What is best DVD authoring app for Mac?

[George Knochel]

I just used Premiere Elements 14 for DVD authoring, of a memorial video I just finished with Final Cut Pro X on my Mac. Premiere Elements has many different types of templates. You can bring in your finished .mov or .mp4 or whatever file into Elements, then use the “Chapter Markers” to mark points on your timeline, and make each marker a DVD marker, either for the Main Menu DVD menu page, or one of your Scene Selection markers. Then also put an END marker at the end of the timeline. For each marker, you can choose the thumbnail picture or motion that you want for that marker.

Then click the bottom TOOLS button and choose DVD Menu, choose a type of template you want, and it will automatically come up with the Main Menu, plus as many Scene Selection menus as needed for all the markers that you put on the timeline. Then when you PREVIEW the MENUS, you can see that it highlights each scene selection as you move over it, either with a DVD remote or with your mouse.

And yes, many templates let you drag and drop any picture or video you want to be the background of the menu. I’ve used Encore years ago, but Elements is much quicker and easier to use.

[George Knochel]

I just used Premiere Elements 14 for DVD authoring, of a memorial video I just finished with Final Cut Pro X on my Mac. Premiere Elements has many different types of templates. You can bring in your finished .mov or .mp4 or whatever file into Elements, then use the “Chapter Markers” to mark points on your timeline, and make each marker a DVD marker, either for the Main Menu DVD menu page, or one of your Scene Selection markers. Then also put an END marker at the end of the timeline. For each marker, you can choose the thumbnail picture or motion that you want for that marker.

Then click the bottom TOOLS button and choose DVD Menu, choose a type of template you want, and it will automatically come up with the Main Menu, plus as many Scene Selection menus as needed for all the markers that you put on the timeline. Then when you PREVIEW the MENUS, you can see that it highlights each scene selection as you move over it, either with a DVD remote or with your mouse.

And yes, many templates let you drag and drop any picture or video you want to be the background of the menu. I’ve used Encore years ago, but Elements is much quicker and easier to use.

[David Patterson]

Thanks George. I will look into Premiere Elements.

cheers,
David