Dvd Menu sites?

J_Mac wrote on 8/4/2006, 3:36 PM
Do you know of any? A recent comment in a previewing of mine prompts me to reveiw what I have done in the past. I'm not looking for backgrounds. After the long filming, cutting, editing and rendering process I am usually drained. And then having to layout and design various menues and button layouts, I hit the proverbial writers block. This happens over and over to me, and then add in the deadline pressure, I think this is the weakest part of my packages. I know I could look at Hollywood designs, and I have, but having one location to preveiw a variety of them, to get the juices flowing again would certainly help me. Any ideas? Thanks in advance, John.

Comments

Steve Mann wrote on 8/5/2006, 1:23 AM
That would be interesting, but I've never seen such a site. I do copy the VOB of the menus for DVDs that I find the menus interesting. I like to think of how to replicate them in DVDA, and so far there's only one that's stumped me (I don't recall the DVD title offhand). The stumper has a button highlight in two colors. When I get a slowdown in projects I'll try some more experiments, but I am determined to figure this one out.

Steve M.
DavidMcKnight wrote on 8/5/2006, 2:25 AM
If you're looking for dvd menu templates try the popdrops at pixelpops.com or menu packages at motionism.com

whoops - reread your post, this may not be what you're looking for.
J_Mac wrote on 8/5/2006, 6:31 AM
Thanks, Dave. At least, now I know I'm on the right track. But that inspiration is so elusive.

Two color button highlites? PSD layers, maybe, with complimentary colors under the mask? Just guessing here. John.
bStro wrote on 8/5/2006, 6:55 AM
I usually just go to Google and do a search for "DVD menu". You'll get a lot of meaningless results but also some interesting ideas.

Then there are pre-packaged menu designs / templates / themes, but most of them just look so canned to me. Any project I do, I like the DVD to have a personal touch. (But then, I don't do this professionally or even semi-professionally, so it's not as though I'm pressed for time.) Unfortunately, there's not much out there that can just be dropped into DVD Architect (if that's what you're using). Even most of the PSD files out there have to be tweaked 'cause they were designed for...for...I'm blanking on the name. Whatever Adobe's DVD authoring app is called.

Rob
J_Mac wrote on 8/5/2006, 7:12 AM
Pixel Pop and motionism, along with the Vision series, are packaged, and most aren't appropriate for my work. I was justing expressing my exasperation when my well runs dry and am looking for virtual inspiration.

I have googled, and didn't come up with any inspiration.
Do you guys start with menu, case, and disc design, or end the project with it. I've always ended with it and I think that is why I am disappointed in my results. thanks, John.
jrazz wrote on 8/5/2006, 7:21 AM
I end with it but if a deadline is getting in the way of having a complete quality product, I would allow myself an extra week or two on the front end- basically add 2 weeks to the time you think you can get it done in. That way, you can take a week off and come back to it fresh.

With that being said, I always build my menus around my content. I mainly film weddings and the pictures I take and the footage I capture is what I use to make my menus- so it always has to come after. I want to see my finished product and from that design the menus.

In a way, for me, the weddings I film and the way I choose to lay the story out is my inspiration for the menus.

j razz
bevross wrote on 8/5/2006, 7:59 AM
I also like to put content from the DVD , e.g., a 30 second video that's panning a photo. Additionally, I like to add the text for the menu ("Play All", "Scene Selections", etc.) using the Text Media generator in Vegas as I find Vegas easier to use and with more options (fonts, effects, alignments, etc.) than DVDA. So, you've got all the text and media created ahead of time from Vegas, which you use as background media, then, in DVDA, insert 'blank' buttons and size and place them around the text in the imported media. Now, I've just got to learn how to better control DVDA's highlighting so I can tweak the colors a bit better.
ScottW wrote on 8/5/2006, 8:31 AM
www.dvdstyle.com

Haven't tried them yet, and as it's the same people that do DVD Lab and DVD Lab Pro the templates are probably more suitable to that environment then DVDA, but they have some interesting looking stuff.

--Scott
kentwolf wrote on 8/5/2006, 9:22 AM
>>Whatever Adobe's DVD authoring app is called...

Encore.

I use it and love it. You can make a DVD menu out of a PSD file which opens huge opportunities; you can even make text a button.

http://www.dvd-makers.com/ has some good menus.
gordyboy wrote on 8/5/2006, 4:24 PM
You can also make text a button in DVDA 3 too... you just right click on the media, go to the 'Button Style' menu and select 'text only'.

gb



ArthurDent wrote on 8/6/2006, 9:19 PM
How about the DVDA themes right here on the Sony site?

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/products/dvda/default.asp

ArthurDent wrote on 8/6/2006, 9:34 PM
here's a couple links to tutorials on DVDA menu design
they may simplfy/speed up the process

http://www.sundancemediagroup.com/tutorials/dvdamenu.htm

http://www.wideopenwest.com/~wvg/tutorial-menu.htm

DGates wrote on 8/7/2006, 3:31 AM
Just do an Yahoo image search under "DVD Menu". You'll see plenty of examples.
Steve Mann wrote on 8/7/2006, 7:13 PM
Somehow, I don' t think that John is looking for more templates as opposed to original design DVD menus.

John to answer your last question, I will start designing the menu pages before I shoot the projectt, then finish them after the edit.

Steve M.
bdub wrote on 8/22/2006, 12:20 PM
I would definitely start early. When you think about it, the menu is usually seen before the content. It's kind of like a preface to your actual work. I would hate it if some guy followed my dvd around and made a loud announcement before each viewing, "Hey everybody, this video is cheap and unprofessional!" Yeah, that would suck. I would say try your best to make the menu/intro media just as professional as your content. Don't wait until every once of creativity has been spent on color correction and bit rates.
richard-courtney wrote on 8/22/2006, 5:38 PM
Steve:

Could the diamond ring in Stuart Little 2 be an example of a two
color button?
Start a separate thread in the DVDA forum and I'll post an example.

In a nutshell, create a custom button mask. Set mask mapping to
intensity.
Use white, grey, and black in your mask graphic.
Where white is used in the mask the fill color set will replace it..
Grey will be replaced with the outline/background color set.
Black is replaced by your transparent color and I set the alpha all the way down.