iDVD
iDVD About iDVD iDVD is a software program designed to allow users to integrate video, still images, and sound on a DVD with interactive menus and play options.
Once movies are edited in iMovie, Final Cut Pro or any other video editing software that exports movies into a QuickTime Format, it is ready to be imported into iDVD. The final product is a DVD that can be played on most DVD players and computers with DVD drives.
Getting Started
Types of DVD discs
It is important to note that Recordable DVDs (the ones you burn yourself) are not the same as commercial DVDs that you purchase in your local movie section of an electronic store.
The following DVD disc information is provided by: http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd
DVD-R and DVD-RW
DVD-R/W was the first DVD recording format released that was compatible with standalone DVD Players.
DVD-R is a non-rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 92% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD-RW is a rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 76% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD-R/W supports single side 4.7 GB* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double side 9.4 GB* DVDs(called DVD-10).
DVD+R and DVD+RW
DVD+R/W has some "better" features than DVD-R/W such as lossless linking and both CAV and CLV writing.
DVD+R is a non-rewritable format and it is compatible with about 87% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD+RW is a rewritable format and is compatible with about 76% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD+R/W supports single side 4.7 GB* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double side 9.4 GB* DVDs(called DVD-10).
1 3/30/04
iDVD
Layout of program
Viewing Monitor
Customize Button: Slideshow Button: Use this button to open and close the Customize Use this button to add a Preview Button: Window. slideshow of images to Allows you to Customize Window : your DVD menu. preview the DVD This window allows you to select a before burning it. theme for your DVD which includes layout, audio, and other settings. Folders Button: Motion Button: Burn Button: Use this button to add Adds motion to DVD Prompts you to burn folders to your DVD menu buttons. the DVD. menu.
Preparing and Locating Movies and Still Images
Before creating a DVD, it is important that the media files are prepared properly. Any movie in QuickTime format except QuickTime VR, MPEG files, and Sprites can be added to an iDVD project.
*NOTE: For better results, export your movies as QuickTime files that are in DV (digital video) format.
2 3/30/04 iDVD
Working from iMovie iMovie is a video editing program that works in connection with iDVD. You have the option of using some of iMovie’s features to assist you in the DVD creation process. After editing your video on the timeline in iMovie, you can create Chapter Markers that are imported into iDVD.
To create Chapter Markers:
1. Click on the iDVD button (mid-right part of window in iMovie). 2. The iDVD palette opens. 3. From the iMovie monitor, drag the Playhead (upside-down triangle) along the timeline to a point in which you want to position your new chapter. 4. Click Add Chapter. 5. Type the chapter title in the Chapter Title box. 6. Repeat steps 3-5 for other chapters. 7. Save the project.
To delete Chapter Markers:
1. From the iDVD Palette in iMovie, click ONCE on the chapter you wish to delete. 2. Click Remove Chapter button.
From iMovie to iDVD:
Once you are ready to begin the DVD creation process: 1. Click on the Create iDVD Project button in the iDVD Palette of iMovie. 2. iDVD will launch.
Working in iDVD
Once you have moved from iMovie to iDVD or once you have saved your video clips as .mov files, you are ready to begin the actual “creative” aspect of DVD creation.
Choose a Theme
The first step is to choose a theme. A Theme is cohesive design idea that projects how your DVD menus will look and perform. Here are a few aspects of the Theme to pay attention to:
• Background Image or Video: The large image/video of a the menu layout is customizable. Images or video can be added. • Button Type: The menu buttons can be either text or graphic images pending on the constructs of the individual theme. (Some themes only allow text buttons). • Button Design: Text buttons can have different backgrounds, while graphic buttons may have a variety of borders.
3 3/30/04 iDVD
• Drop Zones: Certain areas of the menu are reserved for you to drag and drop video clips that will play continuously as a background for the screen. The clip will play until one of the buttons are clicked. • Font Selections: The color, size, and typeface are customizable for the title and buttons of the DVD menus.
To choose a Theme:
1. Click the Customize button in the bottom left-hand corner of the project. This will open an expanded vertical window on the left of the main window. 2. From the drop-down menu, select “ All” to view all of the themes. 3. Scroll through the themes. 4. Click to view them full-screen.
*NOTE: If your DVD menu only has one screen, it will apply the chosen theme with one click.
If you exported a movie from iMovie with chapter markers, most likely there are multiple screens. Clicking once on a theme will only apply it to the visible screen, you must:
- Choose Advanced > Apply Theme to Project for the entire project to appear with the same theme.
