DVD authoring and production services

DVD is by far the greatest medium for delivering high quality, full resolution and fully interactive video. Using DVD, you can present hours of content in a user friendly interactive format which gives your video professional value.

IMX Productions offers professional DVD authoring services. We excel at creating an exciting visual look and feel that reflects the image of your business or organization.

What is DVD Authoring?

DVD authoring is the process of creating and programming a DVD that can be played in any DVD player. This process allows for unlimited customization such as motion menus, menu navigation, menutransition, chapter selection and much, much more!

IMX Production can take your raw materials such as footage, edited video, slideshows, and even simple PowerPoint presentations and transform them into a professional product ready for delivery to your clients and/or customers.

What about the DVD Case?

In addition to the disc authoring, IMX can also prepare the tangible product itself. This refers to the graphic design of the disc label as well the packaging. IMX can design anything from a simple 14mm DVD case to an elaborate custom box set for your DVD product.

Read about DVD cover design

Elements of an interactive DVD

An interactive DVD has a very complex structure that allows the end user to navigate easily and watch what they want when they want without hassle.

First Play

The first play is a video that plays instantaneously when the disc is inserted into the player. This is usually a short intro video (generally including the project’s name and company logo) which is played before the main menu is prompted. In commercial DVDs, there is often more than one video in the First Play; such as disclaimers, logo splash screens, warnings, commercials for other products, etc…

Main Menu

The main menu is your primary set of options for navigating the disc. There will be a selection of buttons that will lead you to different elements of the disc. Typically, on a main menu, you will see the following options, or variations thereof: Play All, Chapter Selection, and Bonus Features.

The appearance of the menu is also very customizable: video loops and music can be applied to a menu. Your menu can be a simple image background with word or graphic buttons; or it can be an exciting video loop accompanied by thrilling music, with interactive animated buttons or even video buttons. The sky is the limit!

Menu Transition

A menu transition is very short video (usually no more that 5 seconds) that leads you from one menu to another. Big budget movie DVDs will often have these when you navigate through the disc’s features.

Subsequent Menus

The subsequent menus are the menus following the main menu; these include chapter selection menus, special features menus, and anything else! Typically, these menus are not as embellished as the main menu but that’s entirely up to you! They have all the same interactive capabilities as the main menu.

Video Timeline

A timeline refers to one video on the disc; (examples of timelines on a movie DVD are: 1. the movie – 2. the making of – 3. blooper reel.) These timelines can be accessed by buttons on a menu or be played instantly as a first play. Timelines can also be programmed to play in a specific sequence; for instance, if the button “Play all” has been accessed.

Video Chapter

Not to be confused with a Timeline, a chapter refers to a specific section of a video on the timeline. A video can be broken down into multiple chapters for easy access. If the user wants to see a specific scene, he or she can select it from the chapter selection menu or simply find it using the “next chapter” button on their remote control.

Still confused? Think of it this way:

DVD = Library

Timeline = Book

Chapter = You guessed it!

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