Hybrid Interactive Authoring

Attendance and Completed Homework:
Section 001
Section 002
Section 501

DIGM 641, Interactive TV DVD-ROM, Interactive TV DVD-ROM. Students work to develop strategies for meaningful retrieval of mass amounts of media (video, still images, sounds, and text) for television DVD-ROM players. This course will cover basic and advance forms of digital information storage and retrieval to and from TV DVD-ROM media

Midterm

Students will create a simple interactive DVD presenation incorporating iDVD to be delivered via a DVD that can play on any major TV set with DVD player. The presenation must be designed and implemented to be pleasing and engaging to the end viewer with high quailty images, video, animations, text and sounds. DVD should include: Main Menu with Title, Play video, Chapters menu, Slide show, and Credits screen.

Final

Students will upgrade their interactive DVD presenation incorporating DVD Studio Pro to be delivered via a professional DVD that can play on any major TV set with DVD player. The presenation must be designed and implemented to be pleasing and engaging to the end viewer with a custom graphic interface, high quailty images, video, animations, text and sounds.

Grading

  • 20% Class attendance & participation
  • 20% Homework (functionality, content, creativity)
  • 30% Midterm (functionality, content, creativity)
    [10, 10, 10]
  • 30% Final (functionality, content, creativity)
    [10, 10, 10]

Equipment

  • Many, many, many blank DVD-R diskettes (10 - 20).
  • At least one form of media to to backup student work (i.e. CDROM, DVD, Flash drive, Firewire drive, etc.)
  • Headphones (If you want to listen to music while you work!)
Week 1

01/10.. Introductions

Lecture: "Welcome..."
Topics:
Introductions
Course Overview
Homework for week 1

Due at the start of next class:

Three of your favorite DVD's?
What is it about this DVD interface that you like so much?
What makes this DVD different from the others?
What is one item about this DVD that you would like to see better?
Week 2

01/17.. iDVD -vs- Encore, DVD Studio Pro -vs- Sonic Scenarist

Topics:
Platform
Price
Feature support
Learning curve
Proofing capabilities
DVD reviews
What is it about this DVD interface that you like so much?
What makes this DVD different from the others?
What is one item about this DVD that you would like to see better?
Resources:
Free introduction video tutorial on how to use iDVD.
Homework for week 2

Due midnight the night before next class:

Submit via email to: jervis.thompson@drexel.edu, subject: "digm641hwk01s###jwt05" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt05 with your email account login]
URL to your DVD interface (1st Draft)
Interface should adhere to all guidelines described in: http://www.dvdbycubist.com/toolbox/DVD_MENU_PRIMER.pdf

Due at the start of next class:

At least 1 high quailty video
At least 3 high quailty images (for iDVD "slideshow")
Week 3

01/24.. DVD features that you like

Topics:
Homework draft 1 reviews
Building a "iDVD" DVD
Splash movie
Menu screens - Main - Extras
Slideshows
Midterm

Due at the start of next class:

Submit midterm DVD-ROM at the start of next class... "digm641midterms###jwt05" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt05 with your email account login]
Midterm DVD collection
Week 4

01/31.. Practice what you Preach

Guest Speaker: DAVE MAIETTA [dmaietta@gmail.com]
Cubist Post & Effects
DVD by Cubist
Digital Media Alumni
DVD Authoring Professional
Dave will honor us with his knowledge and work experience in the high end DVD authoring world.
Homework for week 4

None.

Week5

02/07.. MIDTERM review - FINAL prep

Topics:
Rules of the DVD graphics road
  • NTSC 4:3 - 720x534 72dpi - scale down too 720x480 - TIFF (pg. 85)
  • NTSC 16:9 - 864x480 72dpi - scale down too 720x480 - TIFF
    • note: DVD Studio Pro will auto scale down for you if you start with the correct dimensions and dpi
  • No super-saturated colors (especially yellow or blue)
  • DVD/Video black starts at 16 not computer 0
  • DVD/Video white ends at 235 not computer 255
  • No lines less than 4 pixels thick
  • No thin characters (i.e. very fine serifs)
  • No font sizes under 24 points
  • Use drop-shadows to make text more readable
Tips for burning better DVDs
  • Replicated DVDs - 99.8% compatible [submit via DLT or firewire HD]
  • Burned DVDs - 60% compatible
  • Burn DVD at the slowest rate your DVD-R spec (i.e. 8x - 52x, use 8x)
  • Use Toast [it lets adjust burn speed]
DVD Studio Pro Interface overview
Importing and Managing Assets
Photoshop layered menu
Simple - Complex Overlay menu
Homework for week 5

Due midnight the night before next class:

Submit via email to: jervis.thompson@drexel.edu, subject: "digm641hwk02s###jwt05" [replace ### with your class section number, replace jwt05 with your email account login]
List some of the iDVD limitations that you would like to overcome with DVD Studio Pro
URL to your updated dvd layout html page with embedded (720x534 jpg less than 2mb)
Week 6

02/14.. MIDTERM review - FINAL prep

Topics:
Midterm DVD review/critiques
Homework Review
Button TAB order
Tracks
Chapters
Stories
Homework for week 6

None:

Week 7

02/21.. DVD Studio Pro - Breakfast of Champions

Topics:
Animated Menus
SD Motion Menus
Overlay buttons
Homework for week 7

None:

Week 8

02/28.. Professional DVD authoring

Topics:
DVD Scripting
DVD variables
  • GPRM - General Parameter Register Memory
    • Partition 1 .... 0-65,535
    • Partition 2 .... 0-255
    • Partition 4 .... 0-15
    • Partition 8 .... 0-3
    • Partition 16 .. 0-1
  • SPRM - System Parameter Register Memory
    • SPRM 1 - Audio .. 0-7
    • SPRM 2 - Video angle .. 1-9
    • SPRM 3 - Subtitle streams (32) .. 0-95
      • 0-31 .. off flags
      • 64-95 .. on flags
Conditional statement
Random number generation
Track selection
Homework for week 8

Due at the start of next class:

Submit Alpha final project DVD-ROM
Week 9

03/06.. Professional DVD authoring II

Topics:
Course Evaluations
Review Alpha final project DVD-ROMs
Cleanup
Fixes and Adjustments
Homework for week 9

Due at the start of next class:

Submit Beta final project DVD-ROM
Week 10

03/13.. Final Project trouble shooting

Topics:
Review Beta final project DVD-ROMs
Cleanup
Fixes and Adjustments
Final project for week 10

Due at the start of next class:

Submit via Final Project DVD-ROM