Conventions
There are many types of conventions when it comes to DVD's. There is +R; +RW; -R; -RW; dual layer; writing speed; audio; video; menus; subtitles; language select; Easter eggs, animations, DTS (Digital Theatre Systems), Dolby, printable disks; regional codes; copyright protection; and finally parental controls. I will be going through each of these and give an explanation as to what each of these conventions in a DVD means.+R, +RW, -R, -RW
These are all different types of disks, they allow the user burn different kinds of media depending on the one they are currently using. These symbols also suggest how long the disk is expected to last. For example -RW and +RW are expected to only work for up to 7-8 months. R stands for "recordable". RW stands for "Re-writeable." +R means that once you add media onto a disk, use it and then want to add more data onto it you can do so. The -R disks allow to burn media onto your disks also, however once it is burned you cannot add more data onto them. +RW is the same as +R in most of their properties. However with the +R you can add more data to the disk, but you cannot over write any of the burned data. With the +RW you can add more data on and overwrite, but as previously said the disks rarely last past 8 months before they cannot be read by a disk player, computer, not even the next generation gaming consoles which are filled with the latest in video playing technology. The same can be said for the -RW in relation to -R. The data can be re-written but no extra data can be added on to increase the run time on the disk.
Duel layer
A duel layer disk is a disk with more space for media. For example if I were use a single layered +R disk to hold any Harry Potter film, then I would require at least 3 as they can only hold up to 60 minutes of data each and those films were at least 3 hours long apart from Deathly Hallows Part 2. However if I were to use a duel layer disk then I would be able to use only one to store the whole of any of the seven films.
Writing speed
The writing speed is the time it will take for the data to burn onto the disk. The burning process can sometimes take hours depending on the amount of footage in the project. This does not just count for the film, but also trailers, bloopers, behind the scenes and even the menus. Transferring the links onto a disk adds more writing speed to the project than a minutes worth of footage because in some cases these links take you to a page, bonus features for example, which will contain more links which lead to more footage. on most DVD’s there will be a writing speed of say x52, which will tell the user that it will take an hour for a full HD MOVIE to download. Although burning thing to a disk at such a speed can have an inpact at how long the DVD will be readable for, as for recording something at a speed of 16x may take longer but it will be more likely to last longer than that of 52x.
Audio
The sound that accompanies the video/movie. This is particularly important for those who can not see the visuals. This is also something that has the most impact on a movie, as you can hear things in the background and sound tracks that give a real feel to anything you are watching. This can also be an Audio disk commonly known as a CD – This is a disk that ONLY has sound/audio and will often be used for music but can also be helpful for relaxation sessions or playing back lectures or learning a new language etc.
Video
The video is the film's visuals. It is the effects and the action. When burning onto a disk it is best to use Encore if you use Adobe (From Cs2 to Cs6) however the video will not have audio. You would need to export it as MPEG2 DVD which will export the video and audio separately and from there you would place both into an Encore file in the same timeline.
Menus
The DVD menu is how the viewer(s) would navigate a disk. A disk usually opens up one of thee ways. The first being it showing trailers before taking you to the menu, the second being a short clip or motion graphic plays showing interesting points in the film or showing the style of the film before you watch it, finally the third is being taken directly to the menu when the disk is inserted. You would be taken to the Home menu which will have several options for what action would wish to take. For example Play, Scene Select, Subtitles and Extras. By clicking on one of these it will activate a link taking you either to the film or to one of the other menus like the Scene select menu so you can choose which scene you would wish to start off with.
Subtitles and Language select
Subtitles are for people who can’t hear so they understand what is happening in the movie. Subtitles will also be featured on films that have been made to be shown to various foreign audiences, for example in an anime (Japanese animation), people can choose to listen to the Japanese anime in Japanese and read the subtitles – or choose a voice over option to hear the Japanese animation dubbed with their language (I.e. English). Films that are made and due to go in cinema are often shown in many different countries meaning that all films have to be adaptable to different cinema audiences to get the film more popularity. Having different languages as an option would mean that the film would be more excepted in other countries.
Some people also like to hear the film in the original language that the film would be made in, for example the film Pan's Labyrinth was dubbed into English, but after watch it dubbed and again with subtitles in my opinion dubbing doesn't always improve the film for other countries. In many cases it can draw attention way from the actual dialogue because you start to dwell on the fact that the actors lips do not match the words being said, so you cannot get lost in the story as you would with one made in your own language. Subtitles however make it far easier to know what is being said and you can lose yourself in the story easily. Also after a while you stop noticing you are reading the subtitles and it almost feels like you can hear what they are saying in English. (Either that or I'm just weird)
Easter eggs
Hidden Easter Eggs are those of which that are hidden in DVD menus. “Easter Eggs are undocumented features available by finding hidden links within the various menus found on a DVD.” The Easter eggs were created to credit the hundreds of programmers involved on an application. The name originated from Russia from them creating jewelled Easter eggs with hidden gifts in that they would exchange to there loved ones this is why creative software’s such as Photoshop and DVD Easter Eggs are named what they are. The first “Easter Egg” was in 1984′s by Macintosh operating system.
Animations
This is the first thing that you see when a DVD menu comes up – The animation can be anything from the animation of the ‘play’ and other buttons available for you to press, or what’s going on in the background. Animations are important as it makes things more interesting for the audience, it will also tell a lot about the film before it’s watched. The animations shown can tell you parts of the plot in the film and the genre of the film.
For example in Tucker and Dale vs Evil the Menu on that had stills of the three protagonists each given motion to move sideways as they speak. You can also hear bees buzzing at certain points in the soundtrack to the menu referencing the scene where they accidentally drilled into a hive and were swarmed. The soundtrack also is something seen in most Menus. In this film it is a banjo playing a very high tempo song which is referencing the fact that the "College kids" think they are being attacked by "Hill-Billies."
