DVD Authoring software for Mac; advice needed

[question]

I am seeking advice for a simple DVD authoring program for mac.

I am a film composer, and need a basic and reliable method for making DVD's (simply for approval purposes) for the film directors with whom I am working.

I am on an Intel Mac, 10.5.8, and have imovie, iDVD, Mpeg Streamclip and Quicktime Pro. I am in Europe with PAL in 25 FPS.

None of these programs are providing an uncomplicated and reliable way to accomplish my task.

I don't need to do any film editing; and the quality of the film is of lesser importance than the audio. (I am getting the music approved, not the film).

I normally get a DVD from the production company, I then convert it with Mpeg Streamclip into a DV, import into Logic (Music Software) and compose.
In the end I typically have a 90 minute 48K 16 bit stereo file rough mixed with music/dialogue.

Up to this point everything is fine; now I just need to sync. the music/dialogue stereo bounce to the film and burn a DVD for the director.
No chapters, no graphics.
The DVD must play in standard consumer DVD players as well as be cross platform computer compatible.

Should be easy, right?
Please end my frustration.

I am happy to buy quality software, but Final cut Pro is OVERKILL for my modest needs.
I am not interested in learning more about video, just seeking a straight forward program with no extras.
Any tips?

Thanks in advance to all of the knowledgeable people on this forum.

[mikevarela]

Your easiest option is to use the fantastic 'Toast' burning app.

In your workflow, take the client DVD and transcode to DV for your purposes. Insert the video file into Logic along with guide audio and sync and mix/compose.

When done, bounce an audio file the EXACT length of the video file, or truncate both to the exact length.

In quicktime, open the video file, then open the audio file. With the audio file in the front-most window, go up to the edit window and SELECT ALL, the COPY ALL. Now click on the video window, and go up to the edit window and select ADD TO MOVIE. basically you're adding you new audio to the video file.

To verify, you can apple-j into the properties window and see the audio track. if there are two, the delete the original, leaving your score and temp comp track (1 stereo track).

Once completed, drop the video file into Toast and select the video window and burn the disc. Toast will transcode to the correct format and even create a basic menu for you, which you can customize.

Hope this helps

[Pedro_vde]

Yes, Toast it is.

Kind regards from Belgium,

Pedro

[question]

Mike, thanks for the detailed description.

I tried something similar with iMovieHD and Toast, but got the error message
"Data too large for DVD". Approx. 6 GB (after exporting the 19GB DV from iMovieHD)for a 90 min. film.

After trying your method with quick time, I got the same error message in Toast, but then noticed that there are two encoding options, custom and automatic.

Switching to automatic solved the problem. I don't know what "custom" means, since there are no compression or encoding preferences to be found.

A related question; what is the best way (iMovie, Quicktime etc.)to frame accurately trim a DV?
In this case, I edited the music/dialogue to fit the film, but it would of been more elegant trimming the movie to fit the audio.

I studied music not film editing, and now it is becoming more common for the director to say "just send me a DVD of the 90 min. film with dialogue and music"!
It is a bit like asking your auto mechanic to fix an airplane.

Thanks again.

[cyrano]

You could also get an external DVD drive and use double layer DVD's. The internal drive on some Macs has been crippled by Apple to DVD single layer only. D/L DVD's can cope easily with your 90 min. film...

[Fajita]

most Intel Mac Pro's have a dual layer DVD drive, you could use a larger disc.

[question]

Thanks for the dual layer tip.
I am not sure what drive I have in my Mac Pro Quad.

Although I have solved the main problem, I would be interested to know if all consumer DVD players can read dual layer DVD's.

Thanks

[Fajita]

most comercial DVD's are dual layer. if you see your player pause for a second, during the feature, I am told that is the switch to the other layer.

[cyrano]

Originally Posted by question

Thanks for the dual layer tip.
I am not sure what drive I have in my Mac Pro Quad.

That's a dual layer for sure.

Although I have solved the main problem, I would be interested to know if all consumer DVD players can read dual layer DVD's.

All of them, though I'm sure you could encounter an odd/old one that reads "pressed" DVD's only.

[mikevarela]

If you own and ACTUAL mac pro, from 2007 on... then you have a double layer disc burner, in which case you can burn regular and DL disks.. use -R as it's the most supported.

Single layer = 4.3 GB
Double layer = 8.5 GB ish

The easiest way to trim is in the audio editor.. sounds weird huh?

I'm in Pro Tools so I can't speak to others, but we have a trim function which is used to trim audio, front and back. Though pro tools doesn't have the functionality of FCP, we are able to trim video to any length. That being said, you should probably have the same functionality.

after printing the main mix the length of the video, you could trim the video closer to the main title, forgoing pops, then trim the audio to match (maybe use markers to visually match and stay in a grid mode of 1 frame, no less)... or do a final save-as and trim the video in that session, then highlight the video and bounce just the highlighted length (now shorter)... or, back in the regular session, highlight a shorter region of the video and bounce to quicktime (again Pro Tools functionality), meaning that you're bouncing the audio and the video at the same time into a self contained video, which you'll then drop into toast.

I'd stay away from compression in toast, it works great, but you'll want to go as full res as you can, so use the double layer discs.

And, if someone needs a smaller file, remember you can transcode to H264 and a smaller frame size in QT pro.

good luck

ps. most consumer DVD's are now double layer as lot's of movies stretch beyond the 4.3 limit - so, your in the clear there

[sonnykeyes]

Originally Posted by mikevarela

When done, bounce an audio file the EXACT length of the video file, or truncate both to the exact length.

In quicktime, open the video file, then open the audio file. With the audio file in the front-most window, go up to the edit window and SELECT ALL, the COPY ALL. Now click on the video window, and go up to the edit window and select ADD TO MOVIE. basically you're adding you new audio to the video file.

To verify, you can apple-j into the properties window and see the audio track. if there are two, the delete the original, leaving your score and temp comp track (1 stereo track).

Just curious: why would you not use the "Export Audio To Video" Command in Logic, which creates a file that is equivalent to the one produced by the above sequence?

Sonny Keyes
Ricochet Audio
Toronto

[mikevarela]

Yes, you're correct.. that's what I was looking for. Haven't used Logic is a while so was unsure about the functionality.

The above mentioned step was in case the video was higher-res than the one used in the session. Let's say his producer gives him an HD clip to compose to, he takes that clip and makes a DV transcode and composes. He can then either bounce out the session audio/video in the style you just mentioned, or he can marry the bounced audio to the original HD video from the previous quoted post - in other words... he has options.

Usually a DV bounce is fine, though some people are picky and want to see full res.

[question]

Sonny,

yes I always use "Export Audio To Video" during my work process to get my music approved, but before Mike V made me aware of the Quicktime/Toast method, I never thought of using this feature to bounce the entire 90 Min. film.

I will have to test it to see if the Music/dialogue and film stay in sync. for the entire length.

As I said, film quality is relatively unimportant; I just need to make sure that no audio compression is occurring during this process.

This would definitely be a time saver and would have the added advantage of automatically cropping the film to the desired length.

Thanks for the tip.