Description
Encore CS4 Essential Training covers not only the basic workflow for creating DVDs, but also the important technical concepts and advanced features that can lead to real mastery of this powerful application. Chad Perkins demonstrates how to import and organize assets; assemble them into a timeline; and provide navigation via menus, buttons, and links. He discusses output alternatives such as Flash and Blu-ray, and integration with other CS4 applications like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. A series of projects is used to reinforce the techniques and concepts. Exercise files accompany the course.
Topics include:
* Understanding disc formats, compression, and pixel aspect ratios;
* Creating navigation with the Flowchart;
* Working with subtitles and surround sound;
* Adding games and "Easter eggs";
* Using Encore as a presentation tool;
* Creating menus from scratch in Photoshop;
* Testing and exporting.
Author: Chad Perkins
Total duration (hr:min): 6:18
Course Outcome:
Introduction Welcome
Is there a trial version of Encore?
Using the example files
1. Getting Familiar with Encore Using this chapter 18:57
- Using content included with Encore;
- Adding a menu to a project;
- Importing assets;
- Understanding timelines;
- Creating links and navigation;
- Introduction to exporting.
2. Introductory Technical Concepts Understanding disc formats 23:09
- About television standards;
- What is transcoding;
- Exporting video for Encore;
- About compression;
- Bits vs. byte;
- The importance of bit budgeting;
- About pixel aspect ratios;
- About overscan and safe areas.
3. Project Basics knowing your audience 28:13
- Creating a new project;
- A quick look at the interface;
- Rules for importing;
- Importing assets as Encore objects;
- Previewing assets in the Project pane;
- Organizing the Project panel;
- Using the Properties panel;
- Getting familiar with the Library panel;
- Using the Resource Central panel.
4. Menu Basics Understanding menus 21:26
- Creating a menu;
- Editing menus;
- The Menu Viewer vs. the Menu panel;
- Creating motion menus;
- About submenus.
5. Button Basics The anatomy of a button 24:40
- Using the black and white arrows with buttons;
- Viewing and adjusting button routing;
- Using buttons with video preview;
- What is a subpicture;
- About subpicture states;
- Changing subpicture colors;
- Creating subpictures from text.
6. Timeline Basics What is a timeline? 18:14
- Using the Monitor;
- Creating chapter markers;
- Setting poster frames;
- Creating chapter points automatically;
- Editing video in the timeline;
- The Timeline Viewer vs. the Timeline panel;
- Exporting a frame as a file.
7. Creating Links and Navigation Creating navigation with the Properties panel 18:53
- Linking chapter markers to submenu buttons;
- Setting a "first play" object;
- About end actions;
- Creating navigation with the Flowchart;
- Using some new Flowchart tricks;
- Auto-selecting button names from links;
- Creating user permissions for a disc;
- Creating user permissions for a menu;
- Creating user permissions for a timeline.
8. Text and Object Basics Creating and using guides 18:45
- Creating and adjusting text;
- Adding drop shadows to text and other objects;
- Adding styles to text and other objects;
- Automatically arranging objects;
- Transforming objects.
9. Using Audio and Subtitles Using audio in Encore22:44
- Understanding 5.1 surround sound;
- Adding audio while a menu plays;
- Allowing users to change the disc language;
- Creating subtitle tracks;
- Using imported subtitles;
- Exporting subtitles as a text file;
- Creating subtitles with multiple colors.
10. Creating Slideshows Introducing slideshows 18:02
- Adjusting slideshow properties;
- Adding transitions to slides;
- Adding motion to slides;
- Syncing slideshows to audio;
- Slideshows and bit budgeting.
11. Using Playlists. What a playlist is? 07:25
- Using chapter playlists.
12. Advanced Authoring Concepts. The power of end-action overrides 18:31
- Using replacement layers;
- Looping menus;
- Replacing a menu;
- Creating a chapter index;
- Using photos and video as subpictures.
13. Advanced Creative Tricks Creating "Easter eggs" 20:54
- Making games;
- Using menu transitions;
- Using subpictures as art;
- Creating a video menu.
14. Using Encore as a Presentation Tool Why use Encore as a presentation tool? 09:04
- Using subtitles with slideshows;
- Creating slideshows with manual advance;
- Adding data content to discs.
15. Creating Menus from Scratch in Photoshop About this chapter 21:41
- Introduction to the Photoshop layer codes;
- The button set codes;
- The subpicture highlight codes;
- The replacement layer code;
- The video button code;
- The submenu navigation codes;
- Using pre-built menus as templates.
16. Creating Flash Movies with Encore About Flash and Encore 13:46
- Creating buttons that link to websites;
- Exporting a SWF file;
- Changing the SWF output size;
- Using HTML templates as backgrounds;
- Importing other HTML templates;
- Using FLV vs. F4V video;
- Checking a Flash project for errors;
- Creating a SWF file with streaming video.
17. Integrating with Other Adobe Applications Using Adobe Bridge to browse for assets 19:38
- Importing sequences from Premiere Pro via Dynamic Link;
- Updating markers from Dynamic Link video;
- Using Speech Search in Premiere to help create subtitles;
- Creating motion menus in After Effects;
- Making buttons and subpictures in After Effects.
18. About Blu-ray Discs and HD Video What are Blu-ray discs? 09:46
- Setting up Blu-ray projects;
- About the Blu-ray codecs;
- Creating Blu-ray popup menus;
- Previewing pop-up menus over a timeline.
19. Testing and Exporting Encore's Automatic Letterbox 19:59
- Previewing your disc;
- Rendering for previews;
- Checking your project for errors;
- Fixing broken projects using the cache;
- About copy protection;
- About region encoding;
- About output options;
- Duplication vs. replication;
- Fixing the audio_TS problem.