DTS (Digital Theatre Systems)
Also known as The Digital Experience until 1995. The first commercial use of digital sound on a large scale, this was first used during the release of Jurassic Park. It’s a digital surround system that offers up to six channels HD audio. DTS is available in DVD, SAT/ CAB, TV and CD mode. (When digital cable is connected).
Dolby
This is the sound used to bring a DVD menu to life. This is a sound system that makes the sound quality much better, reducing unwanted noise or ‘hiss’.
Printable disks
This is a disk where you personalise the front of the disk – any movie that you buy will more than likely have a print already of them showing the poster of the DVD itself. But for those people that like to save there work onto a disk you can put something special on the front.
Regional codes
This was designed for Film Distributors to protect content, release dates, and change price’s according to a certain region. A regional code is a code that is given to every country, and those of a same code can watch the same disks, but those of a different regional code will not be recognised in the different countries due to the codes.
Copyright protection
Copyright is put in place for anything whether it be Films, adverts, books, anything that belongs to someone and they don’t want other people to use it without there permission or paying them to use it.
Parental controls
Now a days parents have a lot more control over what there children see. Now there is even a special DVD player specifically designed to stop anything you don’t want your child to see, just by changing a few settings on the DVD player, this apparently works with any DVD bought from a legal seller. For example if you bought it Tesco's or Granger Games.
http://www.familysafemedia.com/edited_movies_-_parental_contr.html
Functions and elements
DVDs themselves are more than just a place to put your video project. They consist of an entire interactive format, complete with videos, menus, and background media content. There are a number of different elements that work in concert to make up the entire DVD.Buttons
The main interactive element in the DVD interface is the button. The buttons can do one of two things. They can play content or take you to another menu. A normal main menu would have buttons for playing the film, selecting subtitles, selecting languages and bonus features. By selecting scene select, language select or bonus features you will be taken to another menu with different buttons. Take bonus features for example. In these menus you almost always get the same three options. "Commentary" "Bloopers" and "Behind the scenes." These buttons work as links to different content located on the disk.
Still images
This can be photographs, slide shows, and sometimes even text. Having graphics and or photographs make the menu design more intriguing and will tell the audience a little more about the film, before they have even started watching it. It’s great to include still images because it ‘captures’ a moment. Take the film Chronicle for example. In its menu you can see Matt and Andrew flying next to the Space Needle in Seattle. It is a still image with the menu buttons to the side and music in the background. But from it you can get a feel for the type of film this would be. An action superhero adventure.
Moving images
This is where the DVD menu comes to life, and shows you some of the most exciting parts of the film (just like a trailer would). Often the moving images are repeated on a loop, which will repeatedly show you the style and very short clips of the film you are about to watch. The aim of the moving image is to excite the audience and clue them up about the film they are going to watch. Often both before and after the start menu appears, you will go through a wide range of moving image trailers or short videos advertising various other movies, or educating you on latest updates such as “20TH Century Fox 20 year anniversary”, or about illegal DVD trades and stealing etc.
Text
Text is basically the same as buttons. The text is the options you are given in the menu (Play, Scene select, etc.) only buttons work as links as text does not. For example you will have the title in text but it would not be a link to anything unless you with to make it an Easter egg, where as the play text will take you to the film. Often both before and after a menu has appeared, warnings will come up regarding Piracy being illegal, and about the age restrictions on the movie.
Sound
Sound on a menu adds an edge and emotion to the menu. Going back to my Tucker and Dale vs Evil reference I talked about how it had a banjo playing thus referencing the fact that the film is about killer "Hill-Billies" also the bees buzzing referencing a scene. Both of these together work with one another and tell the audience that it is a horror-comedy they are about to watch.
Uses and applications
Moving imageAs previously stated the moving image makes the menu come to life and gives the audience a feel as to what the films style will be like. The film One Missed Call had a menu with the calm yet creepy track that plays when someone will die, but also the menu itself is filled with jump scares. For example there is a point in the menu where a young girl walks past the screen and into a room. Not long after that she re-appears with a new and demonic face to the screen along with a demonic roar. This is a dead give away to the fact that you are watching a horror and also does not ruin a point in the film as this was never seen in any scene.
Interactive Media
This could be a game for example, or an online magazine. Sometimes you can also find YouTube adverts that interact with you by asking you to type things into the video. Interactive media isn’t limited to digital or electronic media meaning that this could also class as things like flip books, board games or crosswords. Kony would be a good way of interacting with the audience as in the video he mentions a date and says about panting the town with posters to create recognition which would be involving the audience; the audience also had the chance to order wristbands and banners etc. Social networking sites would play a huge role in interactive media as it is formed entirely to interact with people from all over the world.
Text-based files
This is something that entirely relies on text, perhaps subtitles or titles, something that must be read by the audience. They often have text based files at the start of a DVD when it tells you the age rating and warnings etc. This is something that tells the DVD player what to do, this is also used when putting a DVD into a computer and it asks you what you want it to do, often when you open the files up on your computer you will have a blank file marked.
Image based files/image slideshow
This could be a family/personal slideshow created for the family to remember events or even share with loved ones via youtube or having on the family computer for others to see. This could be the image printed onto the front of the DVD.with loved ones via youtube or having on the family computer for others to see. This could be the image printed onto the front of the DVD. Image slideshow is a presentation of images that require little activity from the viewer. Some DVD authors like to show photographs in a timeline that allows the audience to navigate through the images as they please.
Additional material/features
This is the Blooper reel, behind the scenes and anything else found in the bonus menu. They give you a look into the making of the film and allow you laugh at some of the misfortunes that befell the actors and crew or learn something about filmmaking.
