1. Determine market
Where is your target market. NTSC or PAL?
2. Produce media elements
These will involve ...
Video film production
Scripting, rehearsing, filming etc. Click here for resources and advice
3D animation production
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.
Audio production
Creating and recording Foley (sound effects), and writing and recording music. Click here for resources and advice
Still image creation
Extracting still images from video clips, photographing, drawing and scanning images for use in menus and slideshows. Click here for resources and advice
3. Edit media elements
This will involve ...
Video editing
Using programs such as Sonic Foundry Vegas, Adobe Premiere and Apple Final Cut Pro and Express. Click here for resources and advice
Audio editing
Using programs such as Sonic Foundry SoundForge, Emagic Logic, and Bias Peak. Click here for resources and advice
Image editing
Using programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Click here for resources and advice
4. Calculate video data rate
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.
5. Encode (compress) media elements
Video and audio files must be encoded into a format suitable for importing into a DVD authoring program.
Video
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
Audio
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
6. Import media elements into a DVD authoring program
Once in a compatible format, media files must be imported into an authoring program.
7. Author DVD interface
Once imported, the various video, still images and audio must be combined into a complete project of menus, slideshows and media elements.
8. Multiplex (or export) a finished project
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.
9. Record a DVD-video disc
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.
10. Create packaging
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