Hello

when you buy a retail DVD you hear the director talking on a 2nd audio track doing the commentary, would someone be as kind to tell me what program i would need to do this as i also want to do this with my project. also what good programs are out there for authoring a DVD? i am looking for a program that has lots of templates and can make some nice menus and chapters.

Thanks for any help you can offer me on this one.

Regards

Jim

For PC I would recommend DVD Lab Pro.
I find it's the best, most flexible authoring program (scenarist being an exception) with a price tag that's easy to take.

For Mac, it would be DVD Studio Pro.

You'll be able to find tutorials for both regarding extra audio tracks etc....

Thanks for your reply

Putting cost aside for a sec what is the very best authoring DVD program out there? I don’t mind spending that bit extra for something that is going to last me for time to come and something that has all the bells and whistles and lots of great templates and buttons to choose from.

Thanks

Jim:

It's more helpful to post your approximate budget.

Otherwise folks like me are going to be facetious and point out programs like Scenarist.
http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg/scenarist.htm
"Roughly $39,000"

Hi

wow $39,000 does it do any magic for that price? i would want it to talk to me and make me a drink for that kind of money lol


for me I have set it to a maximum of $2,000 around £1,200 anything up to that or under that i will be interested.

Thanks

For anything that's under the budget of scenarist I would still recommend the programs I mentioned above. While Scenarist allows you total complete control over every possible aspect of the dvd, many don't need to tap into that.

That's where DVD Lab Pro and DVD studio Pro come in.
They give you the flexibility you need but without the confusion and second mortgage.

I do have one piece of advice I didn't offer before - learn photoshop. Most of my menus are created using either photoshop or/and after effects.
In fact, as much as I don't like Encore, you'd be hard pressed to go past the Adobe video production suite if you want to create funky original menus. Most of your time would be spent in AE and photoshop creating all the elements and layers and then you'd bring them into encore to piece them together.

thanks Matt


Anyone with experience with architect 3? Seems to be good and can do a lot in the way of creating good menus.

Thanks

Hi jim,

I use DVD Architect 3.0 and i believe it is a very good program.. most of my business right now is DVd business.. and this is my workhorse.. I have never used it to do a commentary track .. I know you can do subtitles with it.. but I have not seen commentary as a feature.. but that does no mean you cannot do it.. maybe by having an alternative audio track as a menu choice would work.. You should be able to find out more on Architect specificly if you visit here at the sony Forums.. (there is an Architect specific forum)

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/forums/default.asp

Mike Moncrief

DVDA 3 allows you to do it too. It is a very good program - about on par with the others, maybe not quite as good in the fine details but damn close.

I use Adobe Encore. Works very well for me.
You need some time to learn everything, but once you got the basics, it's really good and gives you lots of options.
But I don't know what the other programs are like, so I can't comment on that.