[ This article was first published in the March, 2011, issue of
Larry’s Final Cut Pro Newsletter. Click here to subscribe. ]
Martin Vaccaro asks:
I want to create a different looking menu. I have created a graphic in Photoshop that covers the bottom half of the screen and I want to have video playing in the background (behind the graphic I have created) When I import the Photoshop file and add it to the DVD main menu I can’t add the video without covering the graphic. It seems that is one or the other. (The Photoshop file has a transparent background) What can I do?
Larry replies: Martin, when I originally answered you, I thought you could only create motion menus in Final Cut Pro, then import them as movies into DVD Studio Pro.
However, I just realized that DVD SP contains drop zones, which you can use to add video or images to a menu. Here’s how.
1. In the Template palette in the top right corner, click Style, then click Drop Zones. There are many shapes to choose from. Select the one that most closely fits the shape, opacity, and color that you need. Experiment and you’ll see what the options are.
2. Drag the Drop Zone onto your menu in the Menu tab and WAIT… until the contextual menu pops up. Drop the Drop Zone on top of the Create Zone option.
3. Click the sizing handles and drag the Zone around until it covers the portion of your frame that you want.
4. Import the video that you want to insert into the Drop Zone, then, drag it from the Assets tab to the Drop Zone and WAIT… until the popup menu appears. Drop it on Set Asset.
NOTE: Set Asset adds the video as an image to that which you drop it onto. Creating a button adds a track and a link and makes the image clickable.
You can see the finished result here.
NOTE: By the way, I just created a new webinar covering the entire workflow from exporting HD video to creating a standard-def DVD. Learn more here.
