[Frameworks] How to Make a DVD Screener?

[Dave Tetzlaff]

You should first contact the programmer and ask if the jury has the ability to view an HD digital file from a computer connected to whatever screen they use, or just on the computer, if that’s how they’d view the streaming file. You’d need to compress the Quicktime output to h.264 mpeg-4, similar as for streaming, which is best done in Handbrake. Then you’d burn that file to a data DVD, and send that off to the festival, with instructions for them to copy it to a hard drive before viewing.

A DVD-video (that will play on a DVD player) is only SD, so the film won’t look very good with that. If they insist, you’d have to downconvert your final cut to SD. You'd want the final DVD to be anamorphic 16x9, but I’m not sure if you need to do the anamorphic part in Quicktime, or if that’s handled within the DVD authoring program. As for a program to make the DVD, the choices are basically the old Apple iDVD and Toast.

Of course, I can help you do whatever, if you like...



> A programmer from a coastal film festival with poor streaming access has solicited a DVD screener for their jury to preview.
> 
> Can someone share some simple instructions for making a down & dirty DVD that will play on DVD player, Mac or PC computer?