Publishing a DVD - Need advice

[ColoradoBulldog]

First post, and I hope this is the right place for it.

I'm publishing a DVD that I intend to sell (a "how to" presentation), probably no more than 1 or 2 hundred at most. I'm looking for advice on how to actually produce the DVD's. I will create the video and edit it on my own equipment, and have the capabilty to burn my DVD also. Is it preferable (cheaper, more reliable, higher quality, etc.) to have it pressed into DVD-ROMs or can I get away with distributing them on DVD-R and/or DVD+R format. I realize there are probably many other considerations, but this is a new endeavor for me, and I'm looking for some advice from the experts who undoubtedly frequent this forum.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[ColoradoBulldog]

Well, either the experts on this forum are not willing to stoop to the level of helping a newbie, or they don't know the answer to my question. In either case, I'm surprised. As an expert on another forum on a different topic, I enjoy helping the newbies, even if I do end up answering the same questions, and most of my fellow experts feel the same way. So, my visit to your forum was brief, and I'll post my question elsewhere, and will hopefully reveive a warmer, more enlightened response. ~Mike

 

[Jeff7]

Nice attitude. I'm sure it's served you well. The Video forum isn't frequented quite as often as the General Hardware forum; sometimes you might have to bump a thread once a day, or post a link to it in your signature.
Anyway, don't let the door hit you on your way out.
Figured I'd say it before M4H came in and said it.

 

[lifeguard1999]

Well, I missed your question the first time around, otherwise I would have answered it. Here is my take on it:

1. Buy yourself a good video camera. Whatever the final product is, you want the video to look good and not cheap. A cheap looking video will put your audience to sleep, or even worse, put your DVD in the trash can as they go on to more productive enjoyable things.

2. Plan exactly what you are going to say before you say it, then practice it several times.

3. Divide up your presentation into small, bite-sized sections. Shoot several takes of what you are going to present in these sections. Choose the best ones to edit together.

4. Make sure you have a good editing program like Adobe Premiere.

5. You can burn the resulting edited program onto DVD-R, which has a slightly higher compatibility rate with current DVD players. Please realize that burning an MPEG2 AVI to a DVD will not result in a DVD that can be played in a DVD player.

6. Use DVD-R's that have a printable surface, and use an inkjet that can print onto DVD-Rs. We use the Epson 960 at work. Printing labels and affixing them to the DVD looks cheap.

7. Use good cases for the DVDs, and print out inserts for the DVD cases.

 

[GullyFoyle]

Originally posted by: ColoradoBulldog
Is it preferable (cheaper, more reliable, higher quality, etc.) to have it pressed into DVD-ROMs or can I get away with distributing them on DVD-R and/or DVD+R format.

Nobody does pressed unless they want several thousand. Do DVD-R.