The motion clip used in this tutorial is a 30-second NTSC 720x480 DV clip that will display at half size in our motion menu. To import the motion clip, choose Import> File under the File pull-down, and locate and select the video file that you will use in the window. As well as displaying throughout the timeline, the clip will display in the Project window along with the composition Motion_Menu and the file Menu.psd.

Drag the Menu.psd file from the asset list into the timeline. Make sure to drag and drop the Menu.psd asset in the timeline column under Source Name, so the asset will start at zero frames. The merged flat menu design will display in the Composition window. Next, follow the same procedure to add the Clip.mov movie clip as a new layer to the timeline. Make sure you add the clip above the Menu.psd layer, so the clip will display. The Clip.mov will display in the timeline from 0;00;00;00 to 00;00;30;00 -meaning the length is 30 seconds. (Note: Semi colons refers to drop-frame, colons refer to non-drop, which is usually a pro level format.)

The Clip.mov will display at full resolution of 720x480, which obviously obscures the navigation buttons on the layer below. The motion clip should be half size and display above the three navigation buttons. With the Clip layer selected in the timeline, choose Layer > Timeline > Scale. Change to width and height to 50 percent, using the following settings:

• Width = 50
• Height = 50
• Units = % of Source
• Preserve = Current Aspect Ratio (xy)
• Include Pixel Aspect Ratio = not checked

Use the computer mouse to drag the resized clip to display above the navigation buttons in the top-center half of the menu.

Caption: Scale dialog box (click to enlarge)

The layered After Effects composition is ready to output. Choose the pull-down Composition > Add to Render Queue. This selection will display the Render Queue window, featuring four sections under the Render Details: Render Settings, Output Module, Log and Output To. Render Settings should display a hyperlink of Current Settings. Select this link, which will open a dialog box. Specify the following parameters, using the dropdown menus (change only applicable settings specified) and select the OK button when finished:

• Composition Motion_Menu
• Quality: Best
• Resolution: Full
• Time Span: Length of Comp

Caption: render Settings dialog box (click to enlarge)

Once you have specified the Render Settings, choose the Output Module hyperlink, which will open another dialog box. This stage of our tutorial is perhaps the most important. Our original PSD and After Effects files have been set up using 720x540 square pixel resolution. Our goal during the output phase of After Effects is to generate a DV file that we will compress, using a third-party encoder (such as Apple Compressor or CinemaCraft SP). When delivered from a DVD, the menu must be 720x480 to compensate for the horizontal pixel playback of NTSC monitors. During this phase of output from After Effects, the 720x540 composition will be "stretched" to 720x480 for encoding. Please note that recent versions of After Effects often include MPEG-2 as an output codec, but it is preferred that the encoding of any menu file be completed from a rendered QuickTime standalone file.

With the Output Module dialog box open, make sure to set the Format dropdown to QuickTime Movie. Ensure the Video Output check box is checked, and select the Format Options button. Set the following parameters within the dialog box that appears and choose OK when you are finished:

• Compression type= DV/DVCPRO-NTSC
• Motion: Frames per second=29.97
• Compressor: Quality = Best (slider)
• Scan Mode= Interlaced
• Aspect Ratio= 4:3

Select the Stretch checkbox, which should show the current rendering settings as 720x540. Select the Stretch To: dropdown menu, and change the selection from Custom to NTSC DV, 720x480. Make sure the Scaling Quality dropdown is set to High.

Caption: Output Module Settings dialog box (click to enlarge)

For this tutorial, we will output this file without audio, so the Audio Output checkbox should remain unchecked at the bottom of the Output Module Settings dialog box. Select OK to close and save the settings for the Output Module Settings dialog box.

Returning to the Render Queue dialog, leave the Log: dropdown set to Errors Only. Use the Output To: hyperlink to set a destination for saving the QT. With all four settings specified in the Render Queue, select the Render button, which will begin the output of your motion menu.

Once the 30-second clip is rendered, you can review it by opening it with QuickTime Player software. You can then encode this final file as an export out of QuickTime, using QTPRO capabilities, or you can process the file using popularly-available MPEG-2 encoding software.

You can assemble audio files and add them to this motion menu in the authoring process, along with highlight indicators, interactivity and looping points.

Brian Brodeur is the founder of NewYorkDVD, an award-winning business in the music education and entertainment markets, including web-based/mobile video and hi-definition (HD-DVD/Blu-ray Disc) development.

To view the tutorial video for DVD Motion Menus, click here