Selecting an Introduction clip when creating a DVD.

[billg13]

I like using your terminology. However, I believe I already know how to do everything you said. I've tried it and it works. However, that is not what I'm trying to do. I don't want to have my DVD start playing "Galaxians" when I put the DVD in the DVD player, prior to the menu screen, nor do I want "background" playing as a full video image on menu screen. I need to emphasis "full video image" because that is what happens when you go to EDIT screen an add a "background image/video".

In my situation, "Galaxian" and "background" are the same and they are a 20 second clip from chapter 7. I simply want to play that clip in the background of the menu screen, however I want to play in the formatted section in the DVD template with its associated colors, trim, etc . Each template seems to have a predetermined place to play the first clip in the DVD. That is where I want to play the "Galaxians". Assume I create a simple DVD and the first clip in the DVD plays automatically as a video in a certain portion of the DVD template when you put it in your player. I just want to put "Galaxian" there. I'm sorry if I'm making this so complicated.

[sjj1805]

What is occurring is a confusion of terms.
He has currently one video - the wedding. He wants to play a scene from somewhere in that wedding - lets say the middle of it, and wants to know how that bit can be used as a background video on the menu.

What he must do is create a new short video clip of the part that he wants.
He then save that short video clip on his hard drive.
When he gets to the DVD Menu he uses the customize option to set that short video as the menu background.

Where the confusion has arisen is his reference to a first play video - which he does not want.
I have attempted to explain what a first play video is so that hopefully he can see that a "First play video" is the same sort of thing you get on a commercial DVD such as the FBI warnings about "don't copy this DVD or else...."

[Ken Berry]

But again I don't think that is quite it. If you make that new little video and use it as the background, AFAIK it appears as the whole screen background of the menu. What he wants is for it to only appear in the little preview sized screen in the menu templates. In other words, he wants the background of the template to remain whatever it is, but his special video to play in place of the preview which would come from the ... sigh ... first video, and only play within the little golden-framed rectangle he describes.

[billg13]

Thank you all again for sticking with me on this. Ken, your last statement is completely correct. That is exactly what I'm trying to do. Is that possible?

[Black Lab]

I understand now what you want. However, not being familiar with the template you are using can you tell me what is playing in the part you want to customize; part of your video, or part of a generic clip from VS?

If it is a generic clip from VS I would say you probably cannot change it. If it is part of your clip, the way you usually customize those (as when customizing a video thumbnail on a menu) is to double-click on the area you want to change. If you are allowed to customize it I would think that is how you would do it.

[BrianCee]

I think that if every one went into VideoStudio and played with the template in question - which is 05vs_OneS05_W it might make for full understanding.

I believe Ken is on the right track and it is what I first understood in my earlier post in this topic.

The template has a small window on it which shows the first 20secs (or whatever is set) of the video - I tried to fool it by making a short video and putting that in the timeline first - but not only does that add another selection button - which billg13 has said he does not want - but if you use the navigation buttons on the remote to select the main video that then plays in the window for 20 seconds - again not what is wanted.

I haven't had chance to try Black Labs double clicking idea - I had fogotten about that option - it certainly does work on other templates - I'm not on the editing PC so can't try it myself on that template.

[billg13]

Blacklab, I tried what you said. I clicked on the video in the template (which is the first video in the time line) but all I can do with it is to "Show Grid Lines" or "Set Object Transparency". I can't delete it or edit it. I aslo tried something new which was exactly or similar to what BiranCee mentioned. I took the short 20 sec video and added it on the "ADD MEDIA" page when created the DVD, vs. putting it in the time. But i get the same result. It shows up as the first video just like I want but you have a menu option for it. I tried to just delete the menu option so you can't select it, but it is really still there. And if you just press play it will play that 20 sec video anyone, which I don't want. So that didn't really work either. If I could only select it as BlackLab suggested, and then change the video, then that would solve the problem. I also tried other templates (about 5) and I get the same results. Blacklab, to answer one of you questions, the template does have a VS picture in the template but that never shows up, nor do i want it to. So it is really not a generic clip from VS. But it looks like VS always forces the first video clip of the timeline into the template.

[murfas]

Did anyone come up with a satisfactory solution to this problem? I have the same need and am using Video Studio 11.