Have you ever had a huge DVD project come across your desk that you just knew was going to be a nightmare to author? One of the most tedious things to author in DVDSP is creating chapter index menus with links to all the various chapters within a project. If you’ve ever had a multi-hour long video with dozens of chapters, creating chapter index menus can take hours and be extremely frustrating, especially if you make a mistake or there are changes after the fact.

Well, fear no more, there is actually a function built right into DVD Studio Pro that will create a chapter index for you automatically! All you need to do is either use one of DVDSP’s pre-made templates or easily create a template of your own then drag and drop; all the menus, buttons, text, and links are automatically created and set.

In this 2 part tutorial I’ll first show you how to make custom buttons, complete with video/image drop zones, that can be saved and inserted into any other menu. Part 2, coming later, will demonstrate how to incorporate those custom buttons into a custom menu, save it as a template, then create an entire 24-chapter index with one drag and drop.

The SuiteTake,
Creating, linking, and authoring extensive DVD titles with lengthy and complicated chapter index’s can be tedious and time consuming. Using DVD Studio Pro’s built-in functionality you can easily create, save, and author extensive DVD chapter index menus with one simple drag and drop process.

Ah, the words of Dave Coulier have never resonated stronger in my life than in recent days. Sure there were times on the playground in 4th grade when Full House lingo may have been more frequent, but not until I started editing did I consider Uncle Joey’s catch phrase to become a way of life. In a situation where a nice After Effects sequence or a Motion graphic project could jazz up a portion of a video that needs a little jazzing, I look to my go-to secondary editing program: Photoshop.

You could say that I’m not skilled enough in After Effects and Motion to utilize them enough so I resort to Photoshop. Well, that would be mean to say, and you know what, I think your shirt is ugly and you have poor taste in restaurants. I like to think that I use Photoshop in a good enough way that it could be the program I look to for sprucing things up, just by cutting up and rebuilding photos. So despite what my Dad insists, Photoshop can be used for more than eliminating red eye in pictures of his dog.

What I mean by cutting up and rebuilding photos is exactly what it sounds like. Bust out the lasso tool, and cut out multiple objects in the foreground of the shot, make them their own individual images, then build them back together like a puzzle. In certain situations where you need just a little extra spark in a video that is supposed to be a little more lively than the untouched footage has the capabilities of, cutting things out of images can be a cheap and easy way to do so. I know this is nothing new to anyone, it’s not like I invented the equivalent of Goober PB&J sandwich spread, but I think it works for brief moments where, again, you need something more than a dissolve to a panning photo. Some people think it looks cool, you may not think the same, and in that case, I think your shoes are stupid, so there. At the very least it is more interesting than dissolves and zooms.

Here’s an example; I needed a moderately flashy opening for this video about this dude, and I had a bunch of shots of him playing instruments, so I thought I would take a still image from the video of him playing the drums, and isolate them, and make him fly onto the drum set over a background.

So I took the first frame of the shot I was planning on playing out after the photo work, and I cut out the drums with a combination of a bunch of the select/cutting out tools, mainly the polygonal lasso tool. It takes a little time to get it to look pretty good, as a rushed job would look pretty noticeable I suppose, so just zoom in real close and trace around the drum set. I love doing this kinda stuff, when I was a kid I loved to draw, and I would draw all the time, but the only thing was that I was a horrible artist. So for my birthday one year, probably in an act of sympathy for my lack of artistic talent, my mom bought me a big notebook of tracing paper. I loved it, as it made me appear as if I knew how to draw. All it really did was raise my childhood self esteem by doing a quasi-talent (kind of like being good at Guitar Hero, but terrible at actual guitar). Anyway, the same fun principal applies here, just trace around the drums until you’ve got a good outline, and shift-drag it onto a transparent document of the same size.

Well now there is a cut out of the drums on the guy’s body, because obviously this isn’t an x-ray camera that can magically see through the drums and fill in the body. But cut out the guy’s body from the background anyway, shift-drag him to a different transparent document of the same size, and start filling in the gaps with the clone stamp and paint tools. It will look crappy most likely unless you are the Picasso of computer painting, but in this case it doesn’t matter because I’m going to have him fly across the screen in roughly one second of duration, so no one will really be watching for it.

