMovie of a wedding and tried many ways to export the project but each time it came out in crappy quality. Video and some of the title text was pixelated.

I saw a version of a free download for DVD Studio Pro. I will try and get that for the authoring. And again that program just allows me to create a menu page for the film?

And you're saying Encore could maybe do something with the subtitles?

What about inserting the original DVD into my computer and getting a program out to extract the subtitles? Could I then take the extracted subtitles from there and load them into DVD Studio Pro or encore?

[saintdrew]

And someone did mention burn the subtitles with hand brake and importing them into iMovie?

I guess this is another question for another day but I'm also working on another project and just wonder what settings I need to change to have the best quality output of a project in iMovie. I'm a couple months away from getting Final Cut Pro just because of a budget I'm under right now.

[smrpix]

And you're saying Encore could maybe do something with the subtitles?

Encore allows for creation (and importing of limited kinds) of subtitles and the option to turn the subtitles on and off. Encore is also EOL so you will need a license for Premiere CC 2014 in order to have access to Premiere CS6 which includes Encore.

What about inserting the original DVD into my computer and getting a program out to extract the subtitles? Could I then take the extracted subtitles from there and load them into DVD Studio Pro or encore?

You will need 3rd party subtitling software. (Belle Nuite may allow for this.)

...what settings I need to change to have the best quality output of a project in iMovie.

I don't believe iMovie handles mpeg2 (DVD video) at all. For best quality you will want to move the files directly from the DVD to your authoring program.

[Cornucopia]

The idea of "burn" is at cross-purposes with the idea of "selectable subtitles". Burning them in flattens them & makes them part of the video, like I already mentioned. You don't want that (or SHOULDN'T).

DVDSP can do subtitles from within the app and it can also work with some other apps that have created subs (as text, IIRC) by importing them. Don't remember if it could export them, but that's not what you're intending to do for this project anyway.

Your best bet right now is to:
1. Get that copy of DVDSP
2. Rip the contents of the DVD to raw MPEG2 video and AC3/LPCM/MP2 audio files.
3. Load those files into DVDSP, and HOPE that it will allow for the kind of editing you need to do. If that is simple trimming, cutting & joining on GOPs, you should be fine.
4. Create/load your subtitles and make sure the sync is right.
5. Create a menu (if necessary).
6. Compile your DVD to folders/iso. Burn.

Scott

**Notice that NONE of that includes iMovie.

[saintdrew]

2. Rip the contents of the DVD to raw MPEG2 video and AC3/LPCM/MP2 audio files.

How do I go about doing instruction #2?

[saintdrew]

Also, what if I can just download the Creative Cloud that includes Premiere on CS6 to my computer? Would that help?

Also, for future projects, do you recommend using FCP X or Premiere for a full feature documentary?

[smrpix]

Also, what if I can just download the Creative Cloud that includes Premiere on CS6 to my computer? Would that help?

You must have a license for the latest version of CC in order to get CS6. The ONLY reason to use CS6 at all is to have Encore. May as well use the latest version of any other apps including Premiere and Media Encoder.

Also, for future projects, do you recommend using FCP X or Premiere for a full feature documentary?

If you're planning on collaborating -- sending material to a sound mixer or graphic artist or colorist -- use Premiere. If you are a one-man-band it is completely a matter of personal preference.

[Cornucopia]

Rip & Decrypt (main movie to VOB) with DVDHD Decrypter (there is a Mac version). Demux the VOB to elementary video + audio streams with MPEGStreamClip (careful: buggy under a few circumstances). AFAIK, there are no mac apps that can do both at once (yes, there are Win apps).

Scott