Can you change narration in rendered video?

[Mike Warren]

When my project is rendered... and put on a DVD, is it possible to later change its narration to another language? I ask since I notice that, once rendered, the music, video and narration tracks become one. Is there a way of later separating them, say for changing the language of narration for viewing in another country?

Regards, Mike

[Ken Berry]

No. I think you would have to call up the project file again, if you still have it, and substitute the narration track with the different language one, and then run off new DVDs in the new language.

Movie studios can of course do what you want, but they are using equipment and software costing hundreds of thousands of dollars...

[Mike Warren]

Ken, in Pro X4 theres a feature called "Duplicating an audio file". Could that have something to do with being able to separate the music and audio tracks after redendering project? To tell the truth, after reading the manual, I still cannot understand the purpose of this (new?) feature. It sounds interesting, but for what purpose do we use this?

Mike

[Ken Berry]

I am not sure it is a new feature. If it is what I am thinking of, it just means you can duplicate a mono audio channel so that it emulates a stereo recording. It's not real stereo of course. But over the years, a few of our users have wanted to duplicate their mono audio tracks and used this feature.

[Ron P.]

That's been around for quite some time, and Ken you're correct. It's used for duplicating a mono channel so you can have a "faux-stereo", if that's even a word.

[BrianCee]

Apart from working from the original project file the only way I can think of would be to put the rendered video back into VS and mute the existing audio completely - then add new music - narration - and presumably some sound effects.

[Mike Warren]

I'm still straining my mind for a possible way for people like us to be able to later, after rendering and burning DVD, change narration to another language or modify it... without having to go back to its pre-rendered project state, which limits us to Corel Video Studio software and perhaps our computer only.

I'm thinking... what if I rendered three copies of my major video project; the first fully complete, the second with the narration track muted, the third with video and all other audio tracks muted, EXCEPT for narration track. Then, perhaps after burning to DVD the second copy, with muted narration, it could later be uploaded to another computer with most any other video editing software... to have a new narration added, while retaining its original music and sound effects. Copy 3, where narration is the only audio track not muted, could be made into a narration file, and then used on copy 2 to modify or replace parts of the original narration. It seems with these three copies we managed to split the rendered narration and music tracks and separate them from the video track background audio. In theory this sounds okay to me... but please, correct me where i'm wrong.

Regards, Mike

[Ron P.]

You could not do this with a video DVD disc, you would need to use just a standard data disc. VIdeo DVDs must use a file structure set out in ISO 9660. The video disc must have at its root, at least a VIDEO_TS folder if not also an AUDIO_TS folder. Then the files inside the VIDEO_TS folder will be VOB (Video Obect), IFO (Info File) and a BUP (Info back-up fle). I just recently put together an article on this. DVDs Data or Video.

[Ken Berry]

Mike -- it strikes me that what you are proposing is a rather more complex process than simply keeping your original project file and the related video files stored for later adjustment. Given the cheap cost of hard disk drives these days, this would be the logical place, and with VS's SmartPackage feature, easy enough on an external HDD. Or of course, as Ron suggests, it could also be stored on one or more data DVDs if space on your PC or hard drives is at a premium...

[Ron P.]

I think I misread his intentions.. I thought he was intending his method to be used so that other people could replace the audio tracks. I agree with Ken, much easier to manage that way.

[Mike Warren]

Thank you gentlemen! Your both right. Ken's way is surely more simple and practical. And Ron was right to correct me. I did not know about DVD limitations and data discs. I look forward to reading your article on this. And yes, my intentions were to make it possible for someone in another country to translate my documentary into their native language. Theres already interest in two non-English speaking countries. So... do you think my rough idea or theory would work if I burnt 3 copies of my project onto data disks instead. My Doc. is 2 1/2 hours long. Or, perhaps there is still another way, or something that should be done before rendering.

Regards, Mike

[Ron P.]

It would be possible. The other people that would translate just need a video editing program. They would import your video, mute your audio, and then provide a translated narration. However the big obstacle is the duration. 2 hours of video in MPEG-2 format will not fit onto a SD DVD, and still have good enough quality to withstand yet another recode of the one with the translation.

Another way would be not to have the audio translations, but use alternate sub-titles. This is something that VS can not do. It takes a hi-end DVD authoring program, one that allows for multiple subtitles, ones that the viewer can pick which language they need.

Then you could just use one of the big-boys, like AVID where you could probably produce a DVD that has a couple of different languages, not sure but there might be something close available in those type of programs. Can your wallet withstand it though? Avid Media Composer runs around $2,400. US.

[Ken Berry]

Actually, the project is 2.5 hours long which, on a single layer DVD would definitely take it down into poor quality country. It would of course fit at good quality on a dual layer DVD. But unfortunately, home burning of dual layer DVDs is still a bit of a hit and miss affair, and would complicate things if the other production countries involved did not readily have dual layer discs available.

In those circumstances, you might need to think of a "mini series", and split the project into two logical parts of roughly 1.25 hours each. These could then be later burned in high quality on single layer DVDs.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Mike

Your movie comprises of three elements, the video, a background audio, and a voice over, at least that’s how I see it.

Saving these as separate files will allow you to create the completed video using any editor.
You can replace the voice over to use another language.
The three would be saved to a data disc, using a dvd disc would allow 4.3 Gb of files.

You seem to indicate a video length of 2 ½ hours, is this correct at 150 minutes.
This is getting rather long to fit to a standard dvd.
Your bit rate to produce a file of 4.3 Gb would be approx 3500kbps

[Mike Warren]

Thanks for your replies. Ron, your right, my finished project will be about 130 to 150 minutes... too long for what should go on a standard dvd. However, as a side note, each year I come back from Asia with many standard dvd's holding 6 to 8 full length Hollywood movies on each. Thats 10 - 13 hours of movies squeezed on each standard dvd. Though there is much resolution loss, from a distance its hardly noticeable. And the audio seems not affected at all. So I'm thinking, if I can truly enjoy watching one of 6 full length movies jammed onto a single standard dvd, will "just" 2 1/2 hours of video be degraded to where it is noticable? This is just a thought; I'm not justifying jamming a "mere 150 minutes" on a dvd. But, if I did try, the color bar at bottom will surely be in the red and bottomed out. Nevertheless, the question is, will Pro X4 still attempt to burn at that length... at my prompting?

Ken, I've already considered spliting my project onto two discs, but prefer it on one. I also think some film, video festivals may have trouble accepting it on two discs.

Trevor, I'm not sure, but you seemed to suggest that I divide my long project into 3 files. You said: "Saving these as separate files (video file, background audio file, narration file) will allow you to create the completed video using any editor. You can replace the voice over to use another language. The three would be saved to a data disc, using a dvd disc would allow 4.3 Gb of files." Let me see if I have this right. Are you suggesting that I render the video, audio and narration in my project as separate files. And then burn each of these three files on to a separate data dvd, so my rendered project would then be in 3 parts on one data disc (or 3 data discs?) And these, you say, can later be re-joined and edited on any video editing software? Will this work on both data disc and DVD disc? Earlier in this thread Ron had noted a critical difference.

Regards, Mike