So then in Final Cut, put both of the isolated transparent images in the timeline with the back end of it right before the actual start of the moving video (which should be starting with the same frame as the stills).

Then put a center keyframe at the back end of the guy’s image, and go to where you want him to come in, and pull him off screen. Now he will fly from off screen and settle in on the drum set. Put a little move on the front of the drum set and you’ve got yourself a neat little movement going on. It’s actually pretty easy. [you can look at the video after next example]

Later in the video I was told I needed to make a file cabinet do something cool. A file cabinet?! Alright. Same concept as the drums, take the first frame of where you want the moving video to start, make it an image, and start cutting away! Trace around the files in the file cabinet and make them all their own individual transparent images of the same size.

Now once again the image that had stuff covering it in the foreground (the cabinet sides) has some transparent gaps in it, so use clone stamp and paint and blur and whatever else you need to to get it to look like it is it’s own object that didn’t have anything on it to begin with. I put in a large black abyss on the right because I thought it worked.

Then again in the FCP, put all the layers down on top of each other (with the cabinet structure on the bottom) and build on the files themselves as you see fit, and when it’s lined up correctly with the start of the video, it will seem like your still image has COME ALIVE…! It’s an easy effect, and it makes a file cabinet look more interesting than just transitioning the shot onto the screen

In this excerpt from this other video, you can also build on pictures while they’re moving by cutting out the foreground objects that you want to build on, then put them all in on top of each other where you want them in the timeline. Then disable the foreground layers, and put whatever move you’d like on the bottom layer (which is the full uncut picture), then enable the other layers and copy the keyframes from the one you put the moves on to the foreground layers. Then cut them at the front of the clips where you want them to build on. (Also, I didn’t pick this song, I don’t even know who the artist is, and it got changed to a Michael Jackson song in the end, but I like the timing better on this song for certain areas [like the ones I'm showing you here]. But yeah, just saying, I listen to Lou Reed and The Clash, just trying to save my musical credibility…)

Then in this last example, I just cut out a bunch of photos for this highlight video into three layers each, and just mashed them together into a sequence. I tried to get the photos to play off of each other when I could, and have them flow to a degree. My initial idea (which may or may not have come true) was to achieve “a subtle Ken Burns effect on cocaine”. It’s very simple in execution, by just building on the layers one at a time until the full picture is revealed, then putting a move on the full picture.

I thought it looked cool in the end. I was going for “wacky” so I sort of went insane with the transitions, but you could tone it down if you wanted to do so, I don’t see why you couldn’t, it’s a free country for the most part. So, I just timed it all to an awesome song by The Cars, and in my opinion it is better than just Ken Burnsing the photos into a sequence. It might be too unsubtle for some people’s tastes, but it could work however you want it to work. And again, it really isn’t that hard to do any of this, you just need to have the time to cut the pictures out. And for this particular project, as the Stones would say “Time is on my side… yes it is!”

The SuiteTake

This is not a new concept to anyone, but perhaps you can do a variation of this to solve a problem of how to make a still image a little different in a video where you need something a little different. Maybe my examples aren’t your cup o’ tea, but I remember two things from my vacation to Disney World in the 2nd grade. I got to meet April O’Neal from the Ninja Turtles (whom I had a crush on at the time), and I also remembered the words of Dr. Dreamfinder and his pet dragon Figment, “Imagination is our key to unlock the hidden wonders of our world.” So maybe you can come up with something better yourself! (by the way, have you noticed how Disney hasn’t exactly been pushing the imagination theory on kids nowadays, like they did with my generation in the late 80s/early 90s? Every kid I see lately is a mindless dullard…)

And if you don’t like the effect at all, then well, I think you’re singing talent is mediocre and you have a less than satisfactory body odor.

