DVD Class - Class 9

Class 9 - Compressor, Alternate Angles, Finishing

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• Compressor
• Dedicated program for creating MPEG-2 files
• Uses same MPEG Encoder as QT Player but more settings
• Able to batch compress
• Be conscious of bit budgeting
  • 4.7 GB = 4.37 GB
  • For a 2 hour movie at 4.7 Mbps you need to use A.Pack for sound (DVD-5)
  • Compressing sound into AC-3 will be a big help
  • Consider using Stories
  • Multi-angles increase size dramatically
  • Disc Meter is helpful but tells you size "after the fact"
  • Better to have an idea of size before adding all the assets
  • Use the (560 / min) formula to determine bit rate
  • For example (560 / 120 min video) = about 4.67 Mbps
• Able to go from FCP directly into Compressor
• Variable Bit Rate vs Constant Bit Rate
• Apple supplies Presets or you can create your own
• Able to also create Droplets

• A.Pack
  • Program for Audio including 5.1
  • Most times just using stereo
  • Audio is usually Pulse Code Modulated (PCM - AIFF/WAV) or AC-3
  • Can save huge by using AC-3

• Alternate Angles
  • Multi-angle tracks
    • Each angle is exactly the same length as main video stream
  • Mixed-angle tracks
    • Only part of the other streams are used as alternate video stream
    • These streams are "sandwiched" by markers
  • Rules for creating alternate angles
    • All alternate angle streams must be encoded using the exact same GOP structure
    • Only "Closed GOPs" will work for alternate angles
    • Keep in mind the more alternate angles the more disc space used and lower compression settings

• Scripts
• Various things you can do with scripts
  • Automatically customize the title
  • Add random play after a menu times out
  • Set a menu to loop a certain number of times
• General Purpose Register Memory (GPRM) like variables
• Most scripts begin with setting a GPRM
• System Parameter Register Memories (SPRM) hold system info
• SPRM gives status of player similar to "proporties"