Question -Motion 2 export with Alpha

Hi,

I am curious about something. If you can export a motion project with a alpha channel can you then use this exported project as a DVD menu? I am basically at best a simple DVD authorer using DVD Studio Pro 4. I have been doing menu's with photoshop for the text. Then adding a black and white overlay so that the buttons work.

So my question is this can I now use motion 2 with an alpha channel and not make the menu in photoshop and also make the overlay layer? I know this would be such a huge improvement.


Thanks for the help. Sorry for any spelling mistakes been a long day.

John

Motion is EXCELLENT for making DVD menus - I make all my DVD menus with Motion now. You don't need to export a movie - just bring the Motion project file directly into DVDSP. And with Motion2, you can set a loop marker that DVD will read and automatically set a loop point for the menu.
Mark

Mark,

Fasinating about the loop marker that is a huge plus also. Alot of times i have had to make menu's im pieces.

But what about the menu buttons and highlighting dont i still need some sort of white and black layer for the program to recognize the actual button text? if motion 2 will do that then im set to all glory. That would be a huge savings of time.

Yes, you still need the highlight still, but you can create it in Motion and export it as a still easily enough.

ok i feel totally dumb in asking this but how?

Well, it depends on what you are trying to do, but you basically need to make a black and white image, with black being the area of the highlights (for the basic version; you can do a 4-bit version as well with black at 0%, 33%, 66%, and 100% to get 3 highlight colors). I usually make a new layer for my highlights so I can turn the whole thing off. I draw a white rectangle over the full canvas, and then draw black shapes for my highlights. Solo that layer and export it as a still frame. That's one way.
Mark

When you are creating your menu in Photoshop, I assume you are making two layers; one is your image and the other is a white screen with black "buttons". The black and white screen is then used "for the program to recognize the actual button text".

So next time, try this: Instead of a still image, make it a video. Don't worry about the button functionality, just make a video (in Motion or FCP or wherever), and have your buttons stationary.

An example might be a video with text graphics that do not move. Video is moving, the text is stationery.

Now, take a screen shot of the video screen.

Take the screen shot into Photoshop.

Make a transparent layer.

On the new layer, make black "buttons", just like you would with a still image (since it is now a still image).

Hide the screen shot layer .

Export as a tiff, do not select "import layers".

Import this new file into DVD SP.

With your motion menu selected, in the General menu, in the Overlay file selection, select your new b/w file.

Do the rest as you normally would (drag buttons over where the overlay is, etc...)

If this is confusing, sorry. Like I said, I just did it once. Lynda.com teaches you how to do all this stuff for $25/month.

I'm dying here!!! I created a DVD menu for the first time in motion and can't for the life of figure out how to make it work in DVD Studio Pro 4. Please help me out!!!!!!

Can you be more specific about what you are doing and what's not working? Basically, you just import the Motion project file into DVDSP and drag it into a menu. For the highlights, you need to make a separate still image file - simplest is just black and white, with black indicating where the highlights are. Select the menu, in the Inspector, set the Overlay to this file (after you have imported it).
Mark