Oh!  Hello!  I was not expecting thee so soon!  I assume thou art one of my many peasants, and I have a strict rule forbidding peasants to look me in the eye under penalty of death  but I will make an exception for thee today.  So thou have probably never actually met me before, I am King Reginald of Shropshire, and I am your King.  Some of my hobbies include slaying dragons, drinking mead, and grilling up some hot dogs on the beach.  But recently, I had the local wizard MerMac create your mighty King a device which he has called a “computer.”  It has the light of a thousand candles!  My favorite thing to do on this “computer” is spend all day browsing FaceParchment.com, hooking up with some old warriors from knight school that I have not talked to in like FOREVER! (btw, Sir Gallahad has gotten faaaaaaat…!)  But MerMac only conjured up two programs for me, Minesweep and Ye Ole Photoshop.  Having gotten instantly frustrated with Minesweep, I then focused my attention on Ye Ole Photoshop, WHICH I FELL IN LOVE WITH.  Let me show thee what I’m up to today.

I’m going to start this crusade of creativity by taking a painting of my bitter rival, King Westbury of Killingham, into Ye Ole Photoshop:

Pretty stupid looking isn’t he?  Well, last month he sent me a roasted boar, cuz I finally thought he was being cool FOR ONCE…  But when I bit into it, it was filled with hot tar…  It took a fortnight to pry thy royal jaw back open.  So now I’m going to get even with that scoundrel.  I’ll start by using a Lasso to isolate his jerkstore face.  This is the same Lasso that I’m sure you use to round up my many royal livestock to prepare them for my mighty feasts, so you should be good at using it, you lowlife knave!

If thou art a skilled artist in thou’s spare time, thou might be able to use thee regular Lasso, but my hands are often shaky after a night of drinking grog, so I must resort to thy polygonal Lasso.

Since we only have to do a rough job right now, because I will show thou unworthy self how to clean it up later, you could also use thy very interesting magnetic Lasso.  I have been trying to get my alchemist to work with magnetics for months now, but he keeps saying, “I’ll do it tomorrooooooowwwww…”  I think I’ll finally have him beheaded.  But thy magnetic lasso is righteous because thy Lasso will intelligently conform to thy edge of what thou are trying to draw around, at least getting thee very easily and very quickly in thy joust park.

So now that we have his ugly face selected (you can tell by the magic ants that will be circling his face), it is now the hour to do the evil deed for which we set out to do.  I carefully selected this painting from one of my 3rd wife’s gossip scrolls:

Now select thy bow and Arrow tool and drag King Westbury’s face onto the painting of the traveling actors. It won’t be the correct size, so type in the magic spell “CTRL T” which will cast a Transform enchantment on his face.  Then adjust it so it roughly fits over the face of the fair maiden.

If you noticed, the large bulbous face of that jerk has covered up the front portion of the maiden’s golden hair.  So now it’s time to go back to the original painting of the stage folk and Lasso once again, this time the front portion of the hair.  You must be somewhat precise this time in your Lasso, at least on the front strands, the back can be rough if you’d like, since it will end up covering similar areas.

Once you have finished your trace, go back to the bow and Arrow tool and drag the hair of the maiden from the original painting onto the new painting with King Westbury’s face, BUT, before you get too hasty, make sure to cast a doppleganger spell by holding down SHIFT whilst dragging.  Since both paintings are the same dimensions, thou can make it so the hair lands in the exact same place in both paintings.

Now his forehead is protruding like a mongoloid, so cast an Eraser spell on that area of his face.

Thou could also do some work to the lower portion of his fat face as well, thou could.

Then you could cast a zoom spell on the painting to get a closer look, and try to match the skin color of Westbury’s face on the visible neck of the maiden, using the Paintbrush.  Thou art a regular Michelangelo!

Now it’s time to take care of the second ear splurging out of his neck there, that actually belongs to the lass.  Use the sorcery known as the Clone Stamp, and type in an OPTION spell on the hair above the ear, then magically grow hair over the spare ear.

Bwahaha, much better!

Now to make things smoother, cast a 15% Blur spell over the front part of the hair, where it connects with Westbury’s terrible skin.  And between you and me, I wish I could cast a blur spell on my 5th wife’s face, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!  AM I RIGHT FELLAS, AM I RIGHT??

