markers

[Jeff Carpenter]

Which version of iDVD and iMovie do you have?

[Dennis Cummins]

hi Jeff, im using iDVD4 and FCP3

[Jeff Carpenter]

(I’m assuming this is a DV project,yes?) There is more than one way to do this, but with iDVD4 AND wih a video that’s over 20 minutes long, this is what I consider the easiest way:

Run your entire video out to DV tape over firewire. Then, shut down Final Cut and open iMovie. Use iMovie to re-capture the video. Use Apple-T to trim off the black at the start and end of your timeline. Then, create your chapter makers in the iMovie timeline. (Look in the DVD section of iMovie to see where you do that.)

Once you’ve made all of your chapters, you can click a button in iMovie that transfers your project over to iDVD. Yes, the outputting and re-capturing takes time, but once you’ve gotten to this point iDVD will not only take all of your chapter points but it will also create menus with links to each of those chapters and name them what you’ve called the markers. It will do most of the work for you. All you have to do is go back and change the syle of the menus to look like what you want them to be.

If your video is LESS than 20 minutes long you can export it from Final Cut as a Quick Time movie and then just import it into iMovie. Anything over 20 minutes would have to be broken up into small files, however, which is why I say to use tape for longer projects. It’s just easier than splitting your video up and fixing it later.

(Before you do any of this, make sure that your iDVD prefrences are set for the proper video length, in other words, less than or more than 60 minutes of video.)

[Jeff Carpenter]

I forgot to mention…

TEST this first! I’m working from memory here. I haven’t done this in a while and I’m trying to remember the differences between iDVD 4 and 5. I THINK everything I’ve told you is right, but you should run 1 minute of your video tape and try my idea with THAT first. See if it all works out before you spend time on the entire thing.

I’m pretty sure I’m right, but I wanted to let you know that my post was all from memory.

[Nick Brenner]

You can do the chapters in FCP3. They are more accurate if done in FCP than the iDVD or Studio Pro. So on your timeline where you want to put chapters. Click twice on the M. Then select chapters on the popup window and give it a name. Move to next spot on timeline and doubleclick M. Then when you export it as a quicktime movie make sure to select the pull down menu Markers and select Chapters. Name the movie and export. There are very good articles for this at https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_homepage_index.html an FCP essential site.
good luck
Nick

docofilms PAL 25fps