The process of authoring a DVD video disc involves several separate stages. This articel offers a basic introduction to them.
Where is your target market. NTSC or PAL?
These will involve ...
Scripting, rehearsing, filming etc. Click here for resources and advice
Using programs such as 3D studio Max and Maya. You will need to export in an interchange file format that your DVD authoring software understands if not in MPEG-2.
Creating and recording Foley (sound effects), and writing and recording music. Click here for resources and advice
Extracting still images from video clips, photographing, drawing and scanning images for use in menus and slideshows. Click here for resources and advice
This will involve ...
Using programs such as Sonic Foundry Vegas, Adobe Premiere and Apple Final Cut Pro and Express. Click here for resources and advice
Using programs such as Sonic Foundry SoundForge, Emagic Logic, and Bias Peak. Click here for resources and advice
Using programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Click here for resources and advice
Once audio, stills, menus, subtitles etc file sizes have been determined, you will need to calculate the highest possible video data rate that your remaining storage capacity will allow. Click here to find out how.
Video and audio files must be encoded into a format suitable for importing into a DVD authoring program.
Finished DV video edits completed in Apple's Final Cut Pro must be converted from the DV codec format into MPEG-2. Click here for resources and advice
Finished sound effects and music audio files created in Emagic Logic and Sonic Foundry Sound Forge must be converted from .wav and .aif formats into AC-3 (Dolby Digital) format. Click here for resources and advice
Once in a compatible format, media files must be imported into an authoring program.
Once imported, the various video, still images and audio must be combined into a complete project of menus, slideshows and media elements.
Multiplexing is the process of combining all the project elements into a finished structure and putting this into a folder entitled "video_ts" on your hard drive.
Authoring programs can record your multiplexed project to a DVD-R or DVD-RW disc or you could use a disc burning program such as Toast.
Design and produce a DVD box inlay and booklet using DTP programs such as Photoshop, Quark Xpress and Adobe InDesign. Click here for resources and advice