Organise project for DVD chapters

wasted wrote on 2/8/2009, 7:06 AM

I am trying to figure out how to organise the project, so I can simply create a DVD with chapters using DVD Architect.
I am trying to create a separate project for each chapter, then adding these as sub projects to the master one before rendering out. Is this right?
A problem with this is the 'Project Media' gets forgotten as I start each new chapter. So I have to try and locate all the 'Clipxxx' files again.
I have tried to use the Media Manager and tag all the Clip files for the DVD, but the comments I added to them do not get imported into the Project, so I have to review them all again.
Any suggestions very welcome!

Comments

logiquem wrote on 2/8/2009, 8:24 AM

Your workflow seems a little convoluted for me...

Why using so many projects just to create chapters?

You can put everything in the same timeline and add markers for your chapters, and then render a single mpg/ac3

wasted wrote on 2/8/2009, 9:16 AM

Thanks logiquem. So placing markers will allow me to split into Chapters? I will try this out.
Yes - I see now, you insert a 'scene selection button' and this allows the markers to be selected as chapter points. Great and thanks.

This will mean that the overall project is nearly 2 hours long - is it normal to work with a project of this size?

Also, should I create each of the other DVD elements, like menu backgrounds and transitions, out-takes etc... in the same project, or a separate one?

Thanks for your advice.

musicvid10 wrote on 2/8/2009, 9:57 AM

**So placing markers will allow me to split into Chapters?**

If you render your project markers in Vegas, they create chapter points in DVDA. If you name the markers the way you want the chapters named, all of the work is done for you.

musicvid10 wrote on 2/8/2009, 10:00 AM

You create the DVD elements in DVDA, you create the video / audio media in Vegas. DVDA is the authoring program.

wasted wrote on 2/8/2009, 10:09 AM

Thanks musicvid. So I add the 'outtakes' to the end of the main project file with suitable markers.
How about the menu transitions or title scroll media? I can create these nicely in Vegas, do you recommend I add them to the end of the main file with markers, or hold them in a separate .veg file?
Thanks for your help.

bill-kranz wrote on 2/11/2009, 9:58 AM

Hi:

On my last project I did not have DVDA available but here's what I did in Vegas 8.0c.

These were theatre acts so I treated each Act as a whole separate Vegas project. Each Act had a title, credits, transitions, and a closing slide also. I suppose you could put markers on the start and finish of the projects for DVDA if need be.

From there you can render out as a MPG-4, AVi, etc. then combine them in a new project. Or combine them or the native vegas projects as a new project, etc. with fresh SAVE AS's.

I did this with 7 acts and ended up with about 75 minutes of material in the theatre production across 2 DVD's. It works out great.

Then I dropped the MPG-4's into the DVD authoring program in the order I created them. It combined them to play one after the other as Chapters, added the click menu boxes, etc.

This may not work as well for you if you have one long 2 hour project however.

Hope this helps!

Thanks,
Bill

Chienworks wrote on 2/11/2009, 1:15 PM

MPEG2 would be a better choice than MPEG4. That way DVDA wouldn't have to recompress the video when it prepares the .vob files.

wasted wrote on 2/14/2009, 4:37 AM

Thanks Bill, it's good to hear that this approach can be used.