modifying the stock alpha transitions

Hey Gang,
It's been a while since I posted, always glad to read up on everyone's issues...learned a ton from you all. Well we're releasing our second DVD in a couple weeks and I'm trying to get crazy on the authoring this time...lol. I changed the color of the "Leader" menu background, but I have been unable to modify the Leader alpha transition so I can match the color. As it stands I get the default bluish color when it goes to the next menu.

I haven't had any luck even opening the alpha transitions in any program...

I have the newest versions of FCP and DVDSP as well as Adobe Creative Suite CS2.

Thanks as always!

Zack Coffman
producer/director
Choppertown: the Sinners [www.choppertown.com]
Brittown: a Brit bike documentary [www.brittown.com]

MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 15" 2.4Ghz
Matte Screen
4 GB Corsair Ram
OWC 1TB Raid
Dell 2405FPW
FCP 6.0.4
OSX 10.5.5

well i got into the transition folder which was saved as a "packet". then i altered the contents/resources/leader.mov file to the color i wanted. but when i put the new file into the transitions folder it is causing my dvdsp not to open (hangs). i feel like it has something to do with all those .plist extentioned files in there...hmm....

so i figured out a way to do it...not sure if it's the smoothest workaround in the world, but it works.

i made backup copies of the "leader" alpha transition packet in the transition folder as well as the three "leader" packets in the templates folder.

i adjusted the colors on the menu loop movie using fcp, saved it and imported it as an asset into my templates for my dvdsp project.

i imported the leader.mov file into fcp and then exported to motion. in motion i adjusted the colors to match the menu loop and saved.

exported the new leader movie as a png. placed this file inside the transition/content/resources packet folder and gave it the original name "leader.mov" effectively replacing the original.

restarted dvdsp and it works...

since i backed up the original default loops and alpha transitions files i can just swap them out again if i ever need them.

hope someone finds this all useful...

Zack Coffman
producer/director
Choppertown: the Sinners [www.choppertown.com]
Brittown: a Brit bike documentary [www.brittown.com]

MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 15" 2.4Ghz
Matte Screen
4 GB Corsair Ram
OWC 1TB Raid
Dell 2405FPW
FCP 6.0.4
OSX 10.5.5

Thanks Zack. Very good info. Appreciate it. Hey you ought to post the link to your teaser in our show and tell forum. Really like it. Great job.

[www.lafcpug.org]

Michael Horton
-------------------

thanks mike! posted! [www.lafcpug.org]

Zack Coffman
producer/director
Choppertown: the Sinners [www.choppertown.com]
Brittown: a Brit bike documentary [www.brittown.com]

MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 15" 2.4Ghz
Matte Screen
4 GB Corsair Ram
OWC 1TB Raid
Dell 2405FPW
FCP 6.0.4
OSX 10.5.5