5. Once you have chosen a desired theme, click the Settings button to adjust the settings in relation to the theme. 6. There are three major sections: a. Background • Go to File > Import> Background Video OR Audio to import background video or music to the menu. • Select the file from the computer and click Open. • It is added to the theme project. • To DELETE the audio or video, click on the icon and drag it away. (Please see visual below).
b. Title • Change the font, color, size, and position of the title. c. Button • Change the font, color, size, and position of the buttons.
4 3/30/04
iDVD
Add Movies
There are multiple places to add video clips.
• There are designated “Drop Zones” that prompt you to add video clips to the background of the menu. o Click the Movies button in the Customize window and select a movie from the “Movies” folder to drag-and-drop to the designated area. o OR, if you have not stored your video clips in the “Movies” folder, find the movie clip by searching for it on the hard drive. Drag-and-drop the file from the Hard Drive window into the designated area. • To add movie clips to the menu: o Go to File> Import>Video and select the clip you wish to add to the DVD project. The video clip will appear on the visible page.
Add Submenus or Folders
To add additional pages for more content on the DVD:
1. Click the Folder button on the bottom of the screen. 2. A new button will appear titled “My Folder.” 3. Rename the button: Click once on the text to select it. Click again to highlight the text and change the name of the folder. 4. Open the folder: Double-click on the button to open it and add content to it.
*NOTE: This feature would be ideal to use if creating scene selection menus from scratch. In other words, if you didn’t use the Chapter Markers feature in iMovie, create a folder and automatically IMPORT movie clips to comprise a Scene Selection.
Add Slideshows
Adding a slideshow is a nice feature to have that offers your audience an opportunity to add still images to your DVD.
To add a slideshow:
1. Click the Slideshow button. 2. A button titled “My Slideshow” appears on the visible screen. 3. Rename the button: Click once to select the area of the button, click again to select the text to rename the button. 5. Open the slideshow: Double-click on the button to open it and add content to it. 6. Add images by: o Go to File>Import> Image to import images directly into the slideshow. o OR, select the Photos button in the Customize window. Drag the photos from this window (which refers to images stored in iPHOTO) into the large, white area of the screen.
5 3/30/04
iDVD
7. Change the preview settings of the slideshow in the bottom of the window. 8. Add Audio by: o Go to File>Import> Audio to import audio directly into the slideshow. o OR, select the Audio button in the Customize window. Drag the name of the song from this window (which refers to audio stored in iTUNES) into the designated audio area. o *NOTE: Only one song can be added to the slideshow unless two songs are attached together using an audio-editing software. Also, when the slideshow is over, the music stops and the main menu appears. 9. Click the Return button to return to the main DVD menu.
Changing the Title and Button Text
To change the Title and Button text:
1. Click once on the Title or Button to select the text area. 2. Click again to highlight the text (usually a light blue). 3. Rename the Title/Button. 4. Click on another portion of the menu to deselect the changed area.
*NOTE: You can double-click on the Title to highlight the text and change it, but double- clicking on the menu buttons will execute the button (open it) without allowing you to change the text.
Creating and Customizing Motion Buttons
Motion Buttons are buttons that contain more than just text. They are visual icons that allow up to 30 seconds of video to appear for each button.
Only certain themes contain Motion Buttons. One example is the Projector theme. In the Theme list there is an icon that appears in the bottom right-hand corner that signifies that it contains motion buttons.
The green Motion button turns this feature on and off.
To change the appearance of the Motion Buttons: 1. Click once on the button. 2. Use the slider to specify where you want the button movie to begin looping.
6 3/30/04 iDVD
Previewing the DVD
To preview the DVD before burning it:
1. Click the Preview button (in the bottom right corner). 2. A navigation menu will appear. Use the menu, stop, play, fast-forward, and rewind buttons to navigate throughout the DVD.
Adding files to DVD-Rom portion of disc
In addition to burning the “ presentation” aspect of the DVD, iDVD allows you to burn data files to the DVD-ROM portion of the disc. A designated portion of the disc is for normal computer files. This portion of the disc however, will not appear when the DVD is used in a normal, at- home DVD player.
To add files to the DVD-ROM portion of the disc:
1. Cick on the Status button in the Customize window. 2. Select DVD-ROM Contents from the drop down menu. 3. Drag-and-drop files and folders from the Finder (or the Hard Drive of the computer) into the DVD-Rom Contents list. 4. Click New Folder to add folders to the Content list. 5. Click and drag the files within the list to reorganize them in a different order.
Burning the DVD
To burn the DVD:
1. Insert a blank DVD disc into the DVD-burner drive. 2. Click the Burn button in the bottom right-hand corner of the window. 3. When prompted, click Burn to burn both the “presentation” and “data” content of your DVD.
7 3/30/04