Can you change narration in rendered video?

[Ken Berry]

Will this work on both data disc and DVD disc?

I think you are misunderstanding something important here. A blank DVD is a blank DVD. It can be used to burn either data, in which case it is just a storage bin for that data, and the DVD would then be called a data disc. Or it can have video burned to it in a certain format, contained in a Video_TS folder and using all those different extensions (.vob, .ifo and .bup). Moreover, it will have some lead-in code inserted during the burning process. And this is recognised by a DVD player as making it a video DVD.

But the crucial thing is that video and audio files are just that: binary files like any other data -- documents, photos, Adobe PDFs etc. And they can be stored on a DVD like any other data. And then later read by a computer and any editing software for later conversion into a Video_TS folder, making it a video DVD. And your narration audio file could be repeated in several languages -- one file for each -- and included in the data DVD. Then when you -- or whoever -- are making video DVDs from all this data, you download narration file 1 for the video DVD in language 1, narration file 2 for the DVD in language 2 and so on...

[Mike Warren]

Your right, I was confused. All this about discs is new to me. Thanks for making it clear and easy to understand. The same also to Ron. As for the method Travor suggests, it sounds good to me, I mean for someone, perhaps in another country like Burma or India, to be able to later change the narration language, while leaving everthing else unchanged, such as the back ground music that plays all around the narration? But then, I think the music will still be a problem, since I have the music waveform dipping to decrease the music volume whenever there is narration, to prevent distorting my words from too much decible. A "new language" will not likely fit into this new waveform. What to do? Anyway, thanks for making things clearer.

Regards, Mike

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Mike

Why can’t you complete the video in the native language.
Yes this would mean creating different videos, but you are doing all the hard work by creating the language file.

One other thought, creating a completed video file is going to use less memory than having seperate files.
The audio file at 150 minutes is gonna be quite large.

I doubt very much if you will fit 3 or 4 separate files to a disc, whereas a complete DVD may fit.

A video file of 150 minutes will require a bit rate of approximately 3500kbps, maybe even less, to produce a file under 4.3 Gb, I have never made a movie that long.

Mike render your project to MPEG2 DVD using a bitrate of 3500kbps.
Then check the quality and size in Gb.

[Mike Warren]

Thank you Trevor for more good advice. And how I wish I could do as you say. Perhaps it will help if I give a bigger picture of what I'm doing. To my knowledge, my project will be the first documentary on the "emotional state" of today's children and youth worldwide, and an in depth look at the crisis they are facing globally. Its audience is mainly parents, teachers and all who work with today's kids. It's a powerful documentary showing today's parents how to transform the lives of their children and youth, improve their grades and make them drug free and happy... what every parent dreams of... right? So, potentially it has a global audience of many languages. This is why, while I'm still in pre-production (hope to finish by Christmas), I'm considering how my narration can be changed by those interested in other countries (adding foreign subtitles is too distracting from images). Unfortunately, I know only English, and cannot afford a foreign narrator. So must leave that end to those in other countries, and make as easy and cheap as possible for them to change the narration to their native language. Hence the problem I'm facing in my last comment. Thanks for helping.

Regards, Mike

[Ron P.]

Maybe Rosetta Stone ???

[Mike Warren]

They teach foreign languages... You mean I should learn how to speak the many languages of those that may want a copy of my project? This may sound like a lame excuse, but I've got a foreign language disabilty from childhood. After spending the last eleven years visiting and living with my many adopted children in India and Burma, where I could not have more motivation to learn, I am still unable to speak even the basics of their language.

So I'm back to square one... to find a way to have my project's narration translated and replaced with another language... perhaps, in another country.

From what you all say, it seems that it can be done, if... the new (language) narration file is sent to me and I change the ups and downs of the music waveform to match it, a slow tedious process that I would hate asking another person to do... but worth it. Also, some languages may take up more space then English in the narration track, so the video track may have to be expanded a bit to accomodate it. Please, any other ideas or corrections are most welcome.

Regards, Mike

[Mike Warren]

I tried making a "data disc" but could find no mention of it in my VS Pro X4. Nor in its user guide. Now that I understand what a data disc is, where do i find it?

Regards Mike

[Ken Berry]

You won't find it in XX4 because X4 -- and other video editing programs -- cannot produce data discs. It can only produce video DVDs.

How do you burn any data -- documents, photos, music -- to CD or DVD? Any program that will burn data to a disc for storage purposes will do. Even Windows will do it. Do you have Nero, for instance?

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Mike

I have a LG burner in my CD Drive, this came with a program, LG Power Tools, which allows me to do a few tasks, like burning data to a DVD.

[Mike Warren]

Thanks gentlemen! I found I can make a data disc with my Corel DVD Movie Factory 7. So, to burn a video or audio file from my X4 project to a data disc, I suppose I have to first save it to a folder on my hard drive. Little by little I'm learning.

Mike

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Mike

Yes you need have your files saved to your hard drive, just like any image file (Jpeg)

You can burn any data file to a disc.

However I didn’t know that DVD Movie Factory had the option to burn a data disc.
There maybe an option on the last page to add a "personal folder", this would be data files, but the disc has to be burned as a video DVD.

Update
Windows XP can burn files to disc.
Go to Start-Help and Support and search for CD Burning for details Copy files and folders to a CD

[Mike Warren]

Trevor, thanks for added info. Yes, on the "home page" of DVD Movie Factory 7, as one of the options, it says: "Burn Data Disc... Add and burn data files on a CD, DVD or BD disc."

So after burning my audio, video or narration files to a data DVD disc -- if I understand correctly -- I or someone else can later insert them into my unrendered project on another computer in another country. If that's true, and if I understood all this correctly, then it is indeed possible to later change narration in a rendered video, even using different video editing software. Just the music waveform that snakes in and out of the narration, like a custom fit glove, seems to be the only remaining obstacle.

Regards, Mike

[Ken Berry]

if I understand correctly

You do!!

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Mike

I only have the DVD Movie Factory 7 SE version that came with Video Studio X3, this does not burn Data discs, you must be using the full version, at least you don’t need additional software.

Smart Package………….
Video Studio provides a method of saving the project and all associated clips.
Go to File-Smart Package, this will copy all clips used in a particular project saving them to a new folder, the package will also contain the VSP project file. Excellent way to move/save your projects, worth exploring……..

As for audio files, you are still requiring the English version to be translated to other languages. Having the correct audio file would allow you to complete the projects in different languages, I would have thought that would be the ideal option, but certainly your biggest problem.

[Mike Warren]

Hi Trevor,

There seems to be no easy way to resolve the different language narration problem, at least not right now. Come the time, I'm sure things will fall into place if its meant to be. But I will check out Smart Package... It may prove useful. Thanks for tip. Right now finishing my project should be my greatest priority. As regards "DVD movie factory 7", you're right, I have the full version. I think it came with the boxed version of VS Pro X4... like a bonus. Its easy, nice and friendly... like I need.

Regards, Mike