How to Make a Good DVD Movie
DVDs are the newest way to store and share family films, vacation movies and independent features, but a lot of the presentation comes from the DVD itself. Creating custom DVD menus is a process that can make your product stand out and add a lot more to the movie-watching experience. Following these steps can take your presentation from average to above average.
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Instructions
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Find a DVD authoring program. In order to make the best DVDs you should get some of the best DVD authoring software. Some of the top products include "Nero Vision" and "Adobe Encore." Most of them cost money, but you may be able to find some free programs out there.
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Plan out a DVD menu. Most DVD programs come with menu templates, but you will want to create a template of your own so that the movie stands out. Choose whether you want to use an animated DVD menu, still DVD menu or a DVD menu with video running in the background.
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Create a "trailer" for your video if you choose to stream video in the background. You do not want the video playing from start to finish or it may confuse some viewers. Put together a simple 30-second trailer of clips from the film that will showcase highlights and run on a loop throughout the menu.
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Edit together a collage of screenshots from your film for the DVD menu. In order to do this you can use the Windows "print screen" button while the movie is playing or import it into video editing software like Adobe Premiere that can actually pull still shots right from the scene. Put together a background that features a lot of the key elements of the movie in a stylish fashion.
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Use an animation program like Swish Max or Adobe After Effects if you want to create an animated menu. For these menus you will need multiple layers and knowledge of the programs. Create the menu with about 5 seconds of animation and then slight animations for 1 minute. This will give watchers a small teaser followed by enough time to select menu options without being distracted.
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Put together a string of quotes from the movie. This can be used with a mixture of the animation or a still image. It will take up less space on the DVD if there are just still scenes and if you do not want to give away clips by showing video.
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Import all of the footage into the DVD authoring program. Label the footage with distinct names so that they are easy to keep track of and organize.
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Write titles and menu options using fonts that stand out and feature a shadow. The shadow makes it easier to read from any angle on a television.
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Create chapters on the disc by marking different scenes. Label each scene with a title or number so that they can be easily accessed when people are watching the disc.
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Test the DVD before it is burned. DVD authoring programs often come with a preview function that allows you to test every feature and make sure that it all plays smoothly.
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