Now that the hair looks alright, it’s time to focus on his jaundiced skin, I mean maybe go to Ye Ole Dermatologist sometime buddy, AM I RIGHT?  We will fix it for him by conjuring up the Image menu, then casting an Adjustment spell, followed by the wizardry known as Hue/Saturation.

Cast a -10 Hue spell to create more of the correct color, then cast a -42 Saturation spell to make him look more human.  Sometimes I wish I could cast a +100 Saturation spell on my 9th wife’s meat loaf, could it be any MORE dry?  AM I RIGHT FELLAS??

Then to make him seem more in the painting, change the sun itself by casting a shadow spell.  Click on the Layer Style box in the bottom right corner of the computer image, and cast Drop Shadow.  Change the angle of the sun, and the size of the shadow, to make it seem like Westbury is actually there!

Alas, we are complete!  Bwahaha!  Now it not only looks as if King Westbury is dressed in women’s garments, but it also appears as if he is having personal relations with the famous Irish jester Colin Farrell…!  Just wait until the other guys at the Round Table see this!  They will be up in arms!  (grabs belly with both hands) HOHOHOHO HAHAHAHA!

(door flies open)

Prince Jacob of Killingham – “Yo yo yo, what’s happening this side of da castle, King Reggie?”

King Reginald of Shropshire – (quickly covers computer screen with arm) “Oh, oh, nothing, nothing at all…”

Prince Jacob of Killingham – “Wow, MerMac made you a magic wizard box as well?  Oh man, I’ve got to show you this ThouTube video of Lancelot trying to do a 1080 on his carriage, but thusly ends up injuring his genitals!  It’s royally hilarious!”  (starts to walk over there)

King Reginald of Shropshire – “No, don’t come any closer!”

Prince Jacob of Killingham – “HEY!  That’s my father’s face!  But the body of a maiden!  And this clearly indicates personal relations with Colin Farrell…  I mean he’s a big fan of Mr. Farrell, but not in that kind of way!  How dare you disgrace my bloodline like that!  You shall not get away with this!  HIIIIIIYYYYYAAAAAAAA!”

King Reginald of Shropshire – “Pffffffft.  Really?  You call that an attack?  One color of blood?  No spray?  The knife is coming in at a horizontal angle?  Look at the hard edge of the incision…  There isn’t even any internal bleeding or change in my expression…  Where did you learn to stab…?  …Microsoft Paint?

Let me show you how it’s done.  HUUUUUUYYYYYYAAAAAAA!”

King Reginald of Shropshire – “Bwahaha, now THAT is how you stab, the Ye Ole Photoshop way!  I really showed you!  Now I need to make some copies of this painting on my weave to show off to my bros.  Then I need to — ”

(door flies open)

Wife #7 – “Oh my lord, look at this mess!  This will take me all night to clean up!”

King Reginald of Shropshire – “What are you doing here?”

Wife #7 – “Oh, sorry, I was just going to tell you dinner was almost ready…”

King Reginald of Shropshire – “Wife #7, let me explain something to you.  Whenever thou come in here to thy royal home office and interrupt me, you’re breaking my royal concentration. Thou art distracting me. And it will then take me many hourglasses to get back to where I was. Thou understand? 

Wife #7 – “yes…”

King Reginald of Shropshire – “Now, we’re going to make a new royal decree. When thou come in here and thou hear me casting typing spells,

(makes sarcastic face while doing over-exaggerated typing motions)

or whether you DON’T hear me casting typing spells, or whatever the ORC you hear me doing; when I’m in here, it means that I am working, THAT means don’t come into thy royal home office. Now, do thou think thou can handle that?” 

Wife #7 – “yes…  sorry my liege…”

King Reginald of Shropshire - Good. Now why don’t thou start right now and get the orc out of here? Hm?

(Wife #7 leaves the room)

Wenches…  Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em…  AM I RIGHT FELLAS, AM I RIGHT??

Shropshire Out.