20. Project: Putting It All Together Setting up a project 20:54
- Creating a menu in Photoshop ;
- Importing and organizing content;
- Creating a slideshow;
- Linking objects;
- Testing and exporting a project.
Conclusion Goodbye
Topics include:
* Understanding disc formats, compression, and pixel aspect ratios;
* Creating navigation with the Flowchart;
* Working with subtitles and surround sound;
* Adding games and "Easter eggs";
* Using Encore as a presentation tool;
* Creating menus from scratch in Photoshop;
* Testing and exporting.
Author: Chad Perkins
Total duration (hr:min): 6:18
Course Outcome:
Introduction Welcome
Is there a trial version of Encore?
Using the example files
1. Getting Familiar with Encore Using this chapter 18:57
- Using content included with Encore;
- Adding a menu to a project;
- Importing assets;
- Understanding timelines;
- Creating links and navigation;
- Introduction to exporting.
2. Introductory Technical Concepts Understanding disc formats 23:09
- About television standards;
- What is transcoding;
- Exporting video for Encore;
- About compression;
- Bits vs. byte;
- The importance of bit budgeting;
- About pixel aspect ratios;
- About overscan and safe areas.
3. Project Basics knowing your audience 28:13
- Creating a new project;
- A quick look at the interface;
- Rules for importing;
- Importing assets as Encore objects;
- Previewing assets in the Project pane;
- Organizing the Project panel;
- Using the Properties panel;
- Getting familiar with the Library panel;
- Using the Resource Central panel.
4. Menu Basics Understanding menus 21:26
- Creating a menu;
- Editing menus;
- The Menu Viewer vs. the Menu panel;
- Creating motion menus;
- About submenus.
5. Button Basics The anatomy of a button 24:40
- Using the black and white arrows with buttons;
- Viewing and adjusting button routing;
- Using buttons with video preview;
- What is a subpicture;
- About subpicture states;
- Changing subpicture colors;
- Creating subpictures from text.
6. Timeline Basics What is a timeline? 18:14
- Using the Monitor;
- Creating chapter markers;
- Setting poster frames;
- Creating chapter points automatically;
- Editing video in the timeline;
- The Timeline Viewer vs. the Timeline panel;
- Exporting a frame as a file.
7. Creating Links and Navigation Creating navigation with the Properties panel 18:53
- Linking chapter markers to submenu buttons;
- Setting a "first play" object;
- About end actions;
- Creating navigation with the Flowchart;
- Using some new Flowchart tricks;
- Auto-selecting button names from links;
- Creating user permissions for a disc;
- Creating user permissions for a menu;
- Creating user permissions for a timeline.
8. Text and Object Basics Creating and using guides 18:45
- Creating and adjusting text;
- Adding drop shadows to text and other objects;
- Adding styles to text and other objects;
- Automatically arranging objects;
- Transforming objects.
9. Using Audio and Subtitles Using audio in Encore22:44
- Understanding 5.1 surround sound;
- Adding audio while a menu plays;
- Allowing users to change the disc language;
- Creating subtitle tracks;
- Using imported subtitles;
- Exporting subtitles as a text file;
- Creating subtitles with multiple colors.
10. Creating Slideshows Introducing slideshows 18:02
- Adjusting slideshow properties;
- Adding transitions to slides;
- Adding motion to slides;
- Syncing slideshows to audio;
- Slideshows and bit budgeting.
11. Using Playlists. What a playlist is? 07:25
- Using chapter playlists.
12. Advanced Authoring Concepts. The power of end-action overrides 18:31
- Using replacement layers;
- Looping menus;
- Replacing a menu;
- Creating a chapter index;
- Using photos and video as subpictures.
13. Advanced Creative Tricks Creating "Easter eggs" 20:54
- Making games;
- Using menu transitions;
- Using subpictures as art;
- Creating a video menu.
14. Using Encore as a Presentation Tool Why use Encore as a presentation tool? 09:04
- Using subtitles with slideshows;
- Creating slideshows with manual advance;
- Adding data content to discs.
15. Creating Menus from Scratch in Photoshop About this chapter 21:41
- Introduction to the Photoshop layer codes;
- The button set codes;
- The subpicture highlight codes;
- The replacement layer code;
- The video button code;
- The submenu navigation codes;
- Using pre-built menus as templates.
16. Creating Flash Movies with Encore About Flash and Encore 13:46
- Creating buttons that link to websites;
- Exporting a SWF file;
- Changing the SWF output size;
- Using HTML templates as backgrounds;
- Importing other HTML templates;
- Using FLV vs. F4V video;
- Checking a Flash project for errors;
- Creating a SWF file with streaming video.
17. Integrating with Other Adobe Applications Using Adobe Bridge to browse for assets 19:38
- Importing sequences from Premiere Pro via Dynamic Link;
- Updating markers from Dynamic Link video;
- Using Speech Search in Premiere to help create subtitles;
- Creating motion menus in After Effects;
- Making buttons and subpictures in After Effects.
18. About Blu-ray Discs and HD Video What are Blu-ray discs? 09:46
- Setting up Blu-ray projects;
- About the Blu-ray codecs;
- Creating Blu-ray popup menus;
- Previewing pop-up menus over a timeline.
19. Testing and Exporting Encore's Automatic Letterbox 19:59
- Previewing your disc;
- Rendering for previews;
- Checking your project for errors;
- Fixing broken projects using the cache;
- About copy protection;
- About region encoding;
- About output options;
- Duplication vs. replication;
- Fixing the audio_TS problem.
20. Project: Putting It All Together Setting up a project 20:54
- Creating a menu in Photoshop ;
- Importing and organizing content;
- Creating a slideshow;
- Linking objects;
- Testing and exporting a project.
Conclusion